The Fire
On the early morning of May 11, the revered old post and beam barn at Darthia Farm, burned to the ground, taking with it our beloved draft horses, all our sheep, two calves, two pigs, and over 60 young fowl. Bill and I tried in vain to get the animals out of the inferno but it was too far along. We believe that most of the animals died of smoke inhalation with the exception of some sheep who were in the outside enclosure. Before the fireThe community immediately began an incredible outpouring of support in the way of condolences, food,...
New Beginnings
The charred timbers are gone. The smell of burn is only in our minds. And the major disconnect we felt after the fire is dissipating. However, that means that the memories become sharper, clearer, more alarming.Kids' paintings and lettersLast week we poured the slab for the new barn and the cement is curing in readiness for the timbers, which are being cut. My old dye shed, attached to the barn, was destroyed by the fire. My dye books, dyes, thermometers, mordants, pots, everything I needed to dye the wool from our sheep. The Wednesday spinners are gathering up materials and...
Foundations
It's been almost a month and a half since the fire and I'm not sure whether it seems like more time or less time since it happened. We are all trying to do what we're supposed to do to keep the farm going but sometimes it's really tough. The slab is cured and we're just waiting for the timbers to be cut. Below is a diagram of how the cuts are made and how they line up. The finished joint is very strong and beautiful. The barn that burned was made in this fashion and we felt it was important...
Dog Ate My Homework
No pictures today because Kelpie, our Nova Scotia Duck Toller puppy, chewed the USP cord and the new one won't be here until next week.We've had a slight delay in the timber frame project because of the heavy rains inland. Apparently, the truck with the last load of timbers, was unable to deliver due to the road conditions from the flooding.The frame WILL be up by August 1, we are promised. Yesterday, the excavator dug the new waterline to the new site, and through the slab, so that's all ready to go. During August, we will definitely have loads of...
Building Blocks
It's been a long time since my last entry about the progress of the new barn and for that, I apologize. The timber frame company has been busy cutting the joints for the timbers but we can't see them because they're cutting them in their shop. Here are some pictures of the timbers and the joints.But now we have a projected time line.The approximate start date for the timber frame company to erect the timbers is August 1, with a completion date of August 17. If all goes well, I suspect it will be sooner than that. If you'd like...
Framing the Dye Shed
Finally - this week there's been a lot of progress. We poured the cement pad for the sheep loafing area, we hired a guy to start work rebuilding my dye shed that was attached to the barn, and, because we moved the barn back 25', we've been able to plant some grass in front of the house. We also built the berm with stone from the old barn's foundation.Framing up the Dye Shed Next week, August 1, the timber frame company will arrive with cut timbers and begin raising them. We are very excited about it and can now envision...
Completing the Dye Shed
We've had a series of postponements getting the timbers here and erected. They are all cut and should be coming this week. Andy said it would only take about 4 days to put the timbers up. The dye shed nears completionThey were supposed to begin today but Andy's (the timber frame guy) wife had a freak accident and is in the hospital. She will be all right but required surgery. Although the timbers are not up, we have made some progress. We put up the sign acknowledging all those who helped and are helping in so many ways. My sister,...
Framing the Barn
I am sitting next to the new barn watching the timbers go up. It is a giant puzzle full of intricate cuts which go together with precision. The timbers are beautiful. I don't usually use that word because it doesn't mean much these days but I can't think of a better word. The joints are perfect, fit together like they are one piece of wood. They have finished with the second floor and are putting in the joists. This afternoon I think I'll see the roof rafters being "flown" up with the large crane. Next week the roofers will come...
In The Thick of It
After months of frustration and waiting, things are moving very fast. Two weeks ago the timber frame company began to put together the frame which they finished last Friday. On Saturday and Sunday, we had the best barn raising ever. On Saturday, over 25 inexperienced and seasoned carpenters decked the hay floors and began putting up the siding. On Sunday, about 23 folks built 90% of the stalls and doors. It is simply astounding what got done here in two days. We also had lots of food donations and help in the kitchen, which made for some very hearty and...
Nearly There
Our new barn is 98% completed as of today! Last Saturday we had another work party and laid the hemlock floor in the alley and horse stall, boarded up the rest of the partitions, built a grain bin in the harness/grain room. Then the metal roofers, Holgerson, from Appleton, moved in and completed putting on the metal roof on the barn, sheep loafing area, and dye shed.Pretty amazing !!This week we go to the Common Ground Fair in Unity from Thursday through Monday so we won't be working to finish things up but as soon as we get back, we'll...
Completion!
Today was an emotional day for everyone here at Darthia Farm. The kindergarten and first grade of the Peninsula School came for their annual field trip but we weren't so sure there would ever be another. After the fire, we began to get letters from children at the school telling us to "never give up" and that convinced us that we had to keep the farm going. Then they invited us to their school where the K-8 students presented us with their memories of their K-1 fieldtrip.Today, when they drove up the lane in their school bus, all 50 of...