Barn Expansion - Mostly Completed

This Saturday at 7 am we started working feverishly to finish up our barn expansion project.  Last Saturday we put up a lean-to on the north side.  This Saturday our goal was to finish up the lean-to on the south side.  As the photo below evidences, there is a very good reason we are putting up additional roof area!  It is a mud-fest back by the barn.  Yes, we will move some additional dirt in to lift the elevation a little bit, but the roof expansion will help as well.

Inside the barn it is nice and dry, but just one square inch outside and you are immediately in ankle deep mud.  The goats absolutely hate walking in the water and mud and the cows literally have to be dragged out after milking.  Tricia actually fell into the mud Saturday morning as her boots got stuck in the mud and she stepped out of them.

We took our measurements and made out cuts and quickly put the header and rafters up.  With the experience gained last Saturday, we were moving faster and more efficiently this week. 

By noon we had the tin fastened down on the roof and the cows were already checking out the new construction.

We were almost done.  Believe it our not, my calculations were off by one sheet on tin.  I'll have to get one more sheet of tin in order to finish it up.  It is kind of disappointing to not be "really" finished, but we're close enough.

We still have a few "punch list" items. The tin is all used material that came off of an old combine shed at the farm.  The tin has nail holes where it was fastened to the other barn.  I will need to get some caulk and patch all of the nail holes so that we don't have a leaky roof when it rains.

Here is a profile shot of the new, improved barn.  As you can see, we doubled up on our square footage under roof.  This will make the animals happy during rainy, cold weather as they'll be able to take shelter.  We can put up temporary walls, if we wish and store hay or other items in the new areas.

We're ecstatic to have this project completed.  As soon as we get a few days without rain, we will get a load or two of dirt moved in to build up the area around the barn.  The extended roof on either side of the barn has made it considerably darker inside the barn and as we only have 3 light bulb fixtures currently, we may have to look at additional lighting. 

"I compare myself to a good barn. You can have a good barn, and if you paint it, it looks a little better. But if you take the paint off, it's still a good barn."-Dolly Parton