Cleaning UP

The upper level (which we call upstairs, but is really upladder because there are no stairs) was designed to store hay for the animals fed on the ground level. Lately we have been focusing our attention on cleaning up the upper level of the barn. It is a rewarding task because I can always see where I have been. It can also be very discouraging because there is soooo much more to do. I will let pictures tell the story.

BEFORE

Daniel is helping Preston rig up a tarp to control the "sweepings" we send "down the chute".

We then loaded up the straw, chaff, dust, pigeon poo and the like, in a wheelbarrow and carried it away.

Notice the wood wall from the floor up about 4'-5'. This was not original in 1916, but added in the 40's when the Winns were storing dry peas in this side of the upper level.
We decided to go back to orginal 1916.

This is what we discovered behind the wall.
Bird nest

Layers of chaff and straw accumulated over 50 years
We shared our fun with a friend.
Pam Long (aka Curley, Curlew.... Swan) came for a visit and cheerfully donned insulated coverall (it was 23 degrees that morning) and dust mask to join us at our "play".
You are always welcome to come play with us!
We believe in the old adage "Families that work together stay together."
Isn't that the way it goes?


This is what we are working with now. Just hours (day, weeks, months, who knows?) of vacuuming, scraping and digging up dust and dirt from the corners and crevices.