Barn Ready for Roof !!!

Shown here, the two Brians from MDK Construction are finishing the sheathing and soffet on the South facing elevation of the barn. These two braved the weather and the danger of a badly rotted loft floor and spent the past week up and down ladders and scaffolding repairing the structural elements of the roof; its rafters and bracing, before moving on to the man lifts and scissor lift to replace the rotted sheathing and other exterior components of the roof.


JR roofing from Olympia is due out this Monday to start putting the tin on. I know they will be pleased to find the structure sound, and I think they will be absolutely amazed to find it straight.

All in all everything is coming along well, and though I am ready to have this project finished I am already looking forward to the prospect of finishing the exterior trim and painting.

Calender Says Spring is Here

Shown here, Hannah waters in the first transplants of the season. Tray after tray of alliums; onions, leeks, and shallots have been seeded into open flats in early February for transplant in April.


Weeks later the same flats are here on the left and trays of brassicas, and flowers have taken their place on the heated bench in the middle of the greenhouse. Once these plants get up to size they are hardened off in an unheated greenhouse then transplanted into the field. As soon as the weather breaks we will be busy, busy, busy. Since the ground can be a bit less than perfect for transplants they are the first thing be planted in spring. A few days later we will start direct seeding. I am always pleased after the first day of transplanting. It's like instant farm. We can transplant about 25,000 plants on a good day. This always turns some heads in the Valley as people go by on their way to work and see open fields then return later to fields of perfectly placed little seedlings.

Barn Beginning to Take Shape

With the help of about ten large come-alongs and an untold amount of cable and trepidation the old barn is about as close to plumb and square as I could hope for. We are in the process of adding internal bracing and will add shear panels to the first floor to try and hold the old girl in place.

Compare the back bone of the barn in this picture to the one above and you can clearly see the amount of sway that has been removed from the building. The roofer is scheduled to return at the end of next week and the abatement phase of the project is hoped to be complete by the first of April.