Getting the barn ready to move…

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My husband and I moved an old barn to our homestead and restored it in 2009. Here are a bunch of pictures of getting the barn ready to move and a description of how it was moved. Last week I started telling the story of the barn we are in the process of restoring (rebuilding?). You can read how we came to be the proud owners of a “free” barn here, if you missed it. Today I’m showing how we got the barn ready to move from its old location to its new home a quarter mile away.

Getting the barn ready to move

Getting the barn ready to move.

Take a look at the first set of pictures here to refresh your memory of how the barn originally looked. Because we didn’t want “our” barn on someone else’s property (and because the original owners said they’d burn it if we didn’t move it by August 1, 2009), we had to get it to our property. It actually sounds a lot more complicated than it was. My husband is pretty resourceful. Whereas I had no idea how to proceed, he found a company that moves homes, and other enormous structures! Who knew people actually make a living doing that – and that the premier home moving company in the United States happens to be located only about an hour from us? Fate?! When they said moving the barn would be a piece of cake, and the quoted price was marginally affordable, we were really excited!

So, we hired the moving company, Jeremy Patterson House Moving, Inc, and then we had to prepare the barn and its new home. The old owner, Art, tore off the wing, or second barn, that wasn’t salvageable. He also tore down the little office that was located on the front  of the barn, as well as a concrete ramp that allowed vehicles to drive to the mow. My husband and our construction company employees (one of whom happened to be the great-grandson of the man who built the barn), cleaned out years worth of stuff, mostly old grain and animal droppings – a delightful job, I was told!! Getting the barn ready to move

While Art was prepping the actual barn, my hubs also had to prepare the new home. That included digging a new foundation, pouring new footers, and back-filling. Getting the barn ready to move

Once the barn and the new location were prepped, Jeremy Patterson’s crew showed up to do their part. They brought enormous steel beams, lots of tires, and a huge hydraulic lift.

First, they built jacks out of 6x6s throughout the bottom of the barn, and then they put steel beams on top of the jacks to support the barn.
Getting the barn ready to move

Getting the barn ready to move

They also had to support the beams in the huge mow so they added a lot of cross braces to keep everything steady.
Getting the barn ready to move

Getting the barn ready to move

Getting the barn ready to move

This is a picture of the hydraulic jack they hooked up to the barn. I’m not very mechanically inclined, but I thought it was pretty cool.
Getting the barn ready to move

Once they were finished, the beams stuck out of the barn.
Getting the barn ready to move

Of course, it was pretty late in the day when they got to this point so they wouldn’t move it the same day they prepped it.
Getting the barn ready to move

And then, Jeremy Patterson experienced serious health issues which landed him in the hospital. After he got out of the hospital, equipment broke down. Then it rained and the fields were too muddy. We thought we would never get the barn moved. The days ticked away. The August 1st deadline for getting the barn onto our property approached. And everyone was wondering if the barn would be moved after all.

Of course, you know that it eventually moved or there wouldn’t be much a story. But you’ll have to wait until next week to see the awesome pictures I took that day!

 

About Michelle Marine

Michelle Marine is the author of How to Raise Chickens for Meat, a long-time green-living enthusiast, and rural Iowa mom of four. She empowers families to grow and eat seasonal, local foods; to reduce their ecological footprint; and to come together through impactful travel.

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4 Comments

  1. I too have a soft spot for old barns so I think it is wonderful you have taken on the task of restoring this one! Adam & I went on a country drive last weekend and ended up driving out past your barn. It really does look great & is in the perfect place!

  2. will share your story on our maplenol barn facebook page. it’s great that your family had the resources to save this barn.