10.05.2017

build-a-barn ~ around the corner

The porch floor project mentioned on my last build-a-barn post, has been poured. We decided to go with the wood planked look (vs boardwalk). We used a wider 8" board stamp. The Saloon floor is a 6" board stamp. We still have to stain/seal both barn floors. It seems nothing is ever really completely done...


half way done
porch crew working hard


wet stamped concrete

taking self portraits to new heights
I am 60 feet tall!
Brad has been working super hard again, on both barn & house stuff. I really worry about him. He is burning the candle at both ends. As we move deeper into Fall, the pressure of our complicated homestead build increases. At least after a long two and a half month ordeal, the truck hauling our ceiling material for the house FINALLY arrived! For real. "It's been shipped" is kinda like "check is in the mail". You don't believe it until you see it! I am happy to report we no longer look like Smurfs standing underneath a gigantic blue tarp! Having a roof on our house means it's go time. Make up for lost time. Crunch time. For most everything. They said things will move fast after the roof goes on. They weren't kidding!!  

Even with an unseasonable warm Fall, it's hard to forget that winter is around the corner. All under/ground/outdoor related things have to be completed. Soon. It will get cold, and the ground will freeze. Eventually. On top of everything else, field work had to be done. Brad sold three crops of alfalfa earlier this year, before planting Winter Wheat last week. Thanks to our daughter, the wheat is already sold. The horse pasture also had to be replanted. 

We are still planning on having the house & barn done by the end of this year. Not an ideal time to move in WI. I moved in the middle of a freezing cold January snow storm once, and don't care to ever do that again. With that said, if this winter is anything like last year it will be a non-issue. On the other hand, we may just wait until early Spring. I might even be ready by then??

Remember how I said construction requires multiple stages of digging, then filling, then re-digging, then re-filling? Well, we dug the barn area up. Again. I think this is the last time?! This year.


digging the water line for the auto waterer
(iphone pic)
We made the decision on shelter placement for the horses. With the house up, we could actually look out of it and see where shelter placement would block our view of the horses. We decided to clear the brush strip between the barn & house, and tuck the shelter-to-be partially among a few remaining larger trees. It will be closer to the barn, semi-protected from elements, with a partially unobstructed view. We would love to be able to see our horses inside the shelter, but both house & shelter face similar directions. 

The shelter will have a Ritchie waterer inside it. We won't be digging it out of snow storms, and unfreezing it, like the last place we had our horses. Someday we plan to add another open sided type shade shelter, further down the pasture. Mostly for Nemo, who's allergies continue to be problematic. We can't wait to bring him home...


future shelter will be on the left
a wide connecting path will be on the right
Work on the barn interior has slowed down. It's all about catching up on the house these days. However, we did finish deciding on stalls. Now it's time to order them. Gulp! We also looked at interior barn doors (again) and are in the process of having the plumbing & electric hooked up in the barn. It won't be too much longer & we will have a toilet on the land. One that doesn't consist of sand & hiding behind buildings. A real flushing toilet! Yipeee!!

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View other Build-a-Barn posts to date.

7 comments:

Shirley said...

I sure hope that winter holds off for a bit for you! The place looks amazinf, love the stamped concrete.
How are you and Koda doing?

Grey Horse Matters said...

It may seem to be going slow to you but I think you've made great progress and I don't see why it can't be finished by the end of the year. Good luck with all this. I've moved in January in the snow and I know it's not fun at all. P.S. a flushing toilet makes a BIG difference! WooHoo!

Love the stamped concrete it looks gorgeous. Can't wait to see more as it all comes together.

And, yes, what Shirley said, how are you and Koda doing?

aurora said...

Glad you guys think it's moving along well! We feel like the homestead build has been dragging on forever, and it's wearing on us. We will spend the rest of our lives enjoying working on our land, but this intense building house stuff can go away anytime. Lately everything is a blur. I am so glad I've documented the barn build. When this is all in the past, I will be able to sit back & relive the good stuff! Instead of a long list of links at the end of every related post, I made a build-a-barn page. Link under blog header. Not sure if that was the right way to go, but it's the best I can do right now.

Koda & I are both doing well. His wound has completely healed! I am still rehab walking, and somehow need to step it up for him. It's hard to do, under the circumstances. I am doing athletic training (PT style) and waiting to see if I can get enough range & strength back to do the things I love, without surgery. Jury is still out. I've made huge strides, but without surgery will always be at risk. Much like my foot, I will most likely do what I can - until I can't. Thanks so much for asking!!

Linda said...

You’re on the last stretch! This undertaking, and the details you’ve all put into the project, are huge. Your barn is like a work of art. I would not have had your patience. I would have been scared to take on so much and take the time to do it well, but you weren’t. Reading your posts, it seems like you have a deep love for your horses and your dream home and barn and you’re not settling for the quick and easy. I’m inspired. Oh, and I LOVE the stamping!!

Sherry Sikstrom said...

wow!! things are moving along! Brad please take it easy! It looks like you have accomplished a world of work already !

Linda said...

Hope everything is going well for you. I imagine you’re very, very busy!!

aurora said...

Hi Linda, yea - the house stuff has taken over my life. Seems everything is a flippin' battle to get done. We keep running into roadblocks, it continues to be an interesting turn of events. Anyone who says "building is fun" either hasn't done it, or has built in a subdivision where options are limited and are handed to you. It will be worth it, if we ever make it to the end! I've truly missed keeping up with everyone's blog & posting...I'll be back!!