Raising Helps Save Old Fashioned Barn

Raising helps save old fashioned barn AG WORLD Ag World 12-6-17 "We wanted to preserve the craftsmanship of a bygone era," says Glenn Busenitz, Roanoke, Ill., who staged an old fashioned barn raising on his farm last summer with the help of 40 to 50 neighbors. The barn Busenitz' neighbors helped put up was moved from a neighboring farm three miles away. "It was originally constructed in 1880 by Amish farmers who didn't use any nails. It was built with mortise and tennon joints held together by wooden pegs, most of which we were able to drive out and reuse," says Busenitz, who salvaged the entire frame of the 40 by 40 barn (some of the siding had previously been removed) and then re-roofed and re-sided the building with steel. Busenitz started dismantling the barn in February, 1988 and staged the barn raising last July 30. The big crew worked all of one day and 15 returned the next day, nearly completing the job. Busenitz made the finishing touches over the following week. Except for the siding and a couple of rafters, no nails were used to erect the structure and no new lumber was purchased. Contact FARM SHOW Followup, Glenn Busenitz, Rt. 2, Roanoke, Ill. 61561 (ph 309 923-7398).

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