Long-time FARM SHOW readers probably remember reading about Ken Andre, the man who spent years traveling across North America taking down old barns for farmers and ranchers.

Ken called recently to tell us about his new venture. He buys up timber frame barns, takes them down, and reconstructs them in other areas, often for use as homes, office buildings, or other structures. "In most cases the barns are over 100 years old, have straight gable roofs, and are built with big hand-hewn beams measuring 10 by 10 in. or more. The barns must be standing straight and have been well-maintained, with a roof that doesn't leak," he notes.

Andre will travel anywhere to get a barn. Most barns become available because of the encroachment of urban areas or because of the widening of roads. Other times the barns are just too expensive to maintain. "When I first sit down with people they get very excited that their barn might be used for something special elsewhere. One family recently had a 150-year-old barn. We took it down and reassembled it hundreds of miles away as an office building. When it was finished, the family went to see how it looked. They were thrilled with the results."

Andre says many people don't know what they've got. If it isn't in use, they're just tired of maintaining the building and paying taxes on it. "In many cases, an old barn can be worth thousands of dollars. And they get the satisfaction of knowing the barn will live on for a long time."

Andre generally takes just the frame of the barn but he cleans up the rest, even burying the concrete foundation where necessary. When he's done the area is totally cleaned up and the farmer has some money in his pocket. "In many cases, it would cost thousands to have a big barn taken down," he notes.