It was a all day project.
Of course it rained all day and not just a bit but heavy down pours by times.
This was to be expected with hurricane Ophelia heading by Nova Scotia,the rain is supposed to continue until Saturday.
My barn was built in 1810,it is old and kinda crooked but built timber strong.
It makes a nice barn for my sheep,horses,milk cows and chickens,the half level holds horse sleighs, bobsleds and odds & ins, not to mention the hay mow holds over 500 square bales of hay and straw.
The sheep will spend the night in the horse stalls, the floor was disinfected and still needed to dry before we rebuilt the new pens.
The manure pack from the sheep was thick and heavy with a earthy smell.
This is what came out...
That's one big pile of poo!!!
It always seems like so much more then when it's in the barn because its packed so tight in there.
I'm glad we have the equipment to move it easy, forking sheep manure by hand sucks to say the least,it is heavy and lifts in sheets, excavators make easy work.
This is what the inside looked like before sweeping and disinfecting...including dig marks in the cement from the teeth on the bucket..
Now if only I could reach those nasty big cobwebs way up there..
Tomorrow we will finish the job.
The good thing is it's the time of year for hoof trimming and worming so the new pens will be fresh for fresh girls making a cozy winter.
Despite the rain the cows loved getting a bath.
A greatly productive day!!
How did you spend your Sunday??
Linking to Barn Charm and
What an amazing building! Being able to use heavy equipment is a blessing, doing it by had is a back breaker (as well I know).
ReplyDeleteThe cobwebs may be older then anyone living!
These photos are great. Good thing you got the barn cleaned out before winter. That was quite a job!
ReplyDeleteOh how I love old barns...if they could talk :-)
ReplyDeleteWhat a huge job...but looking great.
I spent it laying around the house nursing my twisted ankle. Visit my blog if you want to know more...
ReplyDeleteHey farmer great job. The cattle look wonderful. We spent our day rounding up stockers we shipped out 19 stockers and two cows. Sometimes I still find this hard but such is farm life. Take care. B
ReplyDeleteChai Chai- I love the old barn,I wish the other was still here,it was twice as big with a basement you could drive in.I have only seen pictures and heard stories.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes those cobwebs could be that old,one is about 7 feet long!!
Michaele- It was a huge job,we do it about four times a year. It was a little later then normal this year but so nice to have everything fresh and clean.
Treasures Evermore- This old barn has some big stories to tell,it was used to house many livestock,several teams of oxen and draft horses right down to pigs and the men who slept in the mow who helped during the summer.
Tayet- oh poor you!!
Buttons- Thanks,they had/have amazing pasture this year.
We have one steer to move next week,that will be hard, I would cry if I had to move 21!!
Sometimes farming is hard but usually only a few times a year...
I sure don't miss mucking, but I do miss rolling in the fresh straw after it is all done. Thanks for sharing. It brought back some memories.
ReplyDeleteWonderful old barn! What a job to clean it out but worth the effort, I'm sure. Thanks for this little peek at your life on your farm.
ReplyDeleteWonderful barn with a fine story to go with it. Barns are beautiful, but they mean work. Thanks for the whole story. I love the cattle - Scottish Highland? The only cute cattle!
ReplyDeletewow, i really LOVE your barn...what stories it must have to tell!
ReplyDeleteThere is something about old barns that only some of us are lucky enough to understand!
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing.
N
Wow...you are a very hard worker! Those are lucky animals to have such a loving caretaker! Thanks for the photo tour! That old barn sure does serve it's purpose!
ReplyDelete1st of all, that's a beautiful barn! 2nd, Thank you so much for showing the inside!!! We hardly ever get to see inside these old beauties... looks like a great place for the animals.
ReplyDeleteAnd 3rd, those are some handsome wild & wooly dudes you have there! WoW!
Thanks for joining in & linking up to Barn Charm
I thought id stop by your blog and say hello. And i hope your enjoying the beautiful fall weather that has begun. Richard from Amish Stories.
ReplyDeleteI really, really enjoyed this post! Loved all the pictures!
ReplyDelete1810, wow. And in such wonderful condition, inside and out. I think we'd all be a little crooked if we were that age. lol
ReplyDeleteI remember the days of mucking out the stalls. Fun times. lol A good work out too.
What kind of cattle? Love how curly they are. Great close up shot!
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