Tumbledown Barn pics

[Anonymous-0]

Town north of me (Pomfret) had a prescribed burn / forestry drill this morning in an acre or two grove of pitch pines in a tract of land now owned by the Audobon Society. Pitch pines are pretty rare around here, and they rely on fire every 10 years or so to keep them healthy.

Got some pics of the tumbledown barn -- it succumbed this past winter. According to the sign on the property, this section was an active dairy farm until the 1960s, and afterwards the crop land was leased to other farmers.

Audobon owns quite a bit of land here, much of which it manages for wildlife including extensive meadows. However certain parts they have kept as working lands on a rotation of 3 years corn, 5 years alfalfa.

And some of the fire photos:

 

[Anonymous-0]

Sadly many of the old hay barns in NY are falling down as well. They don't fit into mechanized farming very well today. A few hours south of here in PA. the old barns are well maintained.

 

[Fergienewbee]

We had an old barn--stone basement, hand hewn beams, etc--until about four winters ago. I really like old barns and Iowa has some unusual double-ended circle barns connected by a rectangular section. Most seem to be in good repair.

Larry in Michigan

 

[jokers]

I know that for at least several years there has been state money available in New York to repair the old barns for the sake of historic preservation, a few of my friends have taken advantage of this program.

 

[Anonymous-0]

When I see old barns like this I can't help thinking it would be interesting to know the stories entailed with them. And pictures from start to finish would be nice too.

 

[730 virgil]

i think state of wisconsin has program to restore and fix old barns.
sadley these old barn continue to fall into disrepair. not easy to fit into modern farming do to size of machinery and large numbers of animals on todays farms.

 

[Mark - IN.]

There's a lot of those barns with rounded ends in Illinois. First time I saw one thought that's odd, but the more I'm out on the back roads working, there's lots of them. I'd be curious as to the thought behind them. Also, is a small place in a town of Manhatten that has the "Round Barn Museum", that used to be a working farm way back when, or what's left of it with a round barn for sure. If you're ever passing through Manhatten, you've gotta stop into Kirby's for the pastries. For me, always worth pulling off the interstate to fill up a couple of boxes and take them to the family and friends who love them a couple of hours east back home in Indiana.

 

[Eric SEI]

I'm not positive but I think those round ended barns you mention are actually corn cribs. 2 cribs connected together, kind of like cribs around here are connected with a roof creating machinery storage between the cribs. Both sides can be filled without moving the conveyor.

 

[Rusty wheel]

Old barns are truely fasinating. If only they could talk. rw

 

[Mark - IN.]

I figured corn cribs, but some of these guys are just incredibly huge. I heard something about the design years ago, but don't remember what it was or why it was. Brought over by some Dutch guy from Holland or something and supposed to be exclusive to the area a hundred years ago or so. Kind of like that round barn. I have no idea what the concept would've been, but its pretty big and still there. Next time I'm that way, I'll ask. Hope no one sees the Indiana plates and chases me off with a pitch fork.

 

[Mark - IN.]

I don't know. Maybe I'm confusing round Illinois barns with corn cribs. Here I'm trying to find one...just one picture of that round barn in Manhattan and can't find one. Then I find a link that has a million pictures of round barns in Illinois. Never in my life have I ever seen a round barn until I saw that one down there, and now here's a million of them. I've never seen round barns in Indiana. I'm not saying there's anything wrong with them, but we aint got any that I know of. Hope I don't offend anyone, cause I aint trying to.

http://www.dalejtravis.com/barn/barnil.htm
History of that round barn in Manhattan, IL.

 

[Larry59]

Have enjoyed looking at your pictures posted. Thanks.
My wife and I like to go out and look at old buildings and barns. For we think about how it
was in its time. History is interesting to us and they repersent a lot of history and hard work for someone on the farms.
I had an uncle and he had this really nice barn. Milk stalls and all. But never lifted a finger to do anything to the barn in repairs. He kept saying ole he intends to. But it never happen and foundly it gave way to the ground. When all it would have taken was a little time. With a hammer and some nails to kept it up.
He ended up having to have a new barn built which was never as good as the old one.
I see this on barns many times and old sheds. No hammer and no nails. Just setting there falling down for nothing. Very sad as we see it.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Round barns are to confusing for Indiana people they just wander around and around and never find their way out.

 

[Mark - IN.]

I was afraid that might happen, mine are rectangular with lines painted on the floors. I'm Polish on top of being a Hoosier. Maybe I can apply for a disability? Jeez, I never thought of that...until just now. Where's my phone? I wonder if those disability folks are open. Whats's a phone?