Well, Dear Readers, We had a lovely holiday (much to share with you). But first we are happy to say we came home to find our new barn built...
We had 'ummd and arred' for a while over where to put it, but decided in the end that it had to shift from its current position by the potager, as it is in the way of the drive and vineyard expansion; and also we didn't want to be trekking across our nice lawns with the tractor and farm equipment, so it had to shift to the farm.
It is in the paddock closest to the park, so there won't be too much trekking the other way with the lawn mower and mulch. We are constructing three large compost and mulch pits beside the new barn, as well as a couple of small animal pens for any stock that might need isolating or close care...
We really wanted the look of an old oak barn, but not the maintenance (or price), so we decided on a 'colour-steel' barn in a brown wooden colour with a slate coloured roof. We went for a four bay design to allow for easy access to multiple vehicles / implements from the first three bays and the fourth for a tool shed / work shop.
Above: The bare site as seen from the gate between the park and farm.
Below: The sand infill into the excavation they dug for foundations.
Willoughby surveying the new sandpit
The reinforcing mesh, boxing and polythene liner
The newly poured concrete. The farm is not looking the best in this bleak photo with the deciduous trees like skeletons on a overcast skyline...
The barn starting to rise up from pad...
The finished barn...
Now we can start to landscape around it to give it that rustic look; to build the animal pens and composting pits; and to move everything out of the old barn and dismantle it to extend the vineyard.
