The Barn

We haven't got a name yet - shack, shed, hut, hovel, hangar, barn or garage; but by definition it will be a double roofed structure used as a storage space or workshop. Pictures say more than words, they bring things alive! as you read you can decide what to call it.

The barn will measure 40 feet north/south and 24 east/west that's 960 square feet plus the space under the eaves! Roof slope is 3 and 12 (meaning that for every horizontal foot it goes up 3 inches).

We have been preparing for the shed for the last 7 years, ever since Mr Douglas Earl drove his huge bulldozer and dug a hole on the East side; I was so impressed he could transform a hillside in two days. We ended up having the trampoline there for about 5 years plus a compost for branches on the opposite side;  last Spring  2012 we began piling tree trunks to create a garden in a Hugel Kulture style; as I write this Gregg Jones was here and after digging the pond he added top soil to the HK; a few days later Alden and I transplanted 5 citrus trees.

Last year we really talked about the barn and finally agreed to build it in the area north of the house where we have the 2 green tanks to store rain water; it made sense to cover the tanks and keep the water temperature stable; to have a storage for wood close to the house;  a walkway for the wheel barrel and a pathway for a wheel chair. To have it close to the pond; easy access to park the cars, tractor, trailer, etc; to store garden tools; plus sleeping quarters for the pets, Ringo and Flame. And maybe a couple of ducks  in the near future.

Alden began preparing trees last summer - he has several long beams - oak, poppler, etc; Saturday 3/9 Alden and Federico began by gluing together two pressure treated 4x4 to make ten big heavy posts 8x4. All day Sunday they dug and placed the 6 posts on the west side. Placing each post is a project in itself, you have to take into consideration depth, height, and with a laser beam the alignment to each other, alignment to the ones on the east side, to the roof, etc.

Installing the sixth post

Sunday - 6 posts are staked

Monday it rained all day. Tuesday Alden and his helper Mari, got one post ready on the East side. Wednesday two more. Thursday morning the last one is in; for now only 4 posts on the East side.  Friday afternoon Javier and his mom Maria,  came to help. Between Alden, Javier, the tractor, scaffolding and 2 saw horses they managed to drag, move and raise to over 8 feet high a huge and very heavy 26 foot long beam -then Alden cut it to length with a chain saw and nailed it in a 24 foot spam between two posts.  The ladies helped too.  I am utterly amazed at  how Alden thinks and engineers to do such challenging tasks with minimum resources.

Beam is up balancing on saw horse

Mari's turn to hold the beam while it is still balancing on saw horses!

Mari is holding the beam while Alden and Javier are raising the scaffolding

Beam is cut, fit between posts and nailed

Precision fitting... Javier adjusting, Maria passing nails

Saturday 3/16 after Alden returned from school here we go again. Scott and Kyle Atkins came to help for a couple of hours - to screw posts, cut plywood. After taking more measures Alden and Federico started putting together the first of six trusses; then they set the scaffolding to see if they can raise the trusses up tomorrow. During the night Alden was thinking on how to maneuver those extremely heavy, long trusses.

Federico nailing braces to the beam

Alden, Scott, Kyle and Federico "thinking" on best way to brace a truss. 

Sunday - Federico, Javier and Maria came over... what a day, we managed to raise 4 trusses with the tractor and the 5 of us, what a project!!! Maria had made tamales at her home and we had a delicious lunch! At the end of the day we moved all tools to the front porch, and covered the wood... storm in the forecast.
Monday - I went to Guntersville to give massages; Alden and Federico worked during the morning raising up the last  two trusses. Around 3 pm a hurricane like storm hit the area; Alden and Federico had to remove 3 trees that fell over the driveway. More than 10 trees fell in the woods; after all the cleaning up we had done to fill in the area for the HK. Oh well, such is life in the woods.

Maria sanding away

Federico placing braces to hold trusses in place

Raising a very heavy truss; Federico,  Javier and Mari balancing & moving to fit it on the edges, Alden aligning the tractor

Tuesday - Scott, Ernie, Ken and Lisa came to help. Alden, Scott and Lisa got 8 joists on the rafters while Ken and Ernie cut lots of boards to size. I prepared a delicious lunch. Keitha came by to use the WiFi there is no electric power in the area due to yesterday's storm damage. In the evening Alden and I counted the wood, and worked a bit more on the rafters. Such a pleasant day. The songs of the birds, the crisp sixty degree weather, friends "playing" to build a shack.

Keitha always smiling!

Scott measures to start placing joists

Lisa using nail gun, Alden supervising



Ernie and Ken cutting boards

Wednesday - Scott and Alden continued to place joists; this process is slower than what Alden had thought. Always the mind moving faster than reality. Ken and I squared and cut eighteen 12 foot long heavy boards.

The ladies came to yoga and then book club, they were amazed at the size of the shack and the  HK. Linda said "I did not imagine that sending you the link to Hugel Kulture last year would totally transform your garden" I am still getting used to it! The shack measures 40 feet north/south and 24 east/west that's 960 square feet plus the space under the eaves! 

Thursday - only Scott came today; they placed some boards, then put things away and covered the wood... rain in the forecast. I went to calligraphy class at Ginny's.
Friday - rainy morning, yoga class and massage. Federico came at 1 pm and in 4 hours they had a section covered with tin roof plus the boards installed for the joists. Alden said Federico is very fast, he has lots of experience working in construction. What a playful activity!
Saturday - Federico and Daryl arrived at 2:00 by 6:30 pm all the tin on the west side is on. Hurrah!

The West side is covered

Sunday - Again Federico and Daryl were here from 8:30-2:30 when it started to rain; most of the joists on the east side are in place. In the afternoon we went to Marjorie's memorial service. Another cold spell blowing in from the west, temperatures at night are dropping below freezing and very windy.

Daryl raising tin, Federico receiving, Alden passing tools

Daryl 

Federico nailing the tin

Monday 3/25 Federico came today; most of the posts are ready; and 2/3 of the east roof are covered. Joe Bullard will get tin screws by tomorrow. We cleaned up piles and consolidated things under the barn... sooo cool! It was nippy today temperature stayed below 40 degrees.
Tuesday 3/26 Alden has been outside regardless of the snow flurries  playing in the roof, fixing here, adjusting that, screwing the first part of the ridge that goes on the very top. He is so happy.

Interesting perspective seeing the roof and Alden from top of ladder at the roof's edge

So happy

Alden noticed the tin was overlapped the wrong way, he is going to have to redo all the screws on the roof. Oops! As I write this he started to change the tins; he didn't  finish because we are hosting the Jewish Seder Dinner tonight.
Wednesday 3/27 Alden and Scott finished overlapping the tin roof so it is placed the right way- the short ridge goes on the top, so no water can seep through the overlap. We all went to get the screws from Joe Bullard, to see his farm and donkeys, such cuties. We had a surprise - Joe purchased the screws for a cheaper price.

Alden and Scott placing the last long tin

Before yoga, Nancy helped by holding the ladder

Thursday 3/28 Alden finished putting up the  ridge pieces and more screws on the tin; then he used the vacuum to blow off the tin scrap. After returning from calligraphy class I helped dig the trench to divert rain water from running into the barn area - got about 12 feet done. We listened to the audio book Happiness by Matthieu Ricard.

Digging the trench while being present

Blowing the tin roof

Friday 3/29 While I was doing yoga, Alden finished putting screws on the tin roof, using twice the amount they recommend at the roofing sites... Scott arrived and took part in the "roof yoga" session. We both said "if we get a tornado the tin will stay put even if the whole structure blows away". Between the three of us we finished digging the ditch on the east side.
On this day we declare barn construction - phase one complete; we reached the milestone of having the roof and ditch ready.   We are very grateful to all our friends who came to help: Scott, Federico, Daryl, Javier, Maria, Ken, Ernie, Lisa and Kyle. Muchas Gracias.
Barn cost $3,650 (1600 tin roof, 1050 lumber, 180 nails, 820 salaries/compensations)
4/1/13 Ditch maintenance after the rain, its looking better.
4/3/13 William Denton, his son Casey and Barry  from Hanceville came to do an estimate for the gutters. What cheerful interesting folks; they were impressed by the strawbale, off the grid house, they asked for a tour and lots of information. William was astonished that we don't have to pay monthly power or water bills.
4/8-12 Alden is very focused on getting the water system from the roofs to the pond and green tanks ready.
William Denton, Casey and Barry came over Thursday to install the gutters. Meanwhile Alden built the stand for the blue tank. The weather forecast predicted tornadoes and lots of rain by 3 pm. Fortunately we got 1 1/2" of rain and no high winds. Alden had his first work related accident, while he was using the nail gun, one nail perforated the skin of his pinki finger...ouch!!! he was calm enough to go back to the barn and cut the top so he could push the nail forward. I got the alcohol, band-aids, etc and then closed my eyes to help.
After the rain the pond got quite a bit of water, perhaps filled to more than 1/3.

William, Casey and Barry estruding the gutter

The gutter is the length of the roof, no seams

Alden washing roof after pine pollen

The rest of the month Alden was working on the water system before finishing the barn.

April 28, 29 and 30 we worked on leveling the floor, making the ditch deeper and getting ready for gravel.

Gravel truck backing up the driveway

Here it is!

A short rest after spreading the gravel

Keep it up, just a couple more hours to go...

The barn is open for business on May 1, 2013 cars, tractor, trailer and tools are covered

View from the north side

5/7- ? The next project is building  supports to store the wood; Alden is meticulous about this, the designs are beautiful!He listens to music or audio books while he works. In the meantime I am doing things in the garden.