Meanwhile Back at the Farm…

Not Your Average Floor Boards

A few years back, we had a very large pine tree cut down, and rather then waste the wood in a fire, we had it milled at a local saw mill. When we got the boards back, I was surprised. Some of these boards are 2 feet wide, 14 feet long and an inch thick. This isn’t your average flooring material, but it fits well into the project. The second story will be used for storage, and will need to be able to hold a great deal of weight. These boards are thick enough to hold lots of weight, and their large size helps hold the whole structure together.

First Boards Down

By Wednesday night, Davie had installed more 2 x 6s to hold up the floor, and he laid down the first boards for the floor. Since Davie is retired, and likes building things, he’s been working on the shed while I’m busy at work. I really appreciate his help, and It’s accelerated the whole project.

Second Story Floor Done

The next day when I returned home from work, I found the whole floor nailed down, squared off and ready for the knee walls.

Project on Sunday

After a crazy weekend full of unexpected outcomes, and unplanned work, we managed to get the knee walls built and nailed down. We then started placing the roof rafters in the rain, and ran out of 2 x 4s.

The design is not how I originally planned, but this new method will add 4 feet of width to the second story. I’m not sure about the math, but 4 feet wide will allow this area to store a lot more hay.  This new design will also transfer the weight of the roof onto the walls below far more effectively, again adding to the whole building’s structural integrity.

Next up: a roof, some shingles, and an addition off the side to house the chickens.  If you’ve been following along, this whole project was originally intended to hold chickens, but I’ve decided to build much bigger then needed, and use some of the space as a wood shop, pig pen, and hay storage. It’s basically a tiny barn.

Additional Construction

Just like any barn in the area, the birds have decided to move in, and construct their own nest. I may be nice to these birds and allow them to use the structure for the summer, I guess it all depends on how friendly they are. If there not very nice, I’ve got a solution of my own:

"Boots"

Here’s another creature that has moved into this empty building…. “Boots”, my outside cat. He is a contributing member of the farm, and his job is to keep the mice and snakes in check. He’s a eager hunter, and I sometimes reward him with some human food to supplement his cat food. He really likes Angus burgers with pickles…..

First Strawberry

I’ve also gotten my first strawberry this weekend. I haven’t even planted these bushes in the ground, and they are already showing me how much they appreciate the effort I’ve put into growing them well. For now they are sitting in the greenhouse, basking in the hot sun. When the sky parts, and the rain gives up it’s iron grip on the weather, I’ll place these berries by the walkway leading to the greenhouse.