Framing the Pole Barn – Timeline for Barn/Water Project

Another busy weekend at our place. We’re on a time crunch to get our barn done. It is raining today, which is disconcerting. Makes us worried. Makes us pray that the Lord will keep the winter rains at bay for a few more weeks. We still have to:

• finish framing the sides of the barn
• order water to fill the storage tank (ordered – will be delivered on Wed)
• turn on the electric and plumbing to the new pump/storage tank/pressure tank
• wire the barn with lights and electric
• put metal siding up on the barn (determining dimensions now)
• build up uneven level of ground inside barn
• contract out for gutters (getting estimates now)
• create stalls and doorways inside for: animal area, milking area, feed storage, water system, shop (using cattle panels for most of this)
• move fence so animals have a way in and out of their area
• gravel all the mud areas

Over the weekend, the kids and Jeff started the framing. That’s what’s in the pictures. Jeff did a big thing (for him). He bought himself some tools. He’s never done that before. He buys me tools, but puts off his own. He has a very cautious nature and he dislikes machinery, so this was a big deal. He needed some, though, so he got a kit with a circular saw, reciprocating saw, drill, and impact driver. He put them to good use on the framing. It was fun to watch – and the kids were great helps. The pictures don’t show all they got done. These pictures were just at the beginning…

Then on Sunday, our friend and his family came over, and Joe (our friend) helped Jeff finish the plumbing and electrical for the water system. It is just about ready to go “live” – and they’ll do that this coming Sunday. That’s our time crunch. We’re depending on the Lord to help us finish…  otherwise, we will be parking in the mud and our animals sleeping out in the pouring rain…