Tina's New Loafing Shed
Posted: Sun Apr 17, 2022 12:26 am
We'd call this a pole barn in VA, but here and in Texas I guess it's a pole barn. The crew drove up from Texas and put it up in two days. They welded the pipe frame, and skinned it. It's 12x32 with an 8' overhang (awning) to keep Miss T dry when working and the cows dry when there is weather. We'll add one gate to control new calves or sick cows, and Tina designed the divider to allow calves to enter the closed stall from the side if she is feeding special hay/grain to the calves and NOT the mama.
We'll add lights and plugs over the next few weeks or so, and there is a spigot behind the barn to make filling the trough easy. It's right behind the barn. If something is locked up, it's a 20 yard walk to fill a bucket or she can run a hose to the barn, no problem. Beats hauling buckets of water down to the old barn. MORE importantly if she has a sick calf, we will be able to put a heat lamp in this barn. We saved for a good while and paid cash, they were happy, WE were happy. No interest payments on cash.
If you look at this pic of construction in progress, you'll see the distance to the house:
and this pic shows the distance to the old barn down by the pond. You might be able to tell, the ground drops down and you cross the creek to get to the old barn. When the creek is "Really" running we are glad for the 4x4 Polaris Ranger, never had an issue making it to the barn no matter the flow.
Add the two and you see what Tina had to travel twice a day in all weather and all seasons to take care of the animals. No electricity, and no water down there. She will be thrilled with the new arrangement. Only downside, when the Mama starts to complain at 630am that's it's time to be fed, we will certainly HEAR it now. The bedroom window is on THAT end of the house.
We'll add lights and plugs over the next few weeks or so, and there is a spigot behind the barn to make filling the trough easy. It's right behind the barn. If something is locked up, it's a 20 yard walk to fill a bucket or she can run a hose to the barn, no problem. Beats hauling buckets of water down to the old barn. MORE importantly if she has a sick calf, we will be able to put a heat lamp in this barn. We saved for a good while and paid cash, they were happy, WE were happy. No interest payments on cash.
If you look at this pic of construction in progress, you'll see the distance to the house:
and this pic shows the distance to the old barn down by the pond. You might be able to tell, the ground drops down and you cross the creek to get to the old barn. When the creek is "Really" running we are glad for the 4x4 Polaris Ranger, never had an issue making it to the barn no matter the flow.
Add the two and you see what Tina had to travel twice a day in all weather and all seasons to take care of the animals. No electricity, and no water down there. She will be thrilled with the new arrangement. Only downside, when the Mama starts to complain at 630am that's it's time to be fed, we will certainly HEAR it now. The bedroom window is on THAT end of the house.