Keith's Barn Rebuild

[Keith Outten]

Last fall we had all the windows replaced and then started removing two layers of siding from our hundred year old farm house, one layer of asbestos then the original layer of wood siding. During the project we found substantial damage to the foundation sill plate, several walls had to be jacked up so the 4" by 6" sill plate could be replaced, it was not a pretty sight. We installed new plywood sheathing on every wall.

The pictures below tell the tale, our home isn't the same building these days. We still have work to do but the only work item on my list for the exterior is to rebuild the columns on the porch then I can finally build two porch swings that I have been waiting to build for a decade. The new columns will be hexagonal shaped, made from Dupont Corian. With new vinyl siding and the trim wrapped in aluminum painting is a thing of the past, naturally I want the columns to be the same. The second picture was taken after we removed the asbestos shingles.

The third picture is the original barn that is about 85 years old. It suffers from some of the same issues that we found in the house. I started the barn rehab last weekend and I expect is to take another four to five weekends to remove the wood siding, repair the damage and install new vinyl siding. Along the way we will be replacing the entire roof including many of the rafters. When the new skin is complete I will be removing the interior walls so the barn will be totally open with four new sets of barn doors. I found barn red vinyl so the barn will retain its original color except we will be using white trim. We removed and replaced the wall framing on the first bay of the barn last weekend, the personnel door will be removed as we work our way around the structure. I hope to be able to add a beam at the roof peak for a block and tackle that can be used to hoist "Stuff" to the upper loft.

Jackie and I have been agonizing over whether to repair the barn or tear it down for five years. I think when the rehab is complete we will be more than pleased that we decided to save the structure if the results are anything like the changes to our home. We have been waiting for sixteen years to get these two projects done, I still can't believe we have found the time and energy to make it happen.

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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Boss,

I just don't know how you and Jackie managed to find any "personal" time. The results on the house look great.

[Dennis Peacock]

Totally AWESOME!!!!! The LOML and I would love to come and help "break in" your front porch. ;)

[Keith Outten]

You will all be welcome to come by for a visit, maybe we will host another SwapMeet when the job is done :)

I have one more major project waiting on the list, it is to double the floor space of my workshop. I haven't figured out how I can fund it yet but maybe if I land the two sign jobs we are getting ready to bid I could git-er-done.

Another small project is to build a lean two on the back of the barn, this would be really valuable when weather interrupts an outside event :)

I'm getting to old for any more projects of this scale so I have to get these finished soon before my poor old body can't stand on a ladder anymore. At least I won't have to lift bundles of shingles to the roof, the little front end loader can handle that task, I built a lifting boom for the loader a few months ago.

Dennis, the plans I have for the swings are really unique. They are a frame-less design that require laminating white oak strips so the swing can flex to fit the contour of your body.

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[Rob Russell]

Wow Keith - you've been a busy beaver. Impressive work on your property.

[Mike Null]

Keith

Nice work! Shutters add a lot to the look as well.

But to be honest this just inspires me to have another beer and watch somebody else do it.

Watch out for the tax man when you finish the barn.

[Glenn Clabo]

Well...that makes me feel old and feeble. I'm getting worn out remodeling this old cape...and haven't come close to the big stuff that you are doing. The house reminds me of my uncles farm house down in Tenn. I've always like that type of look...and I LOVE that barn. You'll be glad that you decided to keep it.
Nice stuff Keith...Do you ever sleep?

[Dave Anderson NH]

Looks great from here Keith. As usual I'll be coming down in January. Just in time to do the inspection.:D I've been doing interior projects myself. All new window and door trim, chair rail molding, and new baseboards. The worst part of the whole job is the painting.

I had our trim vinyl and aluminum clad last year. No painting is great.

[Keith Outten]

When we decided to use vinyl siding on the house Jackie and I had several companies out to give us estimates. Most ended up no-bidding the job, I think they were aware of the problems we would be facing and didn't want any part of a hard money bid which is understandable. One company gave us a bid that only the Federal Government could consider and the rest we never heard from again.

We decided to hire the part time guy who replaced and wrapped our windows and pay him an hourly rate to help me get the job done. He has all the bending equipment and a heck of alot more ladders than I own. This has turned out to be the best solution for us as we got to pay as we go and we did save a considerable amount of money investing our own labor. Along the way I have purchased a couple scaffold bucks, ladder jacks and a walk board for my sign installation work and they come in handy on our home repair projects.

The tax man is definitely going to be a problem this year even though we haven't made improvements, its all been maintenance and repair simply replacing old with new. I expect to have to fight with the County again next year as I have been doing for the last four assessments on our property.

Work, work, work :) Last Friday night I bush hogged a couple of acres of our field but haven't had the time to rake it up yet.....I want to start a rather large compost pile. I also have my woods cleanup project that I have been whacking on for the last couple of years. The little Kubota tractor has seen some rough service pulling brush and thorny bushes out of the woods on the edge of our property. I have burned at least 25 piles of brush the size of a one car garage so far, now I have a hundred little trees to remove before I can create a new ditch on the edge of the property to get it draining as it should. I built a set of trash forks for the loader that work really well dragging the brush and thorn bushes back to the field so I can scoop it all up and put it on the burn pile. They work well for moving pallets around too, something I find myself doing a lot of lately. All the wood removed from the house and barn has been hauled on the trash forks to the burn pile and there have been to many trips to count.

I am anxious for the vinyl siding to come in for the barn, it was a custom order due to the color. I would like to have the vinyl installation stay as close to the removal of the old wood siding as possible so we don't have to move ladders and scaffolds any more than necessary. This weekend we will be replacing the roof on the first bay and then remove the remaining boards from the front of the barn plus any framing work that we find that needs to be replaced. The pace is steady...seven days a week now as I have been wide open at CNU for a long time trying to make and install door signs in several residence halls that students took with them as souvenirs...about $100,000.00 worth of doors signs are missing. I sanded 65 plaques today and installed about twenty new signs.
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[Jim Becker]

Lot's of work, but very nice. Consider using Aztek instead of the Corian for the columns. That's what our new porch columns are wrapped with and it's going to last "forever". This stuff is also used for the cap over the extended foundation. (Necessary because most of the addition first floor is below grade)

[Keith Outten]

Jim,

Do you have a link for Aztek? I tried a Google search but found too many Pontiac links :)

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[Jim Becker]

Vel...I tell you...spellin' it right do help! "Azek". My bad.

http://www.azek.com/

Basically, PVC materials designed specifically for architectural trim work. (It caps your physical structural posts) More expensive than wood, but perfect for those places that absolutely do not want to risk rot. Use this stuff and paint it with Sherwin Williams Duration. No worries...the paint is warranted for 50 years. :) And the PVC will still be going way longer than that.

[Keith Outten]

A bit of an update on the barn project.

I have two sides of the barn ready for vinyl installation starting tomorrow morning and the lower left side roof has new shingles. We ended up having to remove all of the rafters on the left side as well as totally replacing the wall studs and both upper and lower sill plates. I faired a little bit better on the front of the building but I did had to replace both of the door frames with new lumber. The right side will have the same problems as the left except the roof rafters are still solid except one. Late this afternoon I removed the lean two on the back of the barn and burned it and its contents. Jackie and I pulled up an old bush that had grown up next to the barn with the tractor...Jackie got her first turn in the tractor seat pulling on the bush while I did the rigging with a chain :)

Yesterday Jackie and I did some shopping for new door hardware, interior lights and another load of framing lumber. We are still looking for carriage lights to mount over the barn doors. After the loft window is rebuilt I will be making a wrought iron lifting rig for the top instead of the traditional beam.

Along the way on this project has been a constant cleanup effort that includes burning the old barn boards and rotten framing plus several trips to our local dumpsters to get rid of 85 years of junk that has been collecting inside the barn and upper loft. I am hoping that by Sunday I will have the right side floor removed and be able to park my tractor in that bay but I have about 500 board feet of 8qtr white oak that I have to find a new home for before I can remove the floor. I think I will post a classified ad to see if I can sell about 400 BF which I really don't need anymore.

When it is finished it will be worth all the pain and suffering :(

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[Jim Becker]

Excellent source for lighting, Keith, is http://www.bellacor.com/

[Glenn Clabo]

That is just one cool building. I'm not doing all the work...but I'm thinking you'll be happy that you did it for a very long time.

[Rob Russell]

Looks like great progress!

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Rob,

I just came in from working all day, we completed installation of the siding on the left side and about 50% of the front today. This included trimming out the barn doors with 3/4" lumber and about 20% of the trim.

Tomorrow I should have some pictures of the siding on the front completed.

.

[Keith Outten]

Here are a couple of pictures of the ongoing barn renovation project.

The lower left side now has siding.

The siding on the front is complete and we have started wrapping the trim.

The right side is untouched yet and will be the last wall renovated.

The back is in terrible shape, next Saturday we will be removing the back wall framing all the way to the foundation and rebuilding it with new lumber. The picture is worth a dozen man hours :(

[Dennis Peacock]

Beautiful work there Keith...oh...and nice break-press too. ;)

[Dave Anderson NH]

Looking good Keith.

[Chris Padilla]

Lottsa blood, sweat, pain, and tears I'm sure, Keith! Keep going until it is done and then do take a very long, long break!

Awesome job, everything looks top notch!

[Andy Hoyt]

So which side will be home for the Ferrari?

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Beautiful improvement Keith!

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Guys.

Andy, the little orange Ferrari in the picture will reside in the right bay and my mower will reside in the left :)

The Barn is about 19 feet deep so there should be room for the Ferrari (Kubota) with the loader and an implement on the back and still be able to get the doors closed. Up until now I have had to remove any rear implements because both machines have been sharing the left bay. The right bay has been full of lumber and a whole bunch of boxes full of asbestos shingles I removed from the house :(

Maybe I got it backwards, the mower is 50% faster than the tractor :)

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[Aaron Koehl]

When are you going to post some of these in the Workshop forum, for all to enjoy?

[Glenn Clabo]

Young whippersnappers always causing trouble. So...where have you been lately?

[Andy Hoyt]

And sit up straight, get a haircut, and mind your elders, too.

[Keith Outten]

When we removed the remaining boards from the back wall of the barn what we saw was worse than we expected. The first picture shows the lower wall completely removed and of course me clowning around :)

Look closely at the second picture and note that the wall sill plate isn't even sitting on the foundation, in fact it isn't even over the foundation. In all my years I have never seen this done, it is the biggest blunder I have ever seen. It took us awhile to figure out how we were going to remove the joists when they were the only thing holding up the load bearing walls....and by just a few nails. We did come up with a fix though, it was reasonably simple and I will have pictures tomorrow.

Had I known the extent of the damage to this building I would never have attempted to rehab the structure. Now there's no turning back.

The forecast isn't so bleak this evening, we corrected half of the floor joist (bearing wall) issue today and framed up a 2 by 12 header over the door and tied it into the walls on both sides. I expect in the next couple of evenings we will have the second floor framing totally replaced and possibly have the OSB plywood on the entire back wall. The front half of the center bay still needs to have our new fix applied and the rest of the old floor joists removed. The center bay floor won't be replaced it will have an eight foot door with crushed stone for the floor the same as the other two bays. At the last moment we decided to install a four foot wide roll up door in the back wall of the top floor.

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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Keith stuctural problems like that are always a pain, dangerous and interesting. Often figuring out how to repair it safely is the biggest problem. Good luck. It'll be worth it when it is over. You have a lot ahead of you in the mean time.

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Ken.

The challenge is not too bad, its the 90 to 100 degree temperatures and the 90 percent humidity we have every day here in July and August that make this project tough. Note the suspenders, I have lost so much weight in the last five weeks they have become a necessity :)

Removing all of the floors gives us access to see and to repair all of the damage. Believe it or not most of the framing is really in great shape and is probably stronger than any conventional framing lumber you can purchase today. Leaks through the years, before I owned the barn, caused some rot at the bottom in a few areas and there has been termite damage. Once the building is completed I will have it treated, hopefully it won't happen again.

It is unlikely that I will ever forget having to jack up every stud on both of the two story load bearing walls to fix the foundation problems in this heat. Oh yeah the roofing work was most unpleasent as well and I still have the lower left and top roofs to shingle yet :(

The left side in the picture from the back is shaded most of the day by a very large cherry tree, it is difficult to be so close to that particular tree with a saw in my hands :)

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[Glenn Clabo]

Wow...that almost looks like the whole wall shifted. It's amazing how this stuff happens and the structure still stands.
I guess "worth it" becomes "have to" sometimes, eh?

[Andy Hoyt]

Judging by the second photo, I'd say those joists are an aftermarket add-on since they appear to be nominally sized while the studs appear full dimension. May not be to (today's) code but for a "farmer fix" - works for me.

[Chris Padilla]

This Old Barn

by

Keith Outten

[Aaron Koehl]

Growing older by the day.

I spend all my time monitoring you guys, the databases, web servers, stats and logs, Ad initiatives, and correcting what Keith does in the back-office. :D

Keith does the dirty work.

[Keith Outten]

It's a big job keeping up with my mistakes :)

The Continuing Saga of This Old Barn :)

We got the loft right side framing completed on the back wall last night and started on the left side but ran out of daylight. If the weather is in our favor tonight I hope that we will finish the loft framing and get at least a couple sheets of OSB board on the loft wall.

Framing slowed down a little bit because we weren't sure how to frame for the 48" wide roll up door that we decided to install in the loft. Had to spend some time with the manual to try to figure out how the framing works since the roll up door sits behind the studs. I think we have it setup correctly, now to figure out how to remove the excess panels since the door is going to be short and we have very little head room in the loft. OK I'll admit that part of the slowdown is because my feet are over ten feet off the ground and I'm not comfortable working on a narrow walk board with no handrails anymore.

The sun just came up so I should be able to get some pictures this morning when I leave for work.

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[Dennis Peacock]

Uh-Oh....!!! What's this old world coming too? A man (Keith) actually sitting down and reading a manual.!!!! Gulp!!! I sure hope I'm not next. :rolleyes: :p :D

[Keith Outten]

Yep, I admit that I did in fact read the manual for the installation of the metal roll up door :)

Here are some pictures from yesterday morning. The second and third pictures are the fix we came up with for the load bearing wall issue. Nailing new studs on the face of the existing ones and installing a second set of joists transfers the weight of the wall to the foundation using the existing upper sill plate and wall studs. We jacked each stud location to assure that the weight was in fact transfered to the new studs before we removed the floor joists. I still have the front of the building to fix but it can wait until we are dried in.

When I was excavating the foundation below the eight foot door I found the bottom of a broken glass bottle with the word "Clorox", it has to be very old because I can't remember Clorox Bleach being sold in glass bottles.

Last night we finished the back wall framing, tonight I will start covering the wall with OSB...finally. This has been a framing nightmare, nothing is anywhere near what anyone would consider industry standards. The framing used and the style is different on both sides of the building so every change had to be evaluated on its own. Nothing is plumb or square and in spite of our original plans to get the building back to being level it is an impossible task. The best we can do is to fix each area and move on to the next. The foundation in the back is 6 inches out of level from one corner to the other, it can't be corrected without racking the building. Doing this before installing new framing would be too dangerous, after the new framing is installed it becomes impossible.

This is not a project for Joe Homeowner nor the weak at heart. It is also not advisable to do this in Virginia during July and August...there is pain and suffering beyond imagination :)

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[Jim Becker]

Keith, I suspect the variety of framing "techniques" is part of the evolutionary ownership DIY history of the building. And other thought that occurs to me is that the misalignment of a wall and a foundation element isn't that unusual in some respects as the "foundation" could have been for a different, earlier structure. The house I grew up in was that way...it had been moved from elsewhere after the original structure burned down way back in history.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

It is looking better Keith. At least it shouldn't fall to the ground in your lifetime. You should be proud. It didn't take you a year to figure out how to do what you wanted. I had to replace the header on my carport roof. I went to a local lumber yard. They called their supplier. I gave the supplier's structural engineer the details concerning the roof. He spec'd a 25' 5 1/2" by 12" gluelam beam. It only took me a year to figure out how to get it safely installed. :o It only took 4 hours and 3 people to do it.

[Glenn Clabo]

Clorox in a bottle? I seem to remember them as brown.

As I've worked on old structures...mostly houses...I love to try to think about the people who worked it before. My first boss used to get mad at me when I left a "quarter" (missed hammer mark) in the siding underlay. I asked one time why and he said...when they tear this down...you don't want people to think you did lousy work do you?

As I tear out walls and move things around in the Old Cape I still haven't figure out exactly what the original house looked like. We stripped the old kitchen out and found the original back door behind the cabinets. They just sheet rocked over it...door still hung! You can't tell by the shingles on the outside of house...so they must have spent some time figuring that one out.

Anyway...Nice fixes...the people who come next may just sit back and admire it.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Your hammer comment made me laugh Glenn. Both my father (still living) and grandfather refered to those dings as "Nova Scotia Rosebuds". It was a definite dig since some of the family was from PEI and considered the NS branch of the family hackers.

I sympathize with the heat and humidity problem Keith. When it was hot and humid a couple of weeks ago the slave driver in management had me out cutting brush, wheelbarrowing and spreading mulch, and other fun things in the hot sun. In her defense, she was there beside me.

[Dennis Peacock]

Goes to show how much y'all know. A missed hammer swing always leave a "waffle"...just like the ones we used to eat growing up as a child. Besides that? When you missed the nail and hit "the other nail"???!!!! It made you feel just "awful" and you waffled about screaming various words of choice to fit that exact moment of your life. :D


It's hot here to Keith and you have my sympathy on working in that heat and humidity. Stay hydrated bud.....it can get to ya pretty quickly.

[Keith Outten]

Well there was no work on the barn tonight at least not directly. I spent the evening cleaning up, moving some things around and started a huge 25 foot tall fire that is still burning so I have fire watch duty for the next few hours.

Dennis I have been drinking plenty of water, heck you can't help but drink almost constantly from the dust that gets stirred up when you are demolishing the old stuff not to mention the dust from ripping the OSB board :(

The weather man is predicting temperatures in the eighties for the rest of this week, it was alost a hundred degrees today here. I hope he is right, we could get a lot more done this weekend if temps were a bit more tolerable. Maybe we can get the siding installed on the back wall and I would only have the right side to rebuild. The roofing work is still a couple of weekends ahead but it shouldn't be too bad if we work in the early mornings and late afternoons...in the shade of the big black cherry tree :)

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[Keith Outten]

We finished framing the back wall and have it covered and all of the trim installed. A friend of mine is building the doors for me, I got the opportunity to see the first set that are completed last night and they look great. The last couple of evenings I have been doing more cleaning and moving STUFF that is now getting in the way of framing the last wall. This includes removing the floor in the right side bay which we started last night.

Picture progress is slowing down right now, there isn't much to take pictures of during this phase of the project. I must admit I didn't fully understand the extent of the damage and consequently the amount of repair work that would be required to get the old barn back up to a usable condition. For decades it has been used to dump STUFF, most of which should have been discarded rather than stored. The cleanup is painful and time consuming not to mention the almost constant need to burn huge piles of 85 year old lumber that is either rotten or damaged by termites.

It seems that our neighbors are pretty impressed with the transformation of our home but even more fascinated with the barn project. Go figure :)

I apologize for my reduced participation here at The Creek, particularly these last few weeks. The barn rehab has been way more project than I expected and I still have miles to go yet. The work that has been going on here since last summer is a dream come true for Jackie and I, we have wanted to do this for over 16 years but it was impossible when we were raising two daughters on a single family income. We also new that we had a very short break between Kathy graduating from MCV and our youngest daughter Jess starting college at CNU this year so we had to take advantage or wait another seven years. I don't think the old barn would have made it seven more years :)

The next set of pictures should be something to see as we are getting close to being totally dried in and will have new siding on three of the four sides and all three bays in working order for the first time in a couple of decades. I will also have to start hauling stone for the floors every day for the next couple of weeks on the way home from work. My trailer can handle one ton but that isn't a lot of stone so many trips will be required to establish a suitable floor in two of the three bays.

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[Jim Becker]

Don't apologize for taking the time to make your homestead better as you have been doing! The long term satisfaction is worth it and trust me, we all DO understand. I've pretty much given up any meaningful shop time to deal with the post-addition landscaping myself, but know that in the end, I'll be happy with the end result.

[Keith Outten]

Last weekend we installed the doors and window cover on the front of the barn plus vinyl siding and lower sofit on the right side wall. We also installed shingles on the right lower roof and the roll up door in the back wall of the loft.

We are getting close to dry-in. I hope to have the last set of barn doors installed and shingles on the upper roof this coming weekend and wrap up all of the exterior trim covering. When the exterior is complete there will be some electrical work installing new lights and receptacles in each of the three bays, the loft and three exterior carriage lights. I will also need to do some landscaping work around the exterior of the building.

The barn project will then slow down a bit, it needs a new floor in the loft area and lots of shelves installed but these items can wait for awhile as we take a long break and enjoy the coming fall weather :)

BTW the roll up door in the loft is a very nice feature. We decided at the last minute when we were framing to add the door as it would make loading and unloading the upper loft area much easier. The interior stairs will be removed and replaced with a ladder so loading the loft from the outside of the building will be the primary access. The door was a snap to install once we figured out where to cut the tracks.

I ordered extra siding so I would be able to fabricate steel frames for the barn doors in the future and cover them with vinyl. The traditional wooden doors we built will serve their purpose for awhile but they just don't last very long and will need to be replaced in just a few years.
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[Glenn Clabo]

That's turning out to be one sweet little building. When the aches and pains of the body and pocketbook pass it will all be worth it.

Did you know the style is called "Monitor"? I can't figure out why. I've seen a few with a poll with a block and tackle hanging above the loft door. I guess it depends on what's planned for storage.

Anyway...nice job!

[Keith Outten]

Glenn,

Thanks, I didn't know the barn style even had a name :)

I was planning to add the block and tackle above the front window but since we added the roll up door in the rear wall all loading and unloading will be done there. I think I will still install one on the front but just for looks. I"m thinking white wrought iron for the hanger and some kind of Corian block.
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[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice progress Keith.


My maternal grandfather had a barn like that. He had single doors on each side and milking parlors inside. He had steel rail that came out of the upper door and a block and tackle. He used it to put loose hay in the loft. I can remember the extremely stern warnings I got and then being sent to the house when I didn't heed the warnings.....they dropped the large "pincer" device...don't remember what it is called...but it looked like two giant pitch forks without the handles ....hinged in the middle........onto the hay wagon. The pincer device would latch onto some loose hay. They would pull it up into the loft....maneuver it to the place they wanted the hay....unlatch it, dropping the hay.

[Dennis Peacock]

Beautiful Keith.!!!!! Really nice.

[Chris Padilla]

Ah, you'll look out at the barn for YEARS, Keith, and think about all the hard work and you'll smile each time knowing it was worth it and YOU did it!

Awesome job!

[Keith Outten]

Chris,

If I can get through this weekend I will have it made, the remaining work will be a cake walk. We will be working the upper roof this weekend and installing the last set of barn doors. I expect that I will be able to cut back to just working in the evenings after work and won't have to give up the weekends so this will most likely be the last of the bull work weekends...YES!!!
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[Keith Outten]

Well we are finally at the end of our barn rehab project. The before and after pictures tell most of the story, the rest is inside or covered up with new siding and most will never know how much work was done.

The picture of the back of the barn still shows two areas that need to be covered, they should be done tomorrow morning along with a very short punch list of items that need to be corrected. We still need to mount the carriage lamps and run the electrical wiring but that is a job that can wait awhile.

These kinds of jobs used to be fun and a challenge. The work involved on this one was just to much, the heat and humidity was way to high and the cost was more than I had planned. When my Dad bought this place in 1972 the barn looked just about the way it does in the before picture. He has lost his memory now and wouldn't recognize the place anymore but I would love to see the look on his face if he could be here to see the changes. Knowing how much he loved this place I know he would be blown away.

I am pleased with the final outcome and will enjoy this old barn for many years to come....but I'm elated that it is finished.

:)

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[Jim Becker]

You and "your crew" did a wonderful job on that barn, Keith. Be proud.

[Dave Anderson NH]

Well done Keith. Obviosly you are glad the job is over. It's funny how we still have the expectations we had years ago but every project takes longer and takes more out of us. On the other hand, aging is always better than the alternative.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Very nice rehab Keith! I know you are glad it is weather tight and looking right!

[Glenn Clabo]

Nice job Keith.

Ya know what I find that helps me after doing something that stretches my old bods abilities...I pull up a chair right in front of it and salute it with one long cold one.

Come to think of it...maybe it's the nap that is caused by it that actually makes me feel better.

[Dennis Peacock]

Amazing results Keith!!!!! Y'all done GOOD!!!! :cool:

[Rob Russell]

Wow - I'd say you and the LOML should pop a bottle of bubbly on getting that job done!

[Keith Outten]

It's time to plan the celebration. A well deserved cookout complete with the appropriate beverages :)

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[Dennis Peacock]

It's time to plan the celebration. A well deserved cookout complete with the appropriate beverages :)

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Sure would be nice to be there to celebrate with ya. :D

[Keith Outten]

I'll post the date and time of our celebration cookout just in case any of you guys are able to join us, you all know that you would be welcome here any time.

It is getting close to Dave's annual trip to Williamsburg, we have been able to meet for dinner every year but one for a long time now. Some kind of get together for the entire Staff would be real nice if the distance between us wasn't so far.

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[Dave Anderson NH]

Registration for Williamsburg opens some time next week and I'll let you know when I'm safely signed up Keith. I always look forward to our get togethers. How's Jesse doing now that she's a college student?

[Aaron Koehl]

Beer indeed. A few Coors Lights for Keith and something that actually tastes good for me. :) Perhaps a Young's Double Chocolate Stout.

[Andy Hoyt]

Anchor Steam, Aaron. Everything else is ...........

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I'd settle for a BUD myself.

And Keith....if you got this rowdy bunch together...with a few drinks.....you'd get to meet your local police officers I'm sure!

But you know.....it'd be worth paying the bail....and while we were waiting for the bondsmen....we would say...."Dang that was fun!":)

[Keith Outten]

No doubt it would be an event we would never forget :)

The weather here is starting to turn cooler, in a couple of weeks I expect it will be just the right time to celebrate our good fortune this year and all that my family and I have worked hard to accomplish.

I did get some sad news yesterday, my Father has slipped into a coma and is not expected to survive the next few weeks. In a way this is a blessing as he won't suffer with other medical problems that he has. At 85 years my Dad has had a good life and enjoyed great health, it is his time. I would prefer to celebrate my Dad's life knowing that the things he loved the most and the people he loved are carrying on as he would expect. The timing of this project originally seemed to be too late in that my Dad would never see his home place after all the changes we have made , now I'm not so sure.

.

[Rob Russell]

Sorry to hear about your Dad. I hope that his passing is peaceful and without pain and that the pain of his passing fades quickly for you. Our thoughts and prayers are with you.

[Glenn Clabo]

Keith,
I appears that many of us are going through the end of a wonderful generation of people. A generation who we are very lucky to have been brought up by. Although it's extremely painful to watch as time takes away the body of these amazing people I've found out through some very difficult lessons...those who we think leave us...never really do. Your Dad has been clearly an important part of the good man that you are today...and when it's time for the big guy to take him...he will continue to look down on you with the pride of a father who did his best...and has you to show for it.

[Jim Becker]

I'm saddened by the news of your dad, Keith, but it sounds like with the many issues he apparently has, sleeping peacefully isn't the worst thing. But I know I'm not looking forward to the day(s) when my own parents reach their earthly finality, so no matter what, it's not easy, I'm sure.

-----

Aaron, amen on something more drinkable... ;)

[Glenn Clabo]

Okay Aaron...I'll never make fun of your youth again.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Keith, I am so sorry to hear about your Dad! Losing anyone, especially a parent, is never easy. You will be in my thoughts and prayers! For what it's worth, you know your Dad would be thrilled at what you have accomplished with the homestead!

[Ken Fitzgerald]

My sincere sympathies Keith! I lost my Dad 36 years ago. It is never easy nor a pleasant thing to experience. My thoughts and prayers in the coming days.

[Dave Anderson NH]

I'm really sorry to hear about your Dad. I know how close you've been to him and how much time you have spent with him over the last couple of years as he struggled with Alzheimers. All I can offer you is my sympathy and my prayers for both you and your Dad.

[Dennis Peacock]

Keith,

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad, but again, my prayer is that he will not suffer but pass in his sleep. We all know that nothing like this is ever easy, but with friends and family as support? We can and do make it through some very hard times in our lives. I will remember your dad, you, and your family in my prayers. I've had a lot of prayer practice over the last several months, so now I feel like I have a direct "hot line". God's peace, comfort, and strength to each of you.

[Mike Null]

Keith

Peace to your Dad and to you.

For as long as you have the memories he will never be gone.

[Andy Hoyt]

Prayers and good vibes to all the Outtens from all the Hoyts.

[Chris Padilla]

Since I've been away for a bit:

Superb job on the barn and dedicate it to dear old Dad. My condolences to your family.

[Keith Outten]

On April 26th 2010 my Barn got a new tenant. The little Kubota now resides at Aaron's home and has been replaced by the John Deere 4105. The larger front end loader on the Deere is tall enough to load and unload the barn loft which makes it more convenient and it is capable of unloading 12 foot long sheets of Corian from large trucks parked on the street.

Wish my Dad could have been here to see the Deere parked in his old barn. Dad had an International Harvester 504 High Clear parked in the same bay not too many years ago. Seems like only yesterday, those are great memories :)

I have my Dad's 1964 International model 71 Cub Cadet (nicknamed Baby Cakes) parked in the rear center bay. Just put a new battery in her and she is still working around here but I don't ask her to cut grass anymore.
.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Nice photo Keith. That Deere green goes well with the barn red. I'd bet your Dad would approve too!

[John Keeton]

That certainly is a down home looking pic!! Makes me want to not go to court, and go home and play on the tractor. Well, not really since it is in the 90s and rain on the way!

[Glenn Clabo]

Sweet Keith...
Love "Baby Cakes"
Can we start a contest to pick a nickname for your new toy...errr...tool?
How about I'll start...."Johnny Cakes"? (It's a RI thang)

[Keith Outten]

The new Deere is a sweet machine with 40.5 hp and almost 1,400 pounds of lift capacity on the FEL.

I picked up some 2 by 4 rectangular steel yesterday to make some attachments for the FEL so there is welding work in my near term future. I will be building a tree trans-planter and trash forks that I use in the woods. The trash forks are handy for moving pallets and heavy lifting around here. Last but not least will be a boom lift for the FEL that will reach over 20 feet high. As always I have to plan my construction work around cutting grass and work here at The Creek.

Baby Cakes is a real mini-brute with a cast iron 3 speed transmission and rear end with a real drive shaft and clutch. She has pulled my trailer across the yard with 9,600 pounds of plywood on board and I have a 42" rear blade for her that she pulls exceptionally well for a machine with only eight horse power.
.

[Keith Outten]

Glenn,

I was leaning towards "Baby Cakes II"

:)
.

[Glenn Clabo]

Senior Cakes?

[Keith Outten]

Baby Cakes :)

I removed the belly cutter and stored it in the barn years ago when I started using the Cadet as a tow motor. We used Baby Cakes to mow about 2.5 acres for over 25 years so she has some hard miles on her. The original 7hp Kohler engine lost all compression in 1978 and I replaced it with a 8hp Kohler short block in 1979. A couple of years ago I changed the rear tires to Dixie Chopper tires and rims for the softer ride a more grip.

Note the large cast iron transmission hanging down just ahead of the rear tires and the large cast iron front end plate. The front axles are also cast iron.
Up until last season I was using Baby Cakes to pull a self powered bush hog to cut the field behind the shop. That task is now being taken care of by the Deere and a new PTO powered bush hog.
.

[Bruce Page]

You country boys have the coolest toys!

John, I love the dreadlocks.

[Keith Outten]

Bruce,

I'm a transplant, grew up in the city. My parents moved to Gloucester County when I was 20 years old just a few weeks before I went in the Navy.

When I got back home I used to help my Dad plant potatoes and work his garden when I could. Jackie and I moved here about 16 years ago. When I can get my hands on a disk harrow and plow for the new Deere we intend to start planting the four acre field behind the shop again.....maybe next Spring. What we have in mind is a rather large garden project with several families chipping in to help with planting and harvesting. Although I don't have the knowledge my Dad had his family have been farmers on the Eastern Shore of Virginia since 1634. Considering the weather we have had this Summer being so hot and dry I am having second thoughts about planting anything next year :)
.

[Curt Harms]

Nice progress Keith.


My maternal grandfather had a barn like that. He had single doors on each side and milking parlors inside. He had steel rail that came out of the upper door and a block and tackle. He used it to put loose hay in the loft. I can remember the extremely stern warnings I got and then being sent to the house when I didn't heed the warnings.....they dropped the large "pincer" device...don't remember what it is called...but it looked like two giant pitch forks without the handles ....hinged in the middle........onto the hay wagon. The pincer device would latch onto some loose hay. They would pull it up into the loft....maneuver it to the place they wanted the hay....unlatch it, dropping the hay.

In Wisconsin I heard it called a "grab fork". I seem to recall they were more than a little bit dangerous when descending. I never saw one used but I DO remember a "hay fork", a similar device that would stick into 8 square bales at a time. On a signal, the "hayfork driver" would back a tractor hooked to a long (100' or so depending on the barn) rope lifting the 8 bales up to the peak of the roof where it locked into a "carrier", a rolling device that carried the hay fork along the peak of the roof to where the tines were retracted and the 8 bales dropped. That's when you found out how good the baler twine was. This weather makes me glad this is history. Haylofts were hot, dirty places on July days. I remember them well enough to appreciate what Keith has gone through in this unremitting heat.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, that really is a great photo! And congrats on the new tractor...I knew you'd go bigger someday! LOL