A modern day, old fashioned barn raising...can it be done and how?

[big brown horse]

Building a barn is on our big to do lists before the cold weather sets in again. I wonder if barn raising is still practiced amongst self sufficient people.

 

[noobiechickenlady]

Sure! I hear of it being done in communities. If I were in your area, you'd already have two volunteers.
Some ideas: Post a flyer in your local whole foods stores, your feed stores, your CSA. Make sure there is a way for them to contact you, even if you set up a temporary email address for it. List the jobs that will need to be done, roofing, siding, flooring, planing, what have you. Make it sound interesting, not just "gimme free hard work" Include an offer to assist with a project they might have or teaching skill they want to learn. Not everyone will take you up on it, but some will.
Make it a potluck, or provide food.
Have your lumber & fasteners ready on site.
I had an opportunity to help with a bit of natural plastering a few years back, through a message like this posted in the whole food store, but wasn't able to take it. The above is what was on their flyer and they had as many hands as they could use.

 

[SKR8PN]

The Amish and Mennonite communities still do barn raising around here. Post an add on your local Craigslist and see what kind of a response you get.

 

[freemotion]

We did a modified barn raising. We hired someone to do the frame and the roof.....we didn't want to risk our friends who were not experienced carpenters, and we didn't want our friends who were to work for us for free, either.

So we had a doors and siding raising, with a cookout and it was open-house style....we said when we would be starting and quitting for the day, and come for as long or as little as you'd like, and eat as much as you'd like. It was so much fun. I was surprised at who came....several teachers, computer geeks, and many of our horse-owning friends who still boarded their horses and were happy for us that we were able to bring my mare home.

We didn't quite finish, so I traded massage gift certificates with a carpenter friend for spending another day with me, building the inside walls and framing the windows. I built the windows with plexiglass myself later. They are removable. The carpenter dumpster-dove for some great grill-type panels that I put over the window openings to protect the windows and the sills from my mare, aka "the *%$* Beaver!"

The next year, we traded with a licensed electrician to wire the barn. One winter of cleaning a stall in the pitch dark with a flashlight in my mouth was enough. (Did you know that you will drool if you try this???)

I wish we'd put some pvc pipe in the trench for water, but I was a bit overwhelmed at the time and figured I could haul water for one or two horses. I do, and it is ok, since I give warm water in the sub-freezing weather. I ran a hose along the fence for use in the better weather. It is always a relief when it thaws out in the spring!

 

[big brown horse]

We did a modified barn raising. We hired someone to do the frame and the roof.....we didn't want to risk our friends who were not experienced carpenters, and we didn't want our friends who were to work for us for free, either.

So we had a doors and siding raising, with a cookout and it was open-house style....we said when we would be starting and quitting for the day, and come for as long or as little as you'd like, and eat as much as you'd like. It was so much fun. I was surprised at who came....several teachers, computer geeks, and many of our horse-owning friends who still boarded their horses and were happy for us that we were able to bring my mare home.

We didn't quite finish, so I traded massage gift certificates with a carpenter friend for spending another day with me, building the inside walls and framing the windows. I built the windows with plexiglass myself later. They are removable. The carpenter dumpster-dove for some great grill-type panels that I put over the window openings to protect the windows and the sills from my mare, aka "the *%$* Beaver!"

The next year, we traded with a licensed electrician to wire the barn. One winter of cleaning a stall in the pitch dark with a flashlight in my mouth was enough. (Did you know that you will drool if you try this???)

I wish we'd put some pvc pipe in the trench for water, but I was a bit overwhelmed at the time and figured I could haul water for one or two horses. I do, and it is ok, since I give warm water in the sub-freezing weather. I ran a hose along the fence for use in the better weather. It is always a relief when it thaws out in the spring!

Thanks for the information!

I knew that the Menonites and Amish did it, but I dont think there are any around.

I'm glad to know that this is a possibility for me.

 

[miss_thenorth]

At our last church, there was a mailing list, if someone had a service to offer, they posted it on there, or also if you needed a hand with something, you posted it on there. I remember one posting was for a barn raising. The young couple had many volunteers, and many experienced ppl offered to help, too. You had to be willing to help if you were asking for help. It worked quite well.

Don't know if you belong to a church, but if so, that is an option.

 

[patandchickens]

IME there are still plenty of people in the world who get a buncha friends and relatives to come over for a day or a few days, fill up the beer cooler and stock up a buncha chickens and burgers to throw on the BBQ, and use all that labor to put up a barn or garage or whatever. I don't see it as being particularly rare or odd.

However you do need to have a strong network of connections to people who can be talked into doing this

Despite countless posts about retreating to armed compounds in the mts and fending off all comers, it remains true that a large part of the art of "self sufficiency" consists of having strong connections to turn to in the myriad situations when the self is not really so sufficient after all

Good luck,

Pat

 

[hennypenny9]

Love the idea of a barn raising! I hope you find a way to make it work. I know that during high school, kids need things to send to colleges. Community service things and such. I know they'd be unskilled, but to do hauling or cleaning, it could be good. If I move near you, I'd bring some food!

 

[ams3651]

what about contacting a local technical school, they may have some recent graduates looking for experience

 

[freemotion]

Despite countless posts about retreating to armed compounds in the mts and fending off all comers, it remains true that a large part of the art of "self sufficiency" consists of having strong connections to turn to in the myriad situations when the self is not really so sufficient after all

Good luck,

Pat

Countless posts? What posts? Am I missing some fine entertainment???

eta: Oh, yeah, I forgot....I don't read EVERYTHING......