Friday, March 27, 2009

Raising the Barn - Part 3

With all of the support beams in place...and the ceiling back up where it belonged...it was time to re-install the feed troughs.  The original rail system was now blocked by the new support beam.  If you remember, the feed troughs  and the rails they ride on were removed before construction of the new beam.  Here is a "slot" that the feed trough slides into.  There are two of these in the milking parlor.

Empty feed trough slot

The plan was to re-install both the rails and the troughs.  The rails would need to be low enough to pass under the new beam.   The feed troughs also needed to be cut down in size so that they would fit under the newly installed beam.

The boys removed the hardware from the troughs that allowed them to slide on the rail system.

Removing the hardware

Then the troughs had to be shortened so that they would fit beneath the beam as they slid in and out on the rail.

Shortening the troughs

Clem Cadiddlehopper showed up during the day to lend a helping hand :)

Howdy Clem!

The rails were re-installed a little lower than before and then the troughs were re-hung.  They aren't as low as they appear - my 6 foot tall son can walk underneath the rail without hitting his head.  In this picture you can see the rails and the trough riding on them underneath the new beam.  The trough is pulled part way out so that you can get the general idea.

The new trough!

They slide so easily now.  We have installed a handle on the side of each trough to make it easy to pull.  You can see Susie eating...it appears that she is happy with the results.  I can't tell you how happy this makes me!  To have a milking parlor that is fully functioning after all these years is such a blessing!  And to know that the boys are safe...no worries that the ceiling is going to come crashing down.  To know that we can once again put hay on that side of the hayloft this year....John said we could park a tractor-trailer up there now....don't think we'll do that but we do plan to fill it up with hay this summer! To be able to walk up there without cracking our ankles on the protruding posts or tripping over the buckled floor....so thankful!

Now...here's an exciting tidbit....you'll never believe what happened during the middle of this renovation....something completely unexpected....something quite scary....and something that has NEVER happened on this farm before and we've been here 10 years!  John didn't know what he was getting into.....just wait till I tell you.....

Blessings,

5 comments:

  1. I've finally had a few minutes to sit down and ready your 3 posts about the barn~ marvelous job, guys!

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  2. Shouldn't that be "RE-raising the barn"? ;-)

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  3. Oh no Cheri, I don't know if I can wait...BTW, the barn project looks great. I'm so glad that you have so many that care about you and the boys.
    Regina

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  4. There you go again, teasing us along!

    Great job guys!

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  5. he looks exactly like clem caddidlehopper, it has been a long time since i watched that Christian "western" kids show. long time, wow!

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