Our Latest Project

I thought it would be fun to show you a glimpse into our life and our latest project. Caleb and I have spent long hours renovating our cattle barn. And today we're going to show you what we've accomplished thus far.

The barn was built in the 1970's and was used to house cattle. However, over years of neglect, it ended up becoming a space for random junk and old beer cans. After we purchased the farm in 2016, we cleaned out the junk (and what felt like a million beer cans). We added some siding and rented the space to a local farmer for his equipment.

Our goal has always been to raise our own cattle, but we didn't have the funds or the time to devote to the project right away.

We replaced the roof in 2020 while Caleb was laid off due to Covid. We were lucky to have lots of help and support from our wonderful friends and families.

This year we decided to jump in and renovate the inside of the barn so it could again hold cattle. Caleb designed and built the entire set-up. We spent hours measuring, laying-out, and drawing up plans.

We started by securing metal and wooden beams to make sure the structure was sound. Next, we knocked out a wall to allow a truck and trailer into the barn more easily. We cemented areas of the floor for repairs and building pads. We welded, sanded, and painted salvaged gates then hung them in the barn. Later we built a crowding pen with narrow passage that will lead to either a headgate or loading chute depending on what is needed. Caleb designed the loading chute to be adjustable to any height needed for the truck or trailer being used. He spent days welding and fabricating the chute.

This project has been a long time coming, but our hope is to add beef cattle to the farm this spring. We still have a little way to go - adding fencing/electric chargers, fixing the feed room, and purchasing stock.

I am incredibly thankful for Caleb and his skill with carpentry/building/welding and his ability to bring our dreams to life.

I hope you've enjoyed seeing our latest project. Let me know what you think in the comments.

Thanks for reading,

Abby