December 5, 2007 Barn Complete - Lodge Preparation Begins

Dan and Jeff went back in early December, their final trip of the season. The center post was secured in place. Dan is demonstrating how level the new old barn is. All it needs now is a fresh coat of paint!

On the same day, they met with a rep from Morton Buildings to check the level of the rough pad excavation for the new lodge building. The site overlooks stairway to heaven with a panoramic view of the Covo Hills bottom land and beyond.

The survey showed we needed to do a lot more moving of dirt. We were off over one foot, with the site still sloping down the hill!

November 19, 2007 Barn Takes Shape

A chainsaw was taken to the old barn siding to give this overlapped look.  The roof slope was altered to a much gentler slope than the original barn.


The new posts are in place and almost complete in the photos below.

November 10, 2007 Hay Bale Removal

The barn was finally safe enough for our farmer to enter and remove the remaining bales of hay.

New treated lumber post in concrete
replaced old limestone one 

The tilted old roof needed to be tugged and pulled........until the new leveling supports would hold it up.

November 4, 2007 Barn Rebuilding Begins

Jeff

The worksite is cleaned up. Rebuilding the eastern portion of the barn begins.




Remember the corner post I'm sitting by? This is how far the old barn extended. The limestone rocks were part of the original foundation the posts rested upon.

Marianne in sweatshirt, hat and gloves, most likely my
last farm trip for the season

September 22, 2007 Hay Barn Demolition

Notice the farmer's hay bales. It really is a hay barn!

We are in the final stages of demolishing the majority of the old hay barn, and then salvaging a portion of it for storage.  Once it came down, the real work began of pulling it apart board by board, nail by nail.

Original NW corner post

Unsalvageable barn wood burned to ashes
in the foreground

Stacked wood and other items from the demolished barn
will be used in the new lodge building and to rebuild the
east portion of the hay barn 

Salvaged 6 X 6 beams are a priceless commodity
and will be used in the new lodge building 

Go to Aunt Rita's Quilt to see this photo in fabric

June 15-16, 2007 Barn Razing

Katie and her friend Allison, Jeff and I went out to Covo on Friday to get a head start on the weekend. They're using their girl scout skills to get the fire going for dinner.

                      Playing cards while the fire heats up!

Dan and Deena, Jessica and Mitchell arrived on Saturday for the barn razing, maybe not the best of days with occasional heavy downpours but it didn't stop the task at hand.

After much discussion, it was decided that this was the first post to come down and maybe some of the old hay barn would come with it.

                                                          Still standing!

The crowd breathlessly waits!

            


                        More discussion about what to do...
                        Deena had some good thoughts!

Finally, after more tugs with the tractor and physically yanking some boards away, the hay barn begins to fall and with it falls a piece of Mt. Carroll history. We speculate that the barns on the property are a century old, maybe a little more, maybe a little less, and worth preserving in one form or another.

Drenched, but happy Covoites.

Mid May 2007 Panorama

Early May 2007 - Covo Golf

Dan and Jeff decided if they were sacrificing their golf game to spend weekends at Covo, they might as well bring golf to the Hills. Here they are on the upper tee box.

What a view from the top! Note the golf green in the distance - a lighter shade than the hill.

From the look of things, the guys are too busy golfing to finish painting! Fortunately, the new barn is maintenance free.