January 13, 2008 Work Day

The day was cloudy but the spirits of the volunteers were "sunny" to say the least. Brooms, shovels, waste cans, tools, and other supplies all seemed to emerge from nowhere as everyone arrived and began a full day of work. This old barn seems to be yearning for help. This last Sunday was my 1st day in the building, and I was excited and optimistic about the project despite the sorry state of affairs inside.

Water damage has affected most of the interior. I'm no barn renovation expert, but I think the good news is that the major support beams (the "bones") appear to be in fairly good condition.

Edsel Ford Barn Work Day 011308

Above: Edsel Ford Haven Hill barn renovation activity. January 13, 2008.

Below you can see an interior photo with what appears to be the old boarded-up animal doors on the right. I assume they were the sheep paddock openings that allowed the animals to move in and out. The bundles on the floor are some of the tarps being used for the roof repairs.

Barn Interior 011308

Thanks for reading... I'll post again with a picture each day or so...

Work Party Entry

On January 13, 2008 we had a great group of volunteers come out to the Highland Recreation Area and work on the Edsel Ford Haven Hill barn. More large tarps were put on the roof to stop water and snow damage, and lots of interior cleanup was accomplished as well. It was my 1st time inside of the barn. Edsel Ford Barn Interior Photo

Believe it or not, the photo above is a picture of the SECOND FLOOR... the barn is huge! Click on the image to see a larger photo.

All of the volunteers had a great time and the weather cooperated (snow and rain were in the forecast but none fell). Keep in touch... a more extensive post will be coming soon...