Earlier today I was watching an episode of Barnwood Builders and it got me thinking about Barns.

When I was born we lived on a farm, and I always enjoy visiting farms. I especially like the architecture of barns and usually will have a Barn calendar hanging in my home office.

I have many barn memories, but one of my favorites is visiting the farm of my 4th Great-Grandfather Orsamus Braman in Rome, Wisconsin. A small barn that he built is still in use after all these years.

I also have great memories of barns in Iowa. This barn is near where my father grew up in Coin, Iowa.

My earliest barn memories are of the barn on the Ellis farm near Ottumwa, Iowa. I remember going to the barn with John and helping him milk cows when I was just a little boy. I also remember their hay barn where we had a lot of fun building forts. Unfortunately their old barn burnt down many years ago, but the memories remain.

Barns are hard to maintain, and when they no longer have a day to day use they will often slowly deteriorate. This is what makes watching the Barnwood Builders show very interesting. They re-purpose old barns.

I am thinking of another memory from Iowa where I helped my dad salvage material from an old barn that was getting ready to be torn down.

It is also interesting to see old barns when I travel like this half-timber barn in Germany. I really like the interesting lines of the timbers. This is such a beautiful barn with the stone foundation and the brick in the lower level. The beautiful wooden doors also bring a nice splash of color into the picture.

Today it is nice that I have friends who have a very beautiful barn. I really enjoy visiting their orchard and seeing their barn. It brings back so many memories of growing up in farm country in Iowa and ranch country in Kansas.

Steven