Buildings Content
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Barns need good ventilation for healthy air quality. The air inside a barn can become stagnant with dust and mold, ammonia gasses and other pollutants, and animals can get sick if there isn't...
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Living the Country Life Radio Program with Betsy Freese
Fans are dangerous
Listen to this radio show (MP3 download) or read below.
Radio interview source: Laurie Loveman, barn safety consultant
One of my worst nightmares is of our barn catching fire...
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Living the Country Life Radio Program with Betsy Freese
Make sure it's dry
Listen to this radio show (MP3 download) or read below.
Radio interview source: Laurie Loveman, barn safety consultant
When we're making hay, we keep a tight watch on...
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Living the Country Life Radio Program with Betsy Freese
Self-taught talent
Listen to this radio show (MP3 download) or read below.
Radio interview source: Dick Schwab, Solon, IA
I wouldn't say he was "born in a barn," but Dick Schwab...
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Make a detailed plan before you start building.
Thinking of building a barn or renovating an old one? Whether you want a few stalls, a traditional structure, or a party barn, make a detailed plan before you start building.
Radio interview source...
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Our winners showcase the beauty and heritage of rural America
Contest Winners
The Living the Country Life Classic Barn Contest was a great success, with hundreds of barn photos submitted. The editors had a tough time narrowing down the six finalists. In the...
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Here are a few practical design tips that will save you time and money.
Getting started
Weekend to-do list:
Fix holes in stall floors
Scrub water buckets
Replace boards in stalls
Clean nests out of rafters
Paint barn...
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A barn has multiple uses on an acreage. Make sure your land can handle the building requirements of a barn.
Having a place in the country means you can build a barn for animals, machinery, or whatever else you need to shelter. But, make sure the land is well-suited for a barn.
Radio interview source:...
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Most folks would have thrown up their hands and torn it down, but Judy Parker saw a bright future for this old barn.
She lives in a barn
Judy Parker does her book work in calving pens, sends guests to the hayloft, and serves breakfast over a horse stall wall.
Yes, she lives in a barn.
Both rustic and modern,...
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Most older barns are 'good enough' to last a long, long time, if you take the right steps to make them beautiful and useful again.
Barns
You've found that perfect acreage not far from town. The old farmhouse is in pretty good shape, and you have plans for fixing it up. But what should you do with the rest of the property...