Thursday, July 20, 2006

Engineer needed

We are working on the final plan for the layout of the barn. We are in a hurry to get the frame and roof up before cold weather. We do not want a second winter to go by with the frame stored near the ground.

Owen County officials have said they will approve the plan for just the frame and roof so we can concentrate on preserving the barn. Later, after it is up and safe, we will design and get their sign-off for the exterior and interior details. But before we can get the construction started we need to have an engineer to help design the foundation and sign off on it.

If you know of someone who would be good for this job, please let us know.

Vacation's over: back to work

It's been a month and a half since the last posting. It doesn't seem that long since three weeks of it were spent in Europe. We had a great time and saw lots of things that will help at Raccoon Creek Community.

Since returning we have met with Red Tail Timber Frames owner and have agree to have them manage the reconstruction of our barn. They will begin in early August.

Missing posts and beams - parts that had rotted in the barn before we dismanteled it - will be replaced with timbers harvested from areas which will become ponds on the Raccoon Creek site. Red Tail will pull them from the woods using their draft horses, and mill them with their portable saw mill.

We have taken out a building permit for the barn, talked again with our REMC and gotten a quote from a well driller. Soon we will erect a tent or two and some screen tents so we can work at the site for a few days in a row without traveling back and forth so often.

If you've been wanting to visit the site, these next few weekends would be a great time. After that we should be very busy working on the barn.