September 17, 2017

A Start on the Hayloft

In my last barn blog post, I showed you the ladder Dan built for the hayloft. The next step was to begin working on the hay loft itself. 

What the barn looked like at the end of my last barn blog post.

The plan for the loft is five-foot walls, a gable roof, and a loading door in the front with a block and tackle to hoist up the hay.

It's being build with all home-milled lumber.


Hay loft door

Contemplating the next step. Goats & hay will be on
the right, my feed & milking room will be on the left.

After Dan relocated the sawmill, he cut the ridge beam.

The beam measures 3.5 in. by 7.5 in. by 18.5 ft.

Notice the straps tying down the ridge beam? It had already been secured, but Dan got this up right before the remnants of Hurricane Irma were forecast to hit us. We were expected to receive 40+ mile per hour winds, and we got them. Lots of branches down in the yard and a number more trees down in the woods, but the ridge beam stayed put!

Shot from the back. 

The loft will cover 2/3 of the bottom story. A shed
roof off the back will cover the remaining third.

How it looks now from the front.


I'm happy with the progress, but Dan wishes it was further along. It won't be done before winter, but he'd like to get the roof on before the fall rains start.

Next > "Barn Progress."

A Start on the Hayloft © September 2017 by

17 comments:

Connie said...

I think that this project is so exciting. I love that you are building it with hand milled lumber. If I lived closer I would love to give you a hand . . . I'm quite strong for an old grandma, LOL

Living Alone in Your 60's said...

It's coming together nicely. Looking forward to the next installment!

Leigh said...

Connie, thanks! We grandmas can be pretty spry old chickens, can't we? ;)

Tania, thanks! It's exciting to finally get to this point. Getting the roof on will be a major accomplishment!

Chris said...

Excellent work, and progress! I know it would be much easier if it was close to finished, already. But at least next year, you can plan for that windfall of hay!

Leigh said...

Chris, definitely hoping for a windfall of hay next year! We had a good harvest this year, but our hay storage in the Little Barn is too full for much more. We'll probably have to buy some hay this winter, but not as much as previous years. One can never have too much hay!

deb harvey said...

i'm sure you have read of 'grazon'.
watch that your hay suppliers have not switched to spraying with it.

i hate recaptcha. my eyes are not that good.
please use just the checkmark recaptcha.
thanks.

Leigh said...

Deborah, recaptcha???? You have to do a recaptcha to comment on my blog? In my blog settings I have "word verification" turned OFF, so you shouldn't have to do any of that to comment. Thanks for mentioning this. If google somehow added it behind my back, I'll have to see how to get rid of it. Oh! BTW, in the meantime just skip the "I'm not a robot" checkbox and hit "publish your comment." It will publish without your having to prove anything.

Anyway, good point about knowing one's hay sources. That's one reason why we try to grow as much of our own hay as possible. The other reason is that it's almost impossible to get good hay around here. I've wasted more than I care to think about because I was told it was "good" but my goats wouldn't even touch it.

Rain said...

You both are getting a lot of building done, it's really impressive and I love watching the progress! :)

M.K. said...

Looking great! That lumber looks so big and solid. Good job. It will be wonderful to have it designed just as you want it.

R's Rue said...

Love.

Lady Locust said...

I've told you before, but I'm always amazed at how much you two accomplish. Maybe I have accomplishment envy😊 Won't it be wonderful to have a loft for the hay? That home milled lumber is dreamy. Yes to me a nearly 20 ft stick is dreamy. You know how much that would cost at a store? Then it would still be green and twisted or bowed. Yours will last a century or more if taken care of. Nicely done!
PS you'll have to carve your initials and date it somewhere up in the loft.

Cozy Thyme Cottage said...

Hi! What a great job with home milled lumber! I am glad to hear the winds did not knock the beam down. Your little homestead dream farm will be so nice! Nancy

Tommy said...

wow, that looks so cool. amazing that you are able to do it all with self-milled lumber. Dan is quite the artisan.

Susan said...

That will be so nice for you (and the goats!) Sounds like you have everything well-thought-out, as usual. Having a good, dry space to store hay is, to me, better than money in the bank! You two make a great team!

Henny Penny said...

A hayloft! Be still my heart! I don't know what it is about hay and a hayloft, but just reading about one carries me back to my childhood. I'm so happy for you. I can't wait to see it finished and full of hay.

Ed said...

Looking sturdy. I'm guessing an EF5 would still leave the thing intact!

Leigh said...

Rain, I've gotten behind on my comments! I appreciate your comment!

M.K., thanks! It is very solid, even for pine. But pine is lighter weight than something like oak, so at least it's manageable!

Regine, thanks!

Lady Locust, if we had to buy all this we wouldn't be this far along. Dan's getting the sawmill was such a wise move; it's more than paid for itself! I told Dan he needs to get his woodburner out when he's done and woodburn his name and the date on one of the posts!

Nancy, thanks. We didn't want to take any chances in having Dan's hard work blown down!

Tommy, thanks! The results are unique but it is a challenge to work with. Still, I think Dan's doing an excellent job! :)

Susan, you are so right about good hay storage! It will be a job to get the hay into the hayloft, but it will be so convenient to just drop it down into the girls' hay feeder! No more getting my toes stepped on, LOL

Henny, me too!

Ed, I hope we never have to find out!!!