In my last
barn blog post I mentioned that the next thing to do was to build a loafing area for the girls off the back of the barn. This will be an open area that will protect doorway from rain, especially heavy rains that make the area muddy. That was Dan's project last week.
 |
| The bent laid out on the ground. |
 |
| Knee braces |
 |
Dan drills a hole in the bottom of the posts and sets them down on top
of the rebar. That way they don't kick out on us while securing the bent. |
 |
| Raising the bent. |
 |
| Securing it. |
 |
| Plus roof rafters! |
Next will be nailers for the entire roof and then the sheet metal!
You may already realize, but you need to take the bark off everything so you won't get pine bark beetles and powder post beetles.
ReplyDeleteit will be a great loafing area we have an overhang off the front of the goat house and they tend to hand about under it although its only a couple of feet wide.
ReplyDeleteHow nice! It's huge! Happy goats for sure.
ReplyDeleteI remember going with my grandfather to "loaf" in town at the local gas station. We would have a bottle of pop and listen to the old men gripe about this and that. I really hadn't thought of that word "loaf" since then. Makes me ponder its origins.
ReplyDeleteI see you have a very curious goat or two carefully monitoring the construction! Having the loafing area protect the entrance door is worth a lot.
ReplyDeleteGorges, we have a terrible problem with pine bark beetles! Also carpenter bees. Dan's going to paint with waste oil as a treatment. Will it work? We'll see!
ReplyDeleteDawn, they really do love a loafing area, don't they? We've found the like to spend the night in the loafing area during summer, so it pretty much expands living space as well.
Theresa, thanks! Happily, goats are fairly easy to please. :)
Ed, it's a common livestock term! One of the books in our homestead library has plans for several kinds of loafing areas. But it's convenient to have it right off the barn.
Mama Pea, you noticed that! Yes, they are always interested in what's going on. :)
Goats just 'loafing' around in the paddock, supervising.
ReplyDeleteLeigh, it's looking great! You can tell Dan he does such nice work he's been invited across country to work on a few project over here 😉 I'm sure he will appreciate it.
ReplyDeleteI'm so impressed Leigh, this is a wonderful thread to follow! :)
ReplyDeleteLove the progress! I see some mention of painting with oil waste. That is fine for fences, etc. However due to the increased fire risk it is not safe to do for structures, especially a structure that will house animals.
ReplyDeleteLooks very good. It will be something to be very proud of and probably will stand for a hundred years!
ReplyDeleteMrs Shoes, ha, ha, that's exactly what they do.
ReplyDeleteLady Locust, LOL. He's had quite a few offers on that. :)
Rain, thanks!
Cecilia, that's a good point. The whole thing being out of wood, I don't know of anything that would act as a flame retardant.
Mike thanks! There is a lot of satisfaction in working with materials from your own land and doing something needful and useful from them. It's slower! But worth it. :)
The internet is fuzzy but it seems that loafing came from the word loafer which in turn probably was a shortened version of landloafer which stems from the German world landlaufer which means a remnant or the rest that remains behind.
ReplyDeleteLooks great! You guys should write a book when you're done :) Nancy
ReplyDeleteEd, that's probably why livestock people starting using it. :)
ReplyDeleteNancy, well, thanks! Not too sure about a book on that one. Currently working on a livestock prepper book for Ulysses Press and after that I'd like to write a sequel for 5 Acres & A Dream The Book. But outbuildings would certainly be part of that!
Photography makes it look so easy, and instant! But I know as a seasoned project manager, they often take months (and in some cases, even years) to get those wonderful progress shots, lol. Keep plugging away! :)
ReplyDeleteChris, having a photographic record is really an asset. Especially on days when we feel like we aren't making much progress! I'm glad it's been coming along with few problems. Hopefully it will continue to be that way!
ReplyDeleteGood job! Your goats will be living the high life!
ReplyDelete