Photo Gallery of Older Barns

© Duchess O’Blunt, 2011; all rights reserved.
© All photographs in this hub are the property of the Duchess O'Blunt.

I am a country bumpkin and I'm not afraid to say so. In fact I'm quite proud of my heritage, family and country [Canada].

In Ontario we are also proud of our farmers, corporate sized or family sized. The smaller family farms have struggled for decades and we are loosing many of them. But some still function, having been passed on generation after generation.

Growing up in the country has given me a unique perspective on many things, and I personally think, a well-rounded view of life.

A drive down the country roads in and around my past and current home(s) is often a trip down memory lane. As I pass a barn, I can often pull out some old memories, dust them off, and take a look. Just like looking through the wholes left in some of these pictures - glimpses of the past.

Life in the country often moved at a slower pace than life in the big city. The nearest movie house was typically a 25 mile drive. You didn't just pop into the store to buy a gallon of milk unless Greeta - down at the general store at the four corners - invited you in for a cup of tea and a good gab about the neighbours. All five of them.

Entertainment was often a jam session with guitars, fiddles, piano, tambourine, juice harp and spoons when the family came for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

Children had chores that had to be done before heading off to school. The cows didn't milk themselves, and the stalls continually needed mucking.

Getting to school really did mean you walked a mile to catch a bus. Good weather or bad.

Play time was what was left over, after the dishes were done. We were out that door the second our hands were dried and we knew every inch of the acres surrounding the homestead. The streams and ponds, the railroad tracks, the neighbor's fields and the woods down the road.

A sleep over at your best friend's house was planned in advance so that you got off the bus at her stop instead of your own. It meant you had to help her with her chores, but at least you had a friend to help you with your homework.

Now, here I have to go by stories I've heard, history and books I've read. Life in the country was good clean living and lots of hard work. Most families had at least a few chickens, some horses, a pig or two and a cow. Children very often did not continue in school as they were needed to work the farms.

The more affluent farmers erected great barns. In fact the barns were likely more important than the homes as this was an investment in their future, and building the farm to pass on to future generations was the dream of many a farmer.

Barns were built to house the livestock and store the feed and grain over the winter, so they were built to last.

The support of these oder barns were called "bents". A bent is an H-shaped support of [typically] 10' X 10' strewn lumber posts connected by a very heavy beam. How many "bents" used in the construction of the barn would depend on the needs of the farmer and whether or not he could afford it.

Strewn lumber was not constructed with a saw. They were solid timers, hewn up to 12 inches thick. Nails were not used in the building of these bents either. They were notched and pegged together like a very large jigsaw puzzle then somehow hefted with manual labor.

By today's building code standards, these century old barns "raise the bar".

Given the dimensions of these bents, it is not surprising to learn that there is big business in selling them. Dismantled barns can actually provide a tidy extra income.

Reclaimed lumber from barns can be used for flooring, wall paneling, ceiling paneling, wainscoting and building furniture. There is a rich patina and character these boards retain from decades of weathering by wind, rain and sun. The colors are deep and rich. Nail holes, knots and cracking provide added rustic charm.

Broken strewn beams and planks can be salvaged as reclaimed lumber or for many different art forms such as picture frames, and carvings.

And of course, even broken down and neglected but still standing, they are an inspiration for artists the world over in paintings of every kind.

Today, I am blessed with the opportunity to leisurely drive the country side and take in the many breath taking views our country offers. Rarely do I leave for these dates with nature without my camera. And very often I will snap pictures of some of the strangest things. The one thing that always grabs my attention are the old barns that dot the countryside.

If those walls could talk - what tales they would tell. Every barn I see that is in dire need of repair reminds me of the legacy our farmers have left us.

Early Ontario barns are a testament to the ingenuity and achievements of our farmers just by the fact they are still standing after decades of neglect and a steady decline in family farming.

Consider the size of the beams that were hoisted into place - with only the sweat of their brows and the strength in their backs.

Consider that they were pegged together without nails.

Consider the foundations that stand after the buildings decay. That they are still standing so many decades after being erected always amazes me.

When I am out driving in the country for any reason at all, if my camera is with me, I will take those pictures. And when I look at them scattered in throughout all the other shots, I often think it's time to write a story and imagine what those walls will tell me.

Older barns each have a history and some amazing stories attached to them. The curious part - the writer in me - itches to knock on the door of the homestead and ask for those details, so they can be captured in print for the next 100 years.

Farming is a way of life that has continually changed but some of the barns built so many years ago still stand.

One of our neighbors has a big proud sign boasting that "Farmers Feed Cities". It reminds me of a way of life that is often not remembered.

As a child living in the country, the architecture required to build a barn never once crossed my mind. Barns were for cows, horses, pigs and chickens. The family dog never slept in the house and the cats were all “mousers” and pretty much kept for that purpose alone. The barn was a warm alternative to the severe weather.

Never would I have considered the possibility that someone would some day come along and take that old barn, throw some serious money at it, employ people with great imaginations, and turn that very old, boring structure into anything else than what it was build for.

Imagine laying your head down to sleep in the very same place that the family pig once did. Or sitting down to a fine dinner where they once had their slop bin.

Today heritage barns are often re-imagined into homes, guest houses, theaters, clinics, bed and breakfasts, museums, art studios, stores and special events [yes even weddings]

Here are 3 links if you would like to see some of these fantastic ideas.

• Herongate Barn Theatre
• The University of Guelph Small Animal Clinic
• Barn Restoration. Beautiful pictures of the finished restoration, or conversion

I hope you enjoy this gallery of older barns. Some in good repair - some - not so much.

If you wish to view even better pictures of older barns, go take a look at "Barns of Tennessee - Photo Gallery". Very cool shots!

Perhaps you know of one in your family history. If you are curious, ask about it and see what history and stories are behind your barn boards.

All photos are taken by the author of this article with a Nikon D7000.

© Copyright to this article and photographs on Hubpages is owned by the Duchess O’Blunt and may not be copied without express permission from the writer. Payment for use of any photographs or article written by the Duchess O’Blunt is by negotiation.