Community comes together to raise barn near Fountain

Agri News

Thursday, October 10, 2007
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Community comes together to raise barn near Fountain

By Heather Carlile
Agri News staff writer

FOUNTAIN, Minn. — We've all heard the phrase "many hands make light work."

Over 50 people demonstrated that it was true Saturday in Fountain.

They came together with a common goal: to help each other raise a barn for Brad and Leslea Hodgson. The couple are graduates of the Land Stewardship Project's Farm Beginnings program, which helps new farmers start their own operations.

The event was made possible by the LSP, in conjunction with their 25th anniversary, and Tillers International, a group that passes on traditional farm skills to help rural communities be more sustainable and productive.

"The idea of raising a barn, building a barn, in an era of discouragement of family-sized farming is such a symbol of hope and inspiration," said Caroline van Schaik of the Land Stewardship Project. "Add into that mix community: everybody putting the barn up. It's a really magical combination."

Todd Juzwiak of Tillers International led the barn raising. The goal was to lift three walls, the two tallest stand 16 feet high.

Volunteers chose from three roles: lifters, who push the wall up; pike polers, who use tall metal-spiked poles to support and continue to raise the wall once it's out of the lifters' hands; and people to hold ropes that slow down the wall and keep it in place once it reaches the vertical position.

The walls went together with mortises, or holes, fitting together with tenons, pieces that would fit into the holes.

Everyone took their place for the first wall and, on Todd's count, lifted together. Many in the group had no barn raising experience, but the wall went up slow and steady.

"That was easier than tying my shoe," said Alan Hoffman of Rochester, who was a lifter.

As the ropes were shifted to the next wall, volunteers signed their name on a beam that would become part of the barn and spent time talking with each other. Some came as strangers, but left as friends.

Dennis Presley traveled from St. Paul and helped with pike poles.

"I'm from the city," he said. "I know nothing about the country or barns."

He decided to come so he could learn more about organizing successful community events. He met Eva Barr of Dreamery Rural Arts Initiative, which gives young people an artistic outlet in rural areas. The two shared contact information and hope to work together in the future.

Nathan Moore, a physics professor at Winona State University, brought seven of his students with him so they could get a hands-on learning experience.

"In Intro to Physics, we talk a lot about how things stand up and balance," he said.

As the second and third walls went up, cross-tie beams were hoisted up and placed while wood pegs were pushed in with bowling pins. Juzwiak found they work better than traditional hammers.

Big pieces of the walls that didn't quite fit together got a nudge from a sledgehammer named Jake.

All the wood pieces creaked as they shifted into their spots. Through the noise and slight wall movement, the crew worked faithfully and quickly to secure the pieces together. By the end, everyone worked smoothly as a team.

After the work was complete, an autumn-colored wreath was placed at the top of the barn. The Hodgsons thanked the volunteers and outlined the barn's future: adding siding and a roof, maybe a new wing later on. They plan to store hay there, which they'll feed to their Galloway grass-fed beef cattle.

"I'm in awe," said Leslea, once the three walls stood tall. The day's bright blue sky showed through the beams.

"It's so beautiful," she said.

Brad Hodgson said the support from so many was overwhelming. Some of the people that came out to help were family and friends, others were people he had never met.

"It's good that people want to come out," he said.

Afterwards, everyone was invited to a meal and to take home a commemorative wooden peg to remember the event.

"It's a sign of building, time together and holding true," said Mark Schultz, Land Stewardship Project policy director.

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