The Farm is Growing

Building a High-Tech Off Grid Barn

The animal population on the farm is booming. The goats have kids, the rabbits kitted, and one of the hens has gone ‘broody’, meaning she’s sitting on eggs. To help manage the tick population there’s a new addition - Guinea Fowl. With so many critters to care for, it’s time to build a barn.

‘Roo’ the bouncy little doeling

Safety and Sanity

Keeping the animals tucked in and safe at night from wildlife and the elements is prudent. I’ve managed with a small coop for the chickens and outbuildings for the goats, but getting everyone in at night is a chore. Being the pesky critters that they are, things can get chaotic.

The Beginning of a Barn

To make the 12X16 barn, Curt first milled beams out of a Douglas Fir tree. Douglas fir is one of the strongest types of wood around here and has a beautiful pinkish colour. Three for the base, four live edge beams for the upright corners and two for the center roof support.

The center beam was peeled of its bark by the goats

Lumber On-Hand

Before the snow had melted from the road, we carted truckloads of lumber up the mountain on a trailer. The local lumberyard was having a sale that we couldn’t pass up, so we bought 2X4s and 2X6s instead of milling our own.

Having a stack of lumber in the yard has been a real blessing. I often grab pieces to make things I’ve been thinking about. We also bought plywood, which helps move things along quickly. One sheet of plywood goes a long way, and I quickly found myself building a cap for my truck with it as well.

My new cap, handy for moving livestock!

Automation

Having a dry place to milk the goat, and keep feed and hay will feel like a luxury. On top of that, I plan to use switches on timers to do some of the work. I like to play with computers and have made a plan to create automatic feeders, waterers and door openers for the chickens and goats.

Materials on hand, the next step for the barn will be making it as self-sufficient as possible. The barn will have its own solar power battery bank and will be wired for power. Minimal power but power nonetheless, I’ll be able to incubate eggs and keep chicks warm in the barn.

Laying out the plan

Greenhouse Bonus

As mentioned in ‘My Garden is Embarrassing’, I built a greenhouse on the southernmost side of the barn. Having been given used French doors by some good friends, I decided that rather than set them aside and risk breaking them I’d get started on a greenhouse. Using windows that have sat in the junk pile for 5 years, it took shape quickly.

While managing to take time to have a little fun in between.

The Pride

My hands are rough, my back is sore, and my heart is swollen with pride. In less than two months we’ve procured the materials and built a 12X16 barn with a bonus 6X16 greenhouse. The chickens, guinea hens, goats, and kitties will all be housed happily in the barn and away from my tiny house at last.