Barn Usage
In classical, older style barns, the upper loft area, called the mow, was used to store hay and grains for livestock. A large door at one or both ends of the barn would open so that hay could be loaded into the mow via a system of pulleys.
Barns are used today as large garages for storing buses, trucks, and even trains. New barns are available for purchase as barn kits. These precut timber frame barns can be shipped directly to a property, and are available in different styles and sizes. Specific kits are available for different types of livestock, and there are many different versions of horse barns available. Pre-fabricated modular barns can be ordered for sheltering one or two horses, or large enough to accommodate a large herd. These pre-fabricated and modular barns can be customized to meet particular needs, and their designs can accommodate hay barns, riding arenas, and local weather climates. Some kits offer fire-resistant construction done with steel beams and panels. These modular designs are very flexible in accommodating personal needs, and can withstand major climatic events.
Building a Barn
In early America, barns were the most costly, not to mention the first, structures built by families settling in a new area or on new land. Barn raising is a social event where community members come together to aid the family building the barn. Materials are bought or traded for, but community participants are not paid for their help. The term comes from the construction technique employed, where frames are put together on the ground, before being raised into their vertical position.
The red color usually associated with barns may have a historical explanation. It is believed that the chemical powder ferric oxide, used in making red paint, was the cheapest and most readily available paint for farmers in New England and other colonial states.
