News from Hawk Meadow: Farm Chores

An old farm requires constant work. Here are a few of the latest projects at Hawk Meadow.

This spring I re-roofed my barn with the help of my friend and neighbor Jay. We've spent the last few years swapping labor for those inevitable jobs that are just too big for one person. My barn was built in 1889, and many people might not have put this much effort into a really old building. But I felt the old barn deserved it.

We used # 1, treated cedar shingles on the barn. In tearing off the old shingles it was evident that this new roof was to be only the third roof for this barn in its lifetime. This was due, almost certainly, to the use of the same, straight grained, rot resistant shingles as we were using. Although they are expensive and environmentally costly to use, I feel their long life and authentic look make up for this.