Whether we work on a farm or in the city, we all live in a house or apartment. Whether the dwelling is new or a century home, many of us appreciate the charm of an old house.
As we get older we may want ground level access without steps, and doors wide enough to allow wheelchair access. While some homes that are only a few decades old are demolished to be replaced by new, more efficient homes, some old century homes remain very comfortable and saleable to the next generation.
For buildings that are used to carry on a profitable business in — be it an assembly line where Ford cars are built, a barn where animals are housed or a shed where farm equipment is stored — design requirements change.
Just as the building that housed Henry Ford’s first assembly line to produce the model “T” is no longer adequate to house the computerized robotic line that produces the new aluminum bodied F150, farm buildings have also changed. The drive shed that housed the horse drawn buggy or sleigh 75 years ago didn’t have a door either high enough or wide enough for today’s 4X4 half ton. The machine shed that was proudly constructed in the 1940s to keep the grain binder, the potato digger, and a wagon in and out of the weather is useless to store today’s tractor, combine or even a plow in because the doors are too narrow and the roof is too low.
The majestic state-of-the-art bank barn that was built 75 years ago to allow the threshing mill to be set up out of the weather inside under a roof, housed the teams of horses, the milk cows, the steers and the new hand-turned cream separator. All the animals (maybe 30) were fed, bedded and cleaned out by hand.
Today new barns can hold hundreds of animals whose stalls are cleaned automatically, one man can mix the feed and deliver it to hundreds of animals in only a few hours.
When a farmer retires and sells the farm, it is often to a neighbour who has no use for the old buildings. Since he has to pay school and municipal taxes based on the farm value, these old buildings are often demolished to reduce taxes.
Sometimes a solid, old log or frame barn is disassembled, packed in shipping containers and sent to Europe for either reconstruction or the parts are used to restore old buildings there. Since a demolition permit is required before taking down any building and often disposal fees are charged to get rid of the buildings; often old buildings are just allowed to fall into disrepair and remain as an eyesore for several years before rotting away.
Some majestic old barns are maintained and restored so we can remember our historic past. Several round barns have been declared a historical building and the owner is compensated for necessary repairs to maintain them in good condition.
In some areas, these majestic old barns are repurposed as restaurants, pubs and venues for weddings and other celebrations. In other areas, zoning bylaws prohibit them being used for anything except agricultural use and then we see some of these beautiful old buildings fall into disrepair and eventually fall down.
Antiquated farm buildings pose another challenge for fire insurance companies. The value placed on all buildings by insurance companies is based on rebuilding cost. This is done in case of a partial fire where the remaining part of the building is rebuilt as it was before the fire. Placing a value on an outdated building or a house in the country situated close to a large feedlot or hog operation becomes a real challenge. Even though the building might cost a million dollars to reconstruct the real value of the building may be only a fraction of that cost!
When we visit countries such as Europe where many buildings are several hundred years old and still maintained in as good or even better condition than when they were built, we marvel and keep images of these ancient structures ingrained in our memory. Many of these structures may have started life as a stable for the horses or servant’s quarters but were repurposed as a pub or even a bed and breakfast or hotel.
Whether people continue to use and appreciate some of our older majestic buildings for years to come or we watch them disappear like leaves in the fall may depend on decisions of our politicians and bureaucrats! Enjoy these beautiful old buildings while you can or you may have to take a trip to Europe.
Chris Judd is a farmer in Clarendon on land that has been in his family for generations. gladcrest@gmail.com
