Sunday, May 22, 2011

ORGANICALLY GROWN -- RED KENTUCKY BARN



A barn resembles the organically grown complexity of plants. Plants are interdependent of its many integrated parts. 


Barns are a complex whole that is interdependent with its parts. 



Barns propagate new parts as need evolves.


Barn parts coexist as does plant parts. They both are an evolved system that requires nourishment. Without it they decline.




21 comments:

  1. I love old barns!

    What bugs me are the city slickers who go out and ravage them so their family room looks rustic,

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  2. Kay -- I have found out that there are contractors that will take down your failing barn. I think the folks that have the barns are concerned with folk's safety around such structures. Barns are expensive to maintain. This barn dilemma has been one that has existed for some time. Some non-profits are attempting to help folks maintain their ailing barns. Complex issue in itself. Thanks for stopping -- barbara

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  3. A great looking red barn. So many tobacco barns are black around here. I love the red barn, such a symbol of Americana.

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  4. What a lovely old barn! I hope to have on someday....

    I love your current banner picture too.

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  5. A nice little red barn. We are experiencing this dilemma here. Our old hay barn needs a new roof, and some beams also are broken.... It is probably cheaper and more functional to replace it with a new building.

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  6. I like the hand painted sign with light showing how at one time the folks owning this barn were proud of what they had.

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  7. Hi, Barbara!

    Oh, I love old barns too, and that first photo of this one in particular is glorious!

    We had a HUGE old barn on our Maine farm that my dad did a lot of restoration to and maintenance on (and the people who bought the place from them did even more). You're right, it was a lot of work but well worth it. That big red barn was both a beauty and a local landmark. My grandparents' barn (also in Maine) was another huge, fantastic red barn, three stories tall with a glassed in cupola on top with amazing views of the surrounding countryside. As a kid I'd cleaned up the cupola, hauled a rug and a chair up ladders to it and would spend hours up there reading (till it got too hot!) I hope the people who bought my grandparents' Strawberry Hill Farm have taken good care of that beautiful old barn. Nice to hear that non-profits are helping people do that sort of thing!

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  8. Loved your barn pictures! Pulls at me and reminds me of times gone past. Good times. Fun times. Playing with my siblings in barns- fun!. Swinging from the rope hung from the hayloft- fun!. Endless play opportunities surrounded by the embrace of a farm. Miss it!

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  9. Darcy -- Yes, I would definitely consider children playing in a barn part of a barn's significance. I too loved to visit my Ohio farmer relatives -- playing hide and seek in the hay loft -- making up barn games. thanks for your comments -- barbara

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  11. Grampy -- Yes, the electrical light fixture would light up the sign. Perhaps he used it for both outside light while working and to light up the sign. This was a beautiful barn. Thanks -- barbara

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  12. Sheri -- I can understand that maintaining a large structure like a barn can be daunting. The U.S. did have a Historic Preservation program for barns called Barn Aware up until 2002. Now the funding has been taken away and redirected toward ag farmers and their crops. We thank George Bush for that. Perhaps that is why there are more barns declining? Perhaps Canada has a preservation program for Canada? Thanks for the comments -- barbara

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  13. Kay -- I pointed out the fact to Sheri that the federal government has redirected barn preservation funding to ag farmers and their crops. Who receives these funds is probably large ag business' -- maybe Mansanto. Under the old preservation funding many old barns were saved. So in the past nine years barns have lost an important funding base toward survival.Thanks for the comments -- barbara

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  14. Rose -- Thanks for the comment about my header. Maybe someday a barn will become available to you -- hope so. -- barbara

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  15. Farmchick -- this red barn is a rare color around where I live. I spotted it in the Daniel Boone Forest area. thanks for the comments -- barbara

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  16. Your header is to die for; I am nuts about pots of plants. Almost couldn't get through the barn door. Love the field of grasses. Something or someone could have a great time in that field.

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  17. LALOOFAH -- Oh, your memories are so much like mine -- only you had a wonderful cupola and I had a house attic. Today, these memories make me think of Virginia Wolfe and her book, A ROOM OF ONES OWN. Or perhaps A SECRET GARDEN. Such spots are treasures to children. Hopefully the Maine barns are still thriving and new families with children are appreciating them. -- barbara

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  18. Dianne -- Everything around here is like a green jungle with all the rain. The veggie garden is half in -- wet soil keeps me out of it. Maybe by September it will dry up enough to plant more. -- barbara

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  19. Hi, Barbara! I just found this and thought of you right away! Thought you would enjoy it...

    In Search of the Perfect Barn: The Barns of the Little Goose Creek Valley

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  20. Laloofah -- I enjoyed reading and viewing the barns of the Little Goose Creek Valley. Wy has such an awesome landscape.

    Thanks for thinking of me with the barn story. I have liked barns since I was young -- playing with my cousins in family barns. -- barbara

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  21. I'm glad you enjoyed it, Barbara! And how could I not think of you when I saw those beautiful old barns? :-)

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