McKie Barn Raising & Open House

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We invite the community to join us this Thursday, December 8 for a Barn Raising and Open House from 7:30 am to 3:00 pm. Watch the crew assemble the McKie Barn, and warm up in the Reuben Wait Barn with hot cider, coffee and donuts. Those that are able are invited to join us at 7:45 am for a barn raising blessing.

About the McKie Barn and Restoration: by Luke Larson

Back in July, I was contacted about a barn on a hillside farm in Cambridge, New York. It was one of five incredible barns, all of which were in serious disrepair when new owners took over the property last year. They decided they had to focus their energy and resources on saving the other barns, and generously offered this structure to us for use at our shop location.

Sheep Barn Cambridge New York

We disassembled the barn carefully in August, labeling each beam, brace, and board.

After the take down, we spent about a month carefully restoring the frame.

Next, we needed a foundation upon which to place this barn. I was grateful that our use of this barn allowed us to match the original one. I called my friends Ethan and Jeb at Vermont Landscaping and Stonework, and they were up for the challenge!

Using stone from our shop property, they created a dry laid rock foundation, and it is beautiful.

We installed the sills during one of the first Vermont snow squalls of the season!

While the foundation was being crafted, and the barn restored and washed, we have been able to learn some details about the farm in Cambridge and the family that built the barn. Our first resource has been “The Family Letters: A Portrait of an American Family Though Letters From the 18th and 20th Century” edited by John T. B. Mudge. We are excited to dive deeper into the history.

John McKie was born in Bargaly Glen, Scotland, in 1705. At the age of sixty-two, he emigrated to America with his teenage sons and settled in the hills near Cambridge, reportedly because the hilly landscape reminded him of Scotland. James, one of his sons, joined the revolutionaries and had a daring escape from the British at Skenesboro near the south end of Lake Champlain. James was one of just thirteen soldiers left for a time to man the garrison which came under attack while reinforcements were on the way. He jumped into the Wood Creek and swam underwater to a clump of branches and ice, where he hid in the frigid water until the British withdrew.

Two year later, at the age of twenty-two, James took over management of the family farm when his father John died. We expect that it was James who oversaw the construction of the eighty foot, seven bent barn, sometime in the first decades of the 1800s.

This barn was built to house sheep, a flock which no doubt the Scottish family was well accustomed to when the wool industry boomed in the first half of that century. There were four run-in bays with low ceilings and a continuous wooden hay rack in the back. At each end, an enclosed lambing bay had wooden water troughs. We will be restoring one lambing room back as close to original as possible, complete with replicating this rotten wooden water trough.

A full second floor, held in place by an incredible five-sided ridge beam, was used to store the winter supply of hay. In the next photo, we had installed plywood over the original, somewhat rotten floor, to keep us safe while we worked.

We are thrilled and grateful to be the new caretakers for this incredible barn and to give it a new home in Middletown Springs, Vermont! The barn will be of great assistance in our restoration work of other structures, and we look forward to setting up displays of agricultural artifacts from past centuries.

If you are nearby and able, please join us in celebration of this barn raising. We will begin the day with a blessing and prayer for safety at 7:45. Watch the crew work and warm up in the Reuben Wait Barn with coffee and doughnuts. Stop in throughout the day to say hello!

Contact sara@greenmountaintimberframes.com with questions.

Green Mountain Timber Frames | 430 West Street, Middletown Springs, VT 05757 | www.greenmountaintimberframes.com/workshops-events

Author Talk and Riving Workshop at Green Mountain Timber Frames

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Greetings from Green Mountain Timber Frames!

Here at GMTF, we care deeply about regenerative practices, and this extends well beyond our passion for saving and restoring old agricultural buildings. We strive to foster in our own lives an attentiveness to the wisdom and teachings of past generations who lived, worked, gardened, and farmed in the barns that we restore. We are inspired by people right in our own community doing amazing things and working incredibly hard to bring back a healthy connection between our food sources, the land, and our community. 


In this spirit, we are extremely excited and privileged to welcome author, blogger, and podcaster Jade Miles to the Reuben Waite Barn for a conversation and book signing on Saturday, June 25th. We were introduced to Jade through a mutual friend, and we have been listening to the thoughtful and inspiring conversations on her podcast. We cannot believe our good fortune to welcome this world-renowned author to our very own woodworking shop- the 1780s Reuben Waite Barn! 

Jade will discuss her latest book “Futuresteading: Live like tomorrow matters: Practical skills, recipes and rituals for a simpler life.” Jade is visiting from Black Barn Farm in Victoria, Australia where she and her family tend an orchard and regenerative nursery business, and are committed to bringing celebration and awe back to food literacy as a first step in building a localized fair food system. 


Jade will sign copies of her book and folks are encouraged to bring a potluck dish to share as we dive deeper into conversation with Jade and our community.

We are excited to start the afternoon around our shop garden with a demonstration of fence riving technique. Luke will demonstrate the  proper use of a froe, shaving horse, and draw knife as we work on a traditional country garden fence with hand tools. Who knows – we may even get to make a little progress on the much needed fence around our garden with your help! 

We hope you can join us! 

Saturday, June 25, 2022 | 4 – 7 PM

Reuben Waite Barn at Green Mountain Timber Frames

430 West Street, Middletown Springs, Vermont

Schedule of Events

4 pm: Riving Technique Demonstration 

5 pm: Author talk with Jade Miles

6 pm: Potluck dinner and conversation on the concepts presented in “Futuresteading”

This is a free event. Books will be available for $32. Please RSVP to sara@greenmountatintimberframes.com

A Dream Complete: A New (Old) Shop for Green Mountain Timber Frames

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Greetings from Green Mountain Timber Frames!
It has been such a busy few months of barn restorations. Now, at this quiet time of year, it has been good to take some deep breaths and to reflect on a very special project and the many people whose support and help made it possible. We have wrapped up work on the restoration of the Reuben Waite barn at our very own shop location.

Back in July, we had our barn raising. You can read about the barn’s first life, and our preparations for the structure, here.

The raising was a success, thanks to our amazing team, family, and friends. The restored barn went up strong and true on the stone foundation.

That evening, we played some music in the newly erected barn.

I look forward to sharing more about the experience and process of bringing this barn from a timber frame to a fully enclosed, wired, and insulated space. But for now, I want to share some wintertime images of the structure and space.

We restored antique windows with wavy glass for this building. It was quite the undertaking- a story for another time!
The exterior door is hand planed pine, held together with forged nails saved from this barn.
One bay of the barn is a hand tool workshop. It is a joy to begin setting it up with antique tools and work benches- as well as to pull out some nearly forgotten woodworking projects from the past to be finished in this quiet space. Above the workshop is a library loft.
One corner of the barn is set up for harvesting and cooking.
Dried fruit and vegetables from our garden make a wonderful snack while making wood shavings in the work area.
The center bay of the barn will host many future crew and community meals
We love this cozy corner next to our 1914 Glenwood cookstove.
As the temperature drops, and darkness comes early this time of year, it is lovely to sit next to the stove and watch the fading light through wavy glass.
This broomcorn grew in our garden right behind the shop. We look forward to learning how to craft brooms out of it!

What is next for this barn?

I have dreamt for years of having a space dedicated to community, traditional crafting, and the teaching of hand tool woodworking. Now, that space is coming together. Already I am finding that this barn invites people to reflection and exploration.

In the months leading up to this endeavor, my children excitedly planned their first projects in the “new” workshop. I was blown away by the wisdom of my 10-year-old son when we actually picked up tools in this space for the first time. Rather than diving right into his project, Leif said “Dad, I think my first step should be to get to know the tools.” He reached for a hand plane, and my heart nearly burst with gratitude for this lesson.

What a wonderful description of the type of work and learning that I envision in the Reuben Waite barn. Using tools and resources is a practice. It is about the process of having a relationship with both the tool and the piece of wood. How very different it is to read the grain of a board, feel the plane as it slices, and to listen to the sound as a sharp edge shapes the workpiece. How very different than reaching for the closest power tool that cares not which way the tree grew. Get to know the tools first, and then make something beautiful!

I believe there is a larger metaphor in Leif’s words that can teach us about a healthy approach to living and developing “practices” rather than seeking quick accomplishments.

Right away the workbenches were occupied. Beautiful wood shavings adorn our tree, and hand shaped pine gifts are on their way to loved ones.

I look forward to a time when we can open up this maker’s, teacher’s, and learner’s space to our friends and community.

Now, as we turn a corner and the days begin to get brighter, we wish a blessing on all of you. May the next year be full to the brim of joy, music, learning, and love.

Solstice: A Time for Reflection and Preparation

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As we arrive at the darkest time of the year, and as the temperatures here in the Vermont hills have begun to dip below zero, our team has had the opportunity to slow down, rest a bit, and reflect. It has been a year very full of restoring timber frames and, especially after back to back barn raisings in Virginia and Georgia, we were ready for a break.

So, what was an appropriate way to spend these past couple of weeks as the darkness encroached and the thermometer went low?

One of the ways that we have caught up, both pragmatically and spiritually, was to give some attention to our arsenal of hand tools.

antique hand tools green mountain timber frames

At Green Mountain Timber Frames, we carry on the long tradition of hand cut joinery, and we treasure our collection of tools that were designed to work in unison with, and be powered by, human hands. We use these tools constantly, and it is important that they be maintained.

Just like the vintage timber frame barns that we restore, these tools hold tales of their own. I am convinced that they have a “memory” in them of all the past generations of hands that have wielded and used them to craft joinery. I am further convinced that this history embedded in the tools helps us in our craft. I will return to this thought in a few minutes. First, let me tell you about some of the tools we have tuned up over the past couple of weeks.

Mortising Chisels and Unlocking Mysteries

In cleaning the metal of a set of mortising chisels, I discovered a clue to one past owner. Cleanly stamped in the blade of the chisels are the initials “AEW.” I would love to find out who this was who used these beautiful hand made chisels.

detail of vintage mortising chisels hand stamped green mountain timber frames

Sharpening an Old Slick

I also cleaned the metal and sharpened the edge on this gorgeous old “slick.” The three-inch wide edge on this chisel glides across a tenon with a beautiful momentum when we use it to shape a wooden joint.

timber frameing slick chisel green mountain timber frames

You can see beautiful marks left behind by the blacksmith when he shaped the metal for this chisel

Our Collection of Axes and Adzes

In organizing our tools, we pulled out some of our axe and adze collection.

hewing axe and adze collection green mountain timber frames

Last week, I took time to carve a new oak handle for my favorite broad axe. The head on this tool dates back to the 1700s, and it is a joy to swing. I have spent many quality hours and days with this axe, walking into the woods with it and an adze over one shoulder, and a jug of water carried in the other hand, each blade carefully wrapped in oiled leather to protect the sharp edges. My time carving a new handle was meditative as I reflected on the work it has done for 200 years, and remembered the sweet music it makes when biting and shaping a tree into a beam. Now, in the coming year that is nearly upon us, I can once more walk out into the woods with this old friend, find a tree to hew, and we will make music together.

One of our team members, Isaac recently cleaned an old axe head that we found on the dirt floor of a barn that we were taking down. When he showed it to me, it looked to my eyes like nothing more than a big lump of corrosion. Being a metal worker, Isaac saw something I did not. After grinding and sanding away many decades worth of rust and putting on a new handle, this tool is beautiful! Now that it is back in use, I can’t help wondering whose hands last swung it before Isaac’s, and how long ago…

antique felling axe green mountain timber frames

Note the bits of pine sap on this 1800s axe head from a recent project.

The Strap Hinges Get a Bath

Meanwhile, Andy has been cleaning up some rusted old strap hinges that we have found in various barns. He used a bath of vinegar and baking soda to eat away the rust, followed by wire brushing and a quick bake in the oven to stop the corrosion process.

antique strap hinge green mountain timber frames

Here is a closeup of the clean hand-wrought metal:

detail of strap hinge green mountain timber frames

The Uniquely American Framing Square

Another beautiful antique that we use most every day received some attention last week. I recently learned that 16 X 24 inch framing squares are a uniquely American tool. While there were similar tools used in Europe previously, they really gained momentum here with the advent of what in framing lingo is called “square rule” joinery. In fact, the first patent for this type of square was given to Silas Hawes in Shaftesbury Vermont in 1817. That is not far from our shop location!

We use the framing square to lay out the lines for every joint that that we make, from post top tenons to girt mortises. The beautiful old square that I just cleaned with oil and a Brillo pad was a yard sale find. It is made with such care! The metal is thickest at the 90-degree angle, and then tapers down towards the edges in order to make it both strong and light. The numbers are stamped into the metal, and there are tables and graphs to help a framer do the geometry related to various roof pitch angles. It cleaned up beautifully!

antique framing square green mountain timber frames

Reflecting on History, Hand Tools & The Turning of the Seasons

Taking time to clean and sharpen our hand tools has felt like exactly the right way to enter into a space for reflection at this turning point from darkness to light- to look back at our own year and the much longer lifespan of these tools, and to look forward at increasing daylight and exciting projects and endeavors to come.

Remember how I mentioned that I believe the stories of past craftspeople who have used these hand tools helps us do our work better? Perhaps there is some mystical connection that I feel to the folks who have used these tools on so many different projects. That may be, but I am more certain of the fact that the care that has been given to these tools over the decades and even centuries inspires us to work to a higher level when using them today. I have gone through many modern electric tools in my own career to date, but I am still using some of the same hand tools that were gifted to me by my grandfather. This speaks partly to the quality of the old ways, and partly to my own mentality. It is easy to throw away a cheap electric tool and reach for another, while I expect and plan on setting time aside to sharpen or tune up a hand tool.

Like our own human selves, these old tools need time for care, for sharpening, and for new handles. I believe there is a metaphor hiding there for us all to consider- especially at this time of year when the light is low, and activities in Vermont are best conducted in front of an old-fashioned woodstove.

I want to share with you a very special blessing that was spoken to our team last year at the holiday season. It was written by our dear friend and wise woman Leslie. Dear friends, as you take time to reflect and celebrate during this holiday season, may the light of your unique gifts and talents increase in brightness.

For those who work with their hands:

May your palms stay open with fingers nimble and skin supple, allowing you to feel the roughness of the wood, the smoothness of the clay, the pulling of the yarn, or the stretch of the fabric. 

May you see the wholeness in the piece as you begin, and as the shape of your work takes form, may you allow for the changes and the imperfections to be part of the beauty of your handwork.”

-Written by Leslie Silver, Middletown Springs, Vermont

coffin plane green mountain timber frames

The Reuben Waite Barn – and a Dream-Comes to Life!

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We have had a very special project for Green Mountain Timber Frames in the works for over a year. Despite some delays in light of the current coronavirus outbreak, we are moving forward with raising the barn that will become our very own craftsman workshop! 

The Reuben Waite Barn

Last year, we became aware of a barn that needed saving. It was in very rough condition on the outside when we first visited it. The family that owned it had done what they could to keep it standing and shedding water, but it had no foundation to speak of, and it was beyond the possibility of being repaired in place. 

exterior of 1700 barn before restoration

As rough as it appeared, we were blown away by the beauty and craftsmanship when we stepped inside!

Discovering the Galway Barn Green Mountain Timber Frames

After I purchased the barn, my family and I began digging into the history of the barn and it’s people.

Sara

With the help of kind folks at the Galway Preservation Society as well as the resources and help from the wonderful Brookside Museum in Ballston Spa, we learned that the barn was most likely built by Reuben Waite. He and his son, whose name was also Reuben, began farming the land in the 1780s or 1790s. They are listed in early census data as being farmers, coopers, and basket makers. We found and visited the resting place of the family less than a mile from the farm and barn.

Vermont cemetary - graves of Waite family

One great gift was the opportunity to meet much of the family who had been the caretakers of the barn since the early 1900s. We were able to hear stories about growing up playing and working in the barn from the lovely 104-year-old matriarch of the family! 

Reuben Waite did beautiful work-worthy of a cooper-which is the art of making wooden buckets! Even the braces on this frame are hand hewn.

post joinery Green Mountain Timber Frames

The timber frame has an ingenious groove in the gable and eve beams, which received the beautifully chamfered siding boards. This method both ensured that water would be shed away from the building, and also reduced the number of nails needed to install the siding. This is significant because nails were hard to get or make in the 1700s.

A low percentage of the original boards were salvageable, but the ones that did survive the centuries are remarkable!

wide siding board Green Mountain Timber Frames

Last fall, the Green Mountain Timber Frames crew, with additional help from my family, dismantled the barn and brought it back to Middletown Springs. First we cleaned it out and created a safe working deck at loft height. 

Interior taking down Galway Barn Green Mountain Timber Frames

Then we removed the metal roof, the older cedar shingle roof, and the wide roof boards. Next was removing the wooden pegs that held the joinery in place for so very long. A few of the pegs gave us stubborn resistance after living so tightly in place for at least 220 years! But we eventually got them all out, and saved the pegs that survived the ordeal.

peg popping barn restoration Green Mountain Timber Frames

Restoration of the Reuben Waite Barn

Throughout this spring and summer, we have been working on the restoration of the timber frame. We washed the beams and the wide boards. 

washing roof boards from 1700 barn

Water had leaked through the roof at some point, and we had to make careful repairs to the 42-foot top plates. We made a canoe out of one section of the beam, and then glued in a new hardwood core to make it sound once more.

repair in top plate Green Mountain Timber Frames

Once repairs were made, we assembled first the 42-foot plate walls, and then the 30-foot bents on sawhorses. This allowed us to check the joinery and peg holes.

restored bent barn restoration Green Mountain Timber Frames

Now the frame is ready to be erected, and we could not be more excited!

Building a Stone Foundation 

We want the Reuben Waite barn to fit into our life aesthetic and appreciation of hand-crafted, people-powered, and communal crafting.  We also wanted to avoid making more of a longterm impact on the land than necessary, and to express our gratitude to the land for all of its gifts. In light of this, we decided to collect rocks right from our shop property and to put the barn back on a stone foundation. So, this spring we went to work collecting rocks! By the way, they are plentiful in our fields and gardens! (Rocks are one of Vermont’s best crops, a fact to which local farmers can attest.)

collecting rocks for barn foundation Green Mountain Timber Frames

Ethan Bodin is a remarkable member of our restoration crew. He is also a talented stone mason, and is part of Vermont Landscaping and Stonework. He and Jeb went to work laying out the stones to create the new foundation.

Vermont Landscaping and Stonework

They created a set of steps, as well as two traditional ramp entrances to what will be the large eve door openings. It turned out beautifully!
stone barn foundation Green Mountain Timber Frames

How Will the Reuben Waite Barn be Used?

After decades of restoring vintage barns for clients, we are now restoring this one to keep as our permanent craftsman workshop! Once closed in, the barn will serve as a space for traditional hand-tool woodworking. There will be a long L shaped workbench that incorporates a low interior beam original to the barn. There will be a loft library for our large collection of books about traditional timber framing and woodworking. The barn will house our collection of vintage tools, and we can’t wait to see family, friends, and community members using the space to explore some of the old and wise ways.  

And music. Of course there will be lots of music played in this space!

I am convinced that it is the history of this barn, starting with the old-growth trees from which it was crafted, and continuing through all the generations of people that have lived and worked inside it, that will lend grace and beauty to the space. I am so grateful and excited to see this dream coming to fruition, and I look forward to sharing photos from the barn raising very soon.

What do you give someone on his 227th birthday??

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It was “raising day” for a beautiful little corn barn that Jonathan Atwater built almost 200 years ago! On his 227th birthday, the Green Mountain Timber Frames team was putting the original roof boards back on the restored frame.

1790s timber frame barn restored in Vermont

The day was sunny but cold, and as my family took our normal morning walk to school, we took a detour through the town cemetery. We were there to pay our respects and visit the grave of Jonathan Atwater, born on February 8, 1793.

grave of Jonathan Atwater here in Middletown Springs VT

Exploring the History of this Wonderful Timber Frame 

We are very fortunate that the history of our very own Middletown Springs is recorded in a series of lectures that were delivered by Barnes Frisbie, a resident of the nearby town, Poultney Vermont. The lectures were given in 1867. What a treasure of a book, and a true gift to those of us here that seek to find the human and architectural stories in our history!

History related to the Atwater Corn House green mountain timber frames

I can’t help but share the story that Frisbie told in 1867 about the clearing of the land where the barn was built, which was accomplished by a character named Azor Perry: “In the spring of 1778 he (Mr. Perry) shouldered his ax, all he had to bring but the clothes he wore, and took possession of the land. It was the same piece of land long known as the Azor Perry farm, and now owned and occupied by Jonathan Atwater.”

Frisbie tells further of Azor’s clearing of the land and his construction of a simple cabin, which he covered with wooden poles and bark. He made himself a bedstead of poles and elm bark. He managed to get a cow the first summer, “which he wintered on brows; that is, he cut down trees and the cow ate the tops.” Imagine the hardship and fortitude needed to fashion a house and fields with just an axe!

Azor Perry had eleven children, and one of his daughters married a man named Jonathan Atwater. Together they developed the land further, building a corn barn and a cider press. The corn barn is mentioned in the fabulous 1867 book as being located “between the Atwater house and cider mill.” Both of these other buildings were already gone when we became involved, but the old stone foundations can still be seen.

The corn barn fell on hard times in recent decades, due to neglect and a leaky roof. Green Mountain Timber Frames purchased the structure, disassembled it, and restored it. That brings us back to the present day. Thanks to some wonderful folks who partnered with us to put the frame back up, it is now standing strong and tall once more.

Atwater frame erected green mountain timber frames

How did we put a timber frame up in the middle of winter?

The Vermont weather had been a pretty chilly setting. Speaking of setting, we used a foundation system that was new to us, and that worked out really well. Our clients felt strongly that they did not want to disturb the ground or surrounding trees more than necessary.  The solution was to put the frame on metal piers instead of digging a big hole for concrete. We were fortunate to find just the guy for the job! Meet Zach Laporte.

technopost installation green mountain timber frames barn home

We had kept hay bales on each of the point load points for the building in order to keep frost from getting too deep into the ground. After we marked each post location, Zach installed the eighteen metal posts. The “helical piles” have an auger profile on the base, and are literally screwed into the ground. Zach watched the hydraulic gauges as the posts went in, which is a way to measure the weight that the pile will sustain based on the soil type and density. One of my favorite features was getting all of the post tops on a perfectly level plane. Zach and I used a transit to mark the posts once the bases were sunk below the frost line, and then Zach cut each one off. A metal bracket was installed to anchor our timber sills, and we were ready for a raising!

cutting top of technopost green mountain timber frames barn home

Thanks to this foundation system, we were able to tuck the frame in between some beautiful old trees without damaging them.

Raising day for the Atwater Corn Barn

The weather was beautiful on the appointed day, and we started the barn raising at 11:00 AM when our clients arrived.

raising morning atwater frame green mountain timber frames

It was crisp, and we had one small dilemma: the sill mortises had some ice in there where we needed to set the post bottoms. Thankfully, Andy had brought his hairdryer to work with him! It worked great.

melting ice in mortise green mountain timber frames

It was a treat to this entire barn raising without a machine! This was a good old fashioned “1,2,3,  Hoist!” type of day.

raising a bent atwater green mountain timber frames

By evening we had the main frame up and had started the rafters.

putting up rafters atwater barn green mountain timber frames

Day two started with shoveling some wet snow and then working through a freezing drizzle, but we still managed to get the eve addition up, and most of the rafters installed.

evergreen on atwater frame green mountain timber frames

In order to provide more space in the barn for a small bath, kitchen, and sitting area, we had used vintage materials from our inventory to add an eve addition. I especially love how the addition rafters look.

Atwater barn home addition rafters green mountain timber frames

Over the next few days, we installed the original roof boards and vintage siding that will be the interior show surface.

installing roof boards atwater barn home green mountain timber frames

installing boards atwater barn green mountain timber frames

Now, a local contractor is hard at work building an insulated stud wall and a rafter system around the frame. The barn home will have a partial loft for sleeping, and an open floor plan for most of the space.

interior of Atwater barn home green mountain timber frames

I can’t wait to see it with windows and doors looking out at the pond below! It has truly been a privilege to play a role in giving this barn another life.
interior of atwater main frame green mountain timber frames

Wishing all of our friends and fans good health in these challenging times.

The Green Mountain Timber Frames team

Solstice: A Time for Reflection and Preparation

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As we arrive at the darkest time of the year, and as the temperatures here in the Vermont hills have begun to dip below zero, our team has had the opportunity to slow down, rest a bit, and reflect. It has been a year very full of restoring timer frames, and especially after back to back barn raisings in Virginia and Georgia, we were ready for a break.

So, what was an appropriate way to spend these past couple of weeks as the darkness encroached and the thermometer went low?

One of the ways that we have caught up, both pragmatically and spiritually, was to give some attention to our arsenal of hand tools.

antique hand tools at the green mountain timber frames office

At Green Mountain Timber Frames, we carry on the long tradition of hand-cut joinery, and we treasure our collection of tools that were designed to work in unison with, and be powered by, human hands. We use these tools constantly in a work restoring barns, and it is important that they be maintained.

Just like the vintage timber frame barns that we restore, these tools hold tales of their own. I am convinced that they have a “memory” in them of all the past generations of hands that have wielded and used them to craft joinery. I am further convinced that this history embedded in the tools helps us in our craft. I will return to this thought in a few minutes.

Tales Told Through Axes, Adzes and Chisels

First, let me tell you about some of the tools we have tuned up in the past couple of weeks:

In cleaning the metal of a set of mortising chisels, I discovered a clue to one past owner. Cleanly stamped in the blade of the chisels are the initials “AEW.” I would love to find out who this was who used these beautiful hand made chisels.

detail of vintage mortising chisels hand stamped

I also cleaned the metal and sharpened the edge on this gorgeous old “slick.” The 3-inch wide edge on this chisel glides across a tenon with a beautiful momentum when we use it to shape a wooden joint.

timber framing slick chisel

In organizing our tools, we pulled out some of our axe and adze collection.

hewing axe and adze collection

Last week, I took time to carve a new oak handle for my favorite broad axe. The head on this tool dates back to the 1700s, and it is a joy to swing. I have spent many quality hours and days with this axe, walking into the woods with it and an adze over one shoulder, and a jug of water carried in the other hand, each blade carefully wrapped in oiled leather to protect the sharp edges.

My time carving a new handle was meditative as I reflected on the work it has done for 200 years, as well as remembering the sweet music it makes when biting and shaping a tree into a beam. Now, in the coming year that is nearly upon us, I can once more walk out into the woods with this old friend, find a tree to hew, and we will make music together.

Another one of our team members, Isaac, recently cleaned an old axe head that we found in the dirt floor of a barn that we were taking down. When he showed it to me, it looked to my eyes like nothing more than a giant lump of corrosion. Being a metal worker, Isaac saw something I did not. After grinding and sanding away many decades worth of rust and putting on a new handle, this tool is beautiful! Now that it is back in use, I can’t help wondering who’s hands last swung it before Isaac’s, and how long ago.

antique felling axe owned by green mountain timber frames

Meanwhile, our staff member Andy spent time cleaning up some rusted old strap hinges that we have gathered from various barns. He used a bath of vinegar and baking soda to eat away the rust, followed by wire brushing and a quick bake in the oven to stop the corrosion process.

antique strap hinge

Here is a closeup of the clean hand-wrought metal:

antique strap hinge cleaned by green mountain timber frames

Uniquely American Framing Squares

There is another beautiful antique that we use nearly every day, and it received some attention last week. I recently learned that 16-inch by 24 inch framing squares are a uniquely American tool. While there were similar tools used in Europe previously, they really gained momentum here with the advent of what in framing lingo is called “square rule” joinery. In fact, the first patent for this type of square was awarded to Silas Hawes in Shaftesbury, Vermont in 1817. That is not far from our shop location!

We use the framing square to lay out the lines for every joint that we make, from post top tenons to girt mortises. The beautiful old square that I just cleaned with oil and a Brillo pad was a yard sale find. It is made with such care! The metal is thickest at the 90-degree angle, and then tapers down towards the edges in order to make it both strong and light. The numbers are stamped into the metal, and there are tables and graphs to help a framer do the geometry related to various roof pitch angles. It cleaned up beautifully!

antique framing square green mountain timber frames

Taking time to clean and sharpen our hand tools has felt like exactly the right way to enter into a space for reflection at this turning point from darkness to light- to look back at our own year and the much longer lifespan of these tools, and to look forward at increasing daylight and exciting projects and endeavors to come.

Honoring the Craftpeople Who Inspire Our Work

Remember how I mentioned that I believe the stories of past craftspeople who have used these hand tools help us do our work better? Perhaps there is some mystical connection that I feel to the folks who have used these tools on so many different projects. That may be, but I am more certain of the fact that the care that has been given to these tools over the decades and even centuries inspires us to work to a higher level when using them today.

I have gone through many modern electric tools in my own career to date, but I am still using some of the same hand tools that were gifted to me by my grandfather. This speaks partly to the quality of the old ways, and partly to my own mentality. It is easy to throw away a cheap electric tool and reach for another, while I expect and plan on setting time aside to sharpen or tune-up a hand tool.

Like our own human selves, these old tools need time for care, for sharpening, and for new handles. I believe there is a metaphor hiding there for us all to consider- especially at this time of year when the light is low, and activities in Vermont are best conducted in front of an old-fashioned wood stove.

A Holiday Blessing

I want to share with you a very special blessing that was spoken to our team last year at the holiday season. It was written by our dear friend and wise woman, Leslie.

For those who work with their hands:

May your palms stay open with fingers nimble and skin supple, allowing you to feel the roughness of the wood, the smoothness of the clay, the pulling of the yarn, or the stretch of the fabric. 

May you see the wholeness in the piece as you begin, and as the shape of your work takes form, may you allow for the changes and the imperfections to be part of the beauty of your handwork.”

-Written by Leslie Silver, Middletown Springs, Vermont

coffin plane green green mountain timber frames

Dear friends, as you take time to reflect and celebrate during this holiday season, may the light of your unique gifts and talents increase in brightness.

 

Tales from the Atwater Corn Barn

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“Mr. Perry procured a deed of one of the original proprietors of the town of Tinmouth in 1777 of a large piece of land, then in that town, now Middletown.” So begins the story of one of our most magnificent barn frames for sale.

1790s timber frame barn restored in Vermont

How do we know this?
Because this history of our very own Middletown Springs is recorded in a series of lectures that were delivered by Barnes Frisbie, a resident of the nearby town, Poultney Vermont. The lectures were given in 1867. What a treasure of a book, and a true gift to those of us here that seek to find the human and architectural stories in our history!

History related to the Atwater Corn House green mountain timber frames

Frisbie continues the tale: “In the spring of 1778 he (Mr. Perry) shouldered his ax, all he had to bring but the clothes he wore, and took possession of the land. It was the same piece of land long known as the Azor Perry farm, and now owned and occupied by Jonathan Atwater.”

Frisbie tells further of Azor’s clearing of the land and his construction of a simple cabin, which he covered with wooden poles and bark. He made himself a bedstead of poles and elm bark. He managed to get a cow the first summer, “which he wintered on brows; that is, he cut down trees and the cow ate the tops.” Imagine the hardship and fortitude needed to fashion a house and fields with just an axe!

In 1779, Perry was married in Bennington, Vermont. In the book from 1867, we are told that, “He had managed, in the year before he was married, to save enough to get a calico wedding dress for his wife, and some few indispensable articles of household furniture to commence with.”

Azor Perry was apparently a renowned and fearless hunter. There are stories told—no doubt growing with each telling around the tavern table not far from his homestead—of his bold encounters with bears. In one of these tales, Perry was called on by his neighbors to help with a particularly troublesome bear that was killing sheep and hogs, and damaging the crops on West Street. A great deal of effort had been made to kill this bear, but the creature had alluded all attempts thus far. The neighbors decided to enlist the help of Azor Perry, and he agreed.

After asking for the help of one other man, Perry headed into the corn field while a small crowd watched at a distance. He told his companion to go closer to the bear, shoot at it, and then run back. “If you kill it, very well. If not, he will be after you. Run behind me—I will stand here.”

Indeed, the bear was wounded, and in a rage, it ran at Perry. The story goes that Azor cooly stood his ground until the bear was just twenty yards away, and then fired. The flintlock gun misfired! Again and again, Perry snapped the trigger as the bear advanced, finally getting the gun to fire just as the bear reached him. As told in the 1867 lecture, “In this affair, he did not appear to manifest any fear or any other feelings except that we was vexed at his gun.” This incident happened on the Buxton Farm, which is just across the brook from our Green Mountain Timber Frames shop.

Azor Perry had eleven children, and one of his daughters married a man named Jonathan Atwater. Together they developed the land further, building a corn barn and a cider press. The corn barn is mentioned in the fabulous 1867 book as being located between the Atwater house and cider mill.

The corn barn fell on hard times in recent decades, due to neglect and a leaky roof. Green Mountain Timber Frames purchased the structure, disassembled it, and we are now delighted to have the restored frame standing at our shop property.

Here is a photo of the frame when it was being disassembled at its original location:

Atwater Corn House interior view green mountain timber frames

It sat on stone piers high above the ground. This was because corn and grain were stored inside, and the elevation helped to keep rodents at bay. Extra support beams were added along the eve walls where vertical bins held the weighty corn as it dried.

Reerecting the Atwater Timber Frame

We re-erected the frame this summer. We started setting the sills for the barn at 6:30 in the morning, and had the main cube of the frame up by lunchtime.

Here is a photo of the barn’s most recent raising day:

historic barn raising in Vermont

We set the timber-framed deck on temporary wooden piers and leveled it.

Then the bents were raised one by one, and the top plates and braces installed at the eve:

Green Mountain Timber Frames crew raising bents

Rafters were put in place, and we could really see this structure taking shape again.

We have put a roof on the Atwater Corn Barn, and applied siding. It is a beautiful space!

restored historic barn for sale by Green Mountain Timber Frames

The barn was originally used to store and dry corn on the cob, and it also had one bay dedicated to living space- presumably for seasonal farm help. I envision the future use of this barn to be a cabin, a space for writing or art, or as a traditional farm outbuilding once more.

I hope that we have done honor to the courage and fortitude of Azor Perry and his son-in-law Jonathan Atwater with our restoration of this barn. I recently visited the grave of Jonathan Atwater here in our cemetery.

grave of Jonathan Atwater here in Middletown Springs VT

This barn is for sale! 

You can see more photos of the 18×30 barn as well as drawings of the space here.


Please let us know if you are interested in the Atwater Corn Crib or another one of our historic barns.

– Luke and the Green Mountain Timber Frames team

tel:1-802-774-8972
luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com

 

 

 

Some Sweet News from Vermont

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I am excited to share a little update about life here in Middletown Springs and what we’ve been up to. This blog was written by my amazing partner, Sara Young. We have had a sweet year, indeed, and we want to tell you about a brand new venture that’s brewing…

“It has been just over a year now since we made a dream come true! With a leap of faith, some hard work, and support from family and friends, we were able to purchase a 52-acre property here in Middletown Springs to serve as the new home base for Green Mountain Timber Frames.

The property provides Luke and his crew the space they need to restore and preserve pre-1900 timber frames. These handcrafted barns are a testament to old fashioned craftsmanship, and our mission is to save barns that are in disrepair, restoring and re-erecting them to serve as homes, cabins, and barns. The space is working beautifully for the restoration work. Here are a couple of our favorite memories from the day we purchased the land:

 

The bonus of the new property is that we also have ample space to enjoy as a family and with the community. We have spent many lovely days exploring the woods, finding salamanders in the stream, watching the glow of fireflies in the meadow, camping and cooking over an open fire, foraging for wild mushrooms, taking full moon walks, and perhaps best of all – maple sugaring (more on the later)!

Our maple grove_green mountain timber frames and gardens

This spring and summer, we have made progress on planting a small orchard, many berries of different varieties, and we are preparing an area for a large vegetable and herb garden to be planted next spring. Luke also plans to erect one, two, or maybe three timber frame cabins tucked away in the maple grove, perfect for a tranquil getaway.

green mountain timber frames new property

 

With all these exciting adventures in store, Luke and I have set up a new business entity called Green Mountain Timber Frames & Gardens, LLC. We couldn’t be more thrilled!

Our Very Own Vermont Maple Syrup

While much of these plans will unfold over the coming months and years, what we do have right now is pure Vermont Maple Syrup, and a lot of it! The purchase of the property included an operational sugarbush with 1,400 taps and we have partnered with Mahar Maple Farm here in town to do the boiling.

luke larson drilling for vermont maple syrup with GMTF

Our family had so much fun last winter walking our woods, learning how to maintain the lines, and tapping the trees. One of our favorite moments was witnessing young Kiara commune with the trees. When one of us would drill the hole for the tap, Kiara would wrap her arms around the trunk and say, “thank you, tree,” and then gently tap the spout in with her hammer.

 

We may be biased, but we think it is fair to say that our gratefulness to the forest and the many blessing that have been bestowed on us this year has made for some very tasty syrup!

The next step in the process was to choose the packaging and create a label. It was very important for us to use glass instead of plastic. Fitting with the aesthetic of our vintage barn restoration, we ultimately chose an “old-timey” glass jug in varying sizes.

GMTF and gardens maple syrup

 
Sample the very first batch of Green Mountain Timber Frames & Garden Syrup!

This sweet gift from the maple trees is locally available at the Larson Farm and Creamery in Wells, Vermont, or by contacting us directly to pick up in Middletown Springs or discuss shipping options. Please email me to place your order.

What else is happing at the Green Mountain Timber Frames shop? 

This spring and summer, Luke and the team have erected three restored vintage timber frames at the shop location. Folks who are looking for a barn to purchase and re-home can now visit the shop and actually stand inside the space!

We also love to celebrate after raising a barn, and we had two lovely open house cookouts this summer after working together to stand a barn up.

1790s timber frame barn and Green Mountain TImber Frames crew

We even got to play a little music with friends after one of the raisings:

barn raising of 1700s corn crib by green mountain timber frames

Here is one of my favorites, the Trapper’s Cabin, standing at the shop:

trapper cabin restored at green mountain timber frames

Come visit us and see the restored barns in person, and maybe pick up a bottle of your very own Green Mountain Timber Frames & Gardens maple syrup!

Contact us at:
luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com or 1-802-7748972

Dismantling Old Barns on Daniels Farm: The Story Continues

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Recently, we wrote about our crew’s journey to Vermont’s North East Kingdom, where we disassembled 4 old barns from the Daniels’ Farm. In this sequel, I’ll explain how we removed the siding from the timber frame structures, show images of the beautiful marks we found on the wood, and share some details about the history of the area. 

How We Removed the Siding from the Gunstock Frame

After we disassembled the 26×50 cow barn, we moved on to the large gem of a barn in this Waterford “family.” It is a magnificent 32×42 foot timber frame that we will be restoring and relocating.

We started by removing the incredible wide siding boards. We labeled each one so that it can be returned to its rightful spot once we find a new home for this frame. The original boards on this frame are water sawn, and oh-so-nice.

wide siding board on gunstock barn home

Witch Hexes and Daisywheels

We made a great discovery on one of the corner boards. When we removed it, we found that a witch hex had been inscribed on the board and then hidden where the board was on the post.

witch mark on gunstock barn restored by green mountain timber frames

The story goes that this hex was meant to ward off evil spirits. We have been coming across this daisywheel mark quite often lately, but it is usually placed carefully over a doorway or in the center of a roof system. I am so curious why it was hidden away in this case! Was there disagreement among the crew and the property owner about the appropriateness of the mark when the barn was being built? Was it hidden on purpose? We will never know.

How We Dismantled the Old Barn

We began building our work deck high up in this barn. We build a continuous platform with planks, plywood, and supporting studs so that we can safely work up inside the rafters. While doing so, we finally got close enough to this board that I had been eyeing from the ground floor:

replacement roof board in 1869 barn home

It is a replacement roof board, as we can tell by the circular saw blade. (You can see an original just below it with vertical saw marks.) This is an important clue as to the age of the barn. If we are reading this date correctly, it means that roof boards were replaced in 1867, indicating that at least one generation of cedar shake roofing had deteriorated by that date, and probably deteriorated badly as indicated by the need to replace some of the boards. Cedar shakes on a barn with good air circulation will last 30 to 50 years. This clue seems to confirm our current working theory that the barn was crafted sometime around 1820.

We also found this antique graffiti on a wallboard:

graffiti or initials in gunstock barn restored by green mountain

Perhaps we will be able to figure out who W.H. was, and what part he played in this barn’s story.

It was very exciting to reveal in greater light the beautiful and sound structure of this barn. The corner post in the next photo measures 15-inches wide at the top. The hand-hewn braces create such an engaging aesthetic.

waterford gunstock frame_historic old barn

The barn came with a beautiful horse-drawn dump wagon in it. This buggy is tired, but we look forward to restoring it for display purposes once we get it back to our shop. I love the color!

horse drawn dump wagon in restored barn frame

Making New Friends in the North East Kingdom

While in the area, I had the great opportunity to attend a meeting of the Waterford Historical Society. It was delightful to meet other folks who care deeply about the embedded history of our places and architecture.

This particular meeting was held in a structure that started out as a tavern and inn around 1820, the same time that our gunstock frame was built just a couple miles away.

In the 1880s, a large brick addition was added to expand the living quarters. The property has recently come under new ownership after some time of neglect, and it was exciting to hear about the planned repairs and refurbishing that the space will have coming. What a joy it was to tour this building!

historic waterford home in north east kingdom

Want to know more about these barns?

The GMTF crew dismantled 4 historic barns up in the North East Kingdom and several of them are for sale. For more details, contact us:

Emailluke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com
Tel: 802.774.8972

Saving the Barns of Daniels’ Farm: A Journey to the Northeast Kingdom

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waterford gunstock frame_historic old barn

The Green Mountain Timber Frames crew has just returned from week three in the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont. We are continuing to disassemble 4 old barns on a historic farm. While this past week was not as dramatic as the take-down of the corn crib that was featured in our last blog, we did make incredible progress as well as some discoveries. We even made some new friends in the area.

Removing the siding and roof from a 26×50 barn

One of the largest barns on the property was once a magnificent cow barn. Unfortunately, the posts have rotted to the point that we cannot restore this barn. It is rare for us to turn down a “save and restore” opportunity but in this case, the choice became very clear as we removed the siding and discovered vast rot in the posts.

Here is what we discovered underneath the vertical siding boards:

wood shaving insulation on historic barn

The walls had been packed tight with wood shavings and sawdust. The Daniels Farm, where this barn resides, had a sawmill on the premises at one point in its history. It must have seemed like a good idea to use the shavings for insulation. However, the end result was that the sawdust held moisture and rotted the frame.

Cows living on the inside of the barn created a lot of moisture through their living and breathing. In the cold weather, this warm humid air moved through air gaps in the shavings, hit the cold exterior boards of the barn, and condensed into water. The sawdust acted to hold this moisture.

A sawmill turned…apple-crusher

An interesting fact we learned about the Daniels’ sawmill was that when it came to be apple picking season each year, the workings of the sawmill were converted to power a giant apple crusher. Apparently, the Daniels and their neighbors made a great deal of apple cider when they weren’t busy making sawdust!

Surprise friends at the Daniels’ fawmill

Early in the week, we met some residents of this barn while removing the siding. And oh my goodness, it was cuteness overload!

baby raccoons hiding in historic Vermont old barn

We built a ramp down from the wall cavity where this family of 3 baby raccoons was living and then left the area alone for the rest of the day. I was so worried that we had scared the mother away.  However, at the end of the day as we were getting into the truck to leave, Andy looked back at the barns. To our surprise and relief, we could see the profile of the mother raccoon perched in the peak of the barn. She had never left at all! Thankfully, we saw little footprints at the bottom of the ramp we had built when we returned in the morning. Mother had led them out to a new home.

While this barn is not restorable, it is certainly salvageable. We will use the roof boards, the siding, and many of the sound beams on future restoration projects. We will even use the nails and the metal roofing.

Speaking of roofing…it was quite a project to remove it all on a hot afternoon!

removing metal from roof of waterford barn

Next, we removed the roof boards. They have beautiful patina and will be a perfect match for replacing some of the boards on the other barns on the property that we will be restoring.

GMTF team removing roof boards waterford old barn

Next, we lowered the rafters to the deck.

Green Mountain Timber Frames crew removing half-round rafters

We wrapped up our work on this barn by popping the pegs out of the sound braces and timbers. When we bring in a machine in a couple of weeks, we will be able to hoist the heavy beams safely down to the ground.

We came across an incredible piece of nail artwork while we were pulling the rafter tips apart. Cut nails were used, and some of them were made from fairly soft steel. Isaac discovered this incredible shape:

curled cut nail art_antique nail from historic Vermont barn

The nail had split apart lengthwise as it was hammered into the rafter. One piece of the nail went straight in, and the other curled up to form this beautiful profile!

This unique nail was one of many thousand nails that we have pulled over the past weeks. They range from large to small, and from hand forged to machine-made square nails. While pulling and de-nailing boards, we keep two five gallon buckets on hand: one for the nails that we can re-use, and one for the bad nails and other scraps of metal that we can recycle. We filled many buckets this past week!

buckets of salvaged nails from timber frame projects

We will soak the nails that are in good shape in vinegar, which will loosen the corrosion. A quick cleaning after that, and these old nails will be as good as new.

At GTMF, we are dedicated to preserving the historic architecture of New England. We restore old barns and build timber frame homes. Using nails like these and the wood beams salvaged from barns like the ones on the Daniels’ Farm, we are able to create historic homes built to last for centuries to come.

If you’re interested in learning more about our work, building a timber frame barn or owning your own barn home, contact us.

Disassembling the Waterford Corn Crib

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waterford corn crib barn cabin green mountain timber frames

Last week we began to disassemble the first of four barns that we will be removing from a property in Waterford, Vermont. All have fallen into disrepair, and the property owners have chosen to see us remove and save the old barns rather than have them deteriorate further.

Below is a beautiful photo taken in the late 1800s in front of the group of barns on the historic Daniels Farm:

Daniels Farm family and barn circa 1898

How I would love to know the occasion that led to this photo being taken!

The farm was once a thriving scene, with over 1500 acres in agriculture. Removing this many barns far from our home base is quite an undertaking, so we decided to start with the smallest of the structures.

You can see our early 1800s corn crib in the far left of the next photo, nestled in back of the two larger barns:

Carriage Barn photo from 19th Century Vermont

This fantastic timber frame structure was originally built to dry and store the corn that was grown on the property. Our first clue to this early history was the classic corn crib siding- narrow vertical strips that have gaps between them in order to allow ventilation for the corn stored within.

In the next photo, you can see one of the corners of the building with the siding still in tact.

corn crib siding on the Waterford Corn Crib Green Mountain Timber Frames

We received affirmation of the original purpose for this barn when we looked up at the roof trim. Do you see it?

corn cobs showing through the soffet trim on vintage corn crib green mountain timber frames

Over the frame’s early years, critters were enjoying the nicely dried corn on the cob. It was probably raccoons that dragged corn up into the eves of the building for their evening meal. I am sure they were very grateful for all that good ventilation to keep their corn dry!

Removing the Roof Boards from the Barn Frame

Once we had the barn cleaned out, we began to remove the roof boards, labeling each one so that it can go back to its original home on the hand hewn rafters.

roof boards stripped from 1:2 waterford corn crib

We also labeled all the beautiful siding boards. As is common with many of the old barns that we restore, some of the boards were replaced about one hundred years ago. We were noticing the uniquely strong circle saw marks on these boards when an older neighbor stopped in to chat.

He explained that there was an early water saw just down the hill, and that he had dug up old wooden water pipes in his field that had channeled water to the sawmill. It was so wonderful to hear some of the local knowledge about the story of this farm and the barn!

waterford corn crib gable siding removed green mountain timber frames

Once the roof boards, rafters, and siding had been removed, we set to work popping out the ash pegs that have held the joinery in place for so many decades.

popping the pegs on the Waterford corn crib vintage frame

Here is a view of how tightly the trees have grown up around the unused structure:

waterford corn crib tucked into the woods - green mountain timber frames

Due to disuse, wet ground, and trees growing so close to the barn, the sills have almost disappeared into the ground. We will have some work to do in repairing these post bottoms, but it will be well worth it to give this gem another life-span.

Carpenter Ants Leave Their Mark on the Frame

We received a surprise when we exposed one of the post top tenons. In the first of the photos below, you can see the incredible sculpture that carpenter ants created, much to my chagrin! They have chewed away all but the thinnest of strips- just enough to not collapse their own home. This post will be replaced from our inventory of hand hewn timbers. The second photo shows one of the healthy tenons in the barn. Now that is how a two hundred year old tenon should look!

In the next photo, we are lifting the top plate off of the posts.

removing the top plate on the Waterford corn crib green mountain timber frames

When we return next week, we will lower the bents to the ground, label the posts and ties, and finish cleaning up the site.

This Old Barn Is for Sale!

This 16×20 corn crib, with its full second floor, will make an incredible little cabin or garden shed once we have restored the timbers.

Aside from wanting to start our large project in Waterford with the most manageable of the four barns, there was another important reason to delay the disassembly of the largest- a 32×42 gunstock timber frame. There is a family of Eastern Phoebes nesting under the eve. We learned that, incredibly, it takes only 16 days from when a Phoebe egg hatches till the birds will take flight from the nest! We will make sure they have flown before we begin disassembly of this magnificent barn.

When I stepped into the gunstock barn on Friday, I realized that the phoebes were not our only winged friends making use of the space. This little fellow had flown down from a nest and was taking a rest on a beautiful antique bow saw.

robin fledgling on bow saw in waterford gunstock frame green mountain timber frames

It seems the family of robins is already on the move! Stay tuned for more information on this large gunstock barn that has been home and habitat to so many over the last two hundred years- from farmers to pheobes.

robin fledgling in the Waterford gunstock frame green mountain timber frames

Do you dream of living (or working) in an old barn?

Contact Us!

 

 

An Ode to Farmers: The Incredible Ingenuity of Past Barn Repairs

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Today, Matt and I were visiting barns on behalf of the Green Mountain Timber Frames team. I am constantly amazed by the creative ingenuity of New England’s early farmers. These brave souls were—and are still—truly a backbone of the beautiful and communal aspects of our local New England culture.

An Ode to Farmers

Having grown up on a working dairy farm, I have witnessed the challenges that face farmers on a daily basis. Thinking of my father, my mother, and my grandfather as they strived to keep a farm running, I pondered the necessity for creativity and tenacity when it comes to getting that hay bailer or tractor running when it is desperately needed. I believe the same principle applied to the ways in which early farmers dealt with their timber frame barns.

Today, as we assessed one particular barn, we discovered some very clever repairs made to the frame over the years. We were inside an incredible 32×52 hand hewn timber frame barn that is badly fatigued and in need of help.

vintage timber frame barn home | green mountain timber frames

Unfortunately, the barn abutting this one was in much worse shape, and I felt quite deflated and heartbroken to see it.

collapsed vintage barn | Green mountain timber frames

This collapsed building still has a few vintage boards and timbers that can be salvaged.

But let’s return to the happier prospect of the barn we had come to see.

52-Feet of Chesnut Timbers

It was built very early, and has many American chestnut timbers. The rafters are hewn, and the posts are massive at 11×11 inches. Of the four timbers that span the length of the building, 3 are an incredible 52-feet of continuous hand hewn chestnut, with the fourth having a scarf joint to join two timbers together.

Imagine that: 52 foot American chestnut timbers that were shaped with a broad axe and an adze- and lots of spirit and grit.

Incredibly, one of the bents is a clear-span 32-foot timber truss. This means it was built strong enough to not need any interior posts, allowing the farmer to move a wagon and animals around inside with ease. In the next photo, you can see the two chestnut timbers that create the truss. They are tied together in the middle with a vertical timber, creating a remarkably strong system.

chestnut timber truss vintage barn | Green mountain timber frames

What about the clever repairs?

It seems that at some point in the history of this barn’s use, the lower timber, which measures 11 x 18 inches by 32-feet, developed a split. Matt and I were studying the repair that was done in the past, and we realized that it was made using the metal rim of an old wagon wheel!

giant chestnut timber frame truss Green mountain timber frames

Here is a close-up of the ingenious repair, recycling no doubt a farm implement that’s use had gone by the wayside:

wagon wheel repair to chestnut timber | Green mountain timber frames

We also discovered a wonderful thing for us modern timber framers to see: a likely mistake made by our mentors who lived two hundred years ago. In a way, it is refreshing to see that even those incredible craftspeople from the past occasionally made an error like we sometimes do!

One of the 32-foot timbers did not have a typical tenon. It sure looks like someone cut this timber too short. We have all been there who have cut mortise and tenons time after time. It is a big “whoops” when it involves an 11 x 18 inch by 32-foot American chestnut timber that was cut and hewn by axe and adze!

In the next photo, you can see where a spline was added to the end of the girt, essentially adding back the section that was missing. If you look carefully at the underside of this massive timber, you can see where a 2-inch plank was let in, and then pegged thoroughly.

sprine repair on vintage timber frame chestnut beam | Green mountain timber frames

This ingenious repair reminds me of a saying given to me by a wise builder when I was starting out as a framer:

“The sign of a great carpenter is not whether you make mistakes or not; rather, it is about how creative you can be about fixing your mistakes when they happen!”

I am trying to remember what error I had made as a 22-year-old to earn me that old “chestnut” of wisdom. I don’t remember what it was, but I am grateful for the lesson that was imparted to me that day, and I remember it still. Well, the repair in this barn held up well. Approximately 210 years, and holding strong!

splined repair to chestnut timber frame

Speaking of holding strong, we saw a real example of the strength of a single oak peg, or trunnion, used in the old days to fasten the timber joinery together without the use of nails. As I mentioned earlier, this barn is struggling, and due to a leak in the roof, one of the 32-foot girts that span the building has rotted completely away.

Incredibly, the 12-foot post that used to be supported by that missing timber is still in the air as part of the queen system supporting the rafters. Here it is:

strength of a single peg in vintage barn

It is amazing to me how these well-crafted barns can hold together in spite of serious distress! Just one peg. Hm, that seems like a possible metaphor for what each of us humans can do for holding together the values that we treasure in our communities. I will save that musing for later. But think about it- a single one-inch peg holding up that 12-foot hardwood post. Incredible.

Just a couple miles from this grand old barn, there stands another. Unfortunately, the main structure is beyond restoration. But when I climbed into the icy basement, I was amazed by a support for the barn that was added sometime in the first half of the 20th century. Clearly, the floor system had been sagging, and a clever farmer knew just how to form up a support for the beams.

Once again, a derelict symbol of past farming practice was recycled. Just take a look at this:

creative concrete forms green mountain timber frames

Old wooden barrels, no doubt leaky or just no longer used, were stacked up with the bottoms cut out. After that, it was as simple as pouring in the concrete! The wood of those barrels is long gone, but their “fingerprints” left no doubt how this impressive pier was created.

Here is to all those who have worked creatively to sustain and stabilize these majestic structures from the past, and also to all in our communities who desire to see our cultural farming heritage preserved for the future!

May those of us dedicated to preserving these structures be as creative, industrious, and as dedicated as those who have come before us.

Interested in one of our old barns for sale?

Give us a holler!

 802.774.8972

 

The Trappers Cabin and its Shared History in Post-Colonial America

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We recently took down another beautiful corn crib from circa 1850. This structure has a fascinating history, and when we moved it six weeks ago, it wasn’t its first journey across the fields!

Trapper's cabin barn restoration green mountain timber frames

In the photo above, I discuss the frame with the current property owner. We are grateful to him and his family for wanting to see this historic barn frame saved.

History of the Barn

trapper cabin homestead hartford NY barn for sale green mountain timber frames

This photo shows a beautiful farmstead in Hartford, New York. In between the large barn and the house, you can see our little corn crib peeking through. I have been learning some of the history of the area from a wonderful little book published in 1896. As I delve into the history, I find that this corn crib has a complicated story- one that brings up both sorrows and joys in the story of this area. history of hartford new york | Green Mountain Timber Frames

A Bit of History from Hartford, NY

May 2 of 1764 first saw the lands of what would become Hartford given by grants from the English Crown to officers of the New York Infantry after they had served in the French and Indian wars. This land had previously been hunting grounds for the Iroquois tribe. The family who owns the land now tells me that they have found many stone arrowheads in the cornfields around the barns.

In the Revolutionary War section of the book shown above, Samuel Bowen mentions that one of the combatants in the war hailed from Hartford. His family was an early owner of the property where this timber frame barn once stood.

On March 12 of 1793, the town of Hartford was established. It was named after a tribal group who had been pushed out of Hartford, Connecticut, and who had taken up residence in the area.

Here are a few details that caught my eye and imagination from the town records:

  • In 1794, just one year after the town was officially formed, it was decided at a town meeting that the grazing of sheep and swine on the town commons would no longer be allowed. In addition, it went into the notes of the meeting, which was held at the house of David Austin, that a lawful fence be no less than four and a half feet tall.
  • In 1803, a special town meeting was called at the Baptist Church to take measures to slow the spread of smallpox. A committee of 11 was appointed to find ways to minimize the terrible effects of the disease.
  • 1818 saw the imposition of a new tax that would raise $300 for the support of the poor, and also for a town-run home to support the needy.
  • In 1846, Hartford took a vote to decide on the sale of “spirituous liquors.” Of the three hundred and two votes cast, 151 favored a liquor license, with the exact number of voters opposing the town-sanctioned sale of liquor! One year later, the mood had shifted, and the licensed sale of liquor was approved in town by a majority of 92 votes.

And right around the time that Hartford voted to allow the sale of liquor, a wonderful little corn crib was crafted.

About the Hartford Corn Crib

The barn was built to house the corn that was grown on the Hartford farm. It measures 14 x 20 feet. Classic corn crib siding was installed, which allowed for excellent ventilation that would keep the corn drying after it was harvested. Wide boards were sliced so that air could flow through the gaps, but rainwater would be unlikely to enter and spoil the corn.

Trapper's Cabin vintage corn crib siding green mountain timber frames

The barn stood in the farmyard for over 100 years, right next to the large barn where animals were kept, and also where militia members were once housed during a conflict with Native Americans in the area. trapper cabin homestead hartford new york barn for sale green mountain timber frames

The Corn Crib Makes Its (First) Move

Our little corn crib saw a big change in the fall of 1968. No longer needed for corn storage, the barn was moved from the farmyard out to the woods behind the fields. The structure was moved with the use of a bulldozer.

trapper-cabin-corn-crib-moved-green-mountain-timber-frames.jpg

When the corn crib was moved, the family discovered a hand made mortar and pestle under the floorboards. It seems that one member of the Bowen family was a physician, and he likely used this tool to smash and mix early medicines.

19th century doctor tools from the trapper cabin corn crib green mountain timber frames

In its new location on the edge of the woods, our little cabin was transformed from corn storage to trapper’s cabin. Here is what the 2nd floor loft looked like when I first got to visit it:

Trapper's Cabin fur stretchers in the loft vintage cabin green mountain timber frames

The Trapper Cabin and the Fur Trade

This time period was the height of profitability in the fur trade. The family that now owned it was involved in purchasing pelts from trappers, and then curing them to be used in the making of clothing. We pulled hundreds of these wooden stretchers out of the cabin, some with notes on successful trapping trips dating from the 1940s through the 1980s.

fur stretchers trapper's vintage cabin green mountain timber frames

When the Green Mountain Timber Frames first viewed the cabin, it was in distress. The roof had leaked and it had not been inhabited for decades other than by porcupines and birds. Like the dry storage of corn cobs, the trapping industry was a thing of the past. We decided to take on the project of saving this barn, and finding a third purpose for the worthy structure.

Dismantling the Trapper’s Cabin

We moved onto the site in early February and tackled the clean-out of the barn. Once we got down to the structure, we removed the slate roof as well as the original cedar shake roof that was underneath. The siding was next. The boards on this little structure are impressive!

Some of the loft floorboards are also remarkable, and we know from our history book that these most likely came from local water sawmills that were in operation on the East Creek, not far from the cabin location.

wide floor boards trapper cabin corn crib restoration barn for sale green mountain timber frames

The interior of the trapper cabin originally had a full loft and a staircase. There were bins on the 2nd floor for storage of grains, and we presume that bins existed along the eve walls for the drying of corn. In the next photo, you can see one bin remaining on the fall gable wall, as well as a bin on the 2nd floor.Interior photo of trapper's cabin vintage corn crib

We popped the pegs from the joinery, and disassembled the frame. Each wooden joint was labeled. In the next photo, you can see Isaac working on removing one of the oak pegs that holds the top plate in place. Andy seems to be helping to hold the barn up!

trapper cabin corn crib restoration

We had a great crew for the tip down of this adorable frame. Here they are standing on the 2nd floor of a gable end:

dismantling the trapper cabin corn crib barn for sale green mountain timber frames

The braces that the guys are holding have a unique detail on them. I am intrigued by the “swoop” cut into the edge of the braces. It is gorgeous, and not something I have come across often in braces:

The floor joists and floor boars in this frame are wonderufl. Here is a view from the interior after we stripped the siding boards:

trapper cabin corn crib barn for sale

We made a fascinating discovery on one of the interior boards that came from this corn crib. In the next photo, you can see multiple inscriptions scratched into the surface of a pine plank:

witch hex in the trapper cabin corn crib green mountain timber frames barn for sale

This daisy wheel is an intriguing mark that we occasionally find in barns. Many theories abound about the meaning, ranging from a geometric blueprint for the structure, to the more superstitious theory that the mark was a “witch hex,” meant to ward off the presence of evil spells and the people who cast them.

This frame was built at a time not that far removed from the dark history of the witch trials of New England, and it does seem plausible that secret markings were used to protect food from imagined curses.

What is next for this timber frame structure?

For the second time in its story, the corn crib turned trapper cabin has been carried across the cornfields to the original Hartford site, and now back to our shop in Middletown Springs, Vermont. Because the farm road was impassible by truck and trailer, we brought our tractor over to carry the disassembled barn back to the main road.

trapper cabin corn crib hauled through the fields for restoration green mountain timber frames

We have now restored the timber frame structure, which included replacing one post with a similarly colored and aged timber, as well as other more minor repairs. In the next photo, we have one cross-section, or bent, of the barn assembled in our shop during the restoration.

restoration of trapper cabin corn crib green mountain timber frames

We are now looking for a new home for this cabin and the stories that it tells. It would make a remarkable woodland or meadow cabin retreat with a half loft.  Here is one last photo that shows the 2nd floor of the cabin.

Loft of trapper cabin corn crib green mountain timber frames barn for sale

This barn is for sale! Interested in learning more about this antique corn crib?

Contact me! 

802.774.8972
 luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com

From Japan to Arizona and Back Home to Vermont…Grand Entrances Abound

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Gates, doors, and entryways play a large role in the way that humans organize meaning.  Consider that prayers, linguistic expressions, and literary expressions heavily lean on the symbolism of doorways.

The Power of Entrances (Architecture’s Way to Make a First Impression)

A beautiful entrance can literally frame the stance of a home, garden, or barn towards the outside world. I have been thinking a lot about doors lately and want to take this opportunity to share images of some of my favorite entrances…from the very large to the very small, from those above my doorstep to those much farther afoot.

timber frame porch on barn home green mountain timber frames

The Gateways of Japan

Last year, I had the incredible opportunity to travel around Japan, viewing some of the largest and the oldest timber frame structures in the world. The craftsmanship was astounding and inspiring!

In the next photos, you can see a couple of entrance gates and I will start this reflection with these large doorways. The first massive entrance is a Torii gate, which signifies that you are entering a sacred space. The second is the entrance to a temple. Leaving the profane behind, and entering the sacred, is a theme signified in many religions.

While in Japan, I also got to view many garden gates- and these really spoke to me! Japanese garden gate |  green mountain timber frames

That gateway represents a remarkable invitation to enter nature!

Green Mountain Gateways and Gazebos

Speaking of spaces for reflection, the next photo is of a timber frame gazebo that Green Mountain Timber Frames founder Dan McKeen built a few years ago.

Not unlike the garden pictured above, the goal for the pavilion was to create a space of invitation- invitation to reflect and take in the view of the Vermont Green Mountains. Careful thought went into the layout and proportions of the entrances to this space.timber frame Gazebo- green mountain timber frames

The significance of doorways is often noted when we take that first photo of our new home, or of our children standing in front of the doorway as they leave for a first day of school.

We also put prayer scrolls, flags, and wise sayings on or over our doorways. The significance of stepping over a threshold is noted in so many literary and experiential texts.

Home Sweet Home

The next photo shows my partner and I standing in front of an 1820s corn crib that we have dismantled and will be re-erecting as our own cabin retreat in the woods.Montpelier Corn Crib Entrance vintage corn crib cabin green mountain timber frames

A Timber Frame Porch for a Home in the Mountains

The Green Mountain Timber Frames crew recently built a timber frame porch as an addition to a barn home. The porch is 44-feet long, and I love the way the dormer frames the entrance to this lovely space. The steps leading through garden and grass to an off-center door present a beautiful entrance.

timber frame porch on barn home green mountain timber frames

Here are a couple more shots of the timber frame porch:

timber frame porch in Vermont Green Mountainsbarn home timber frame porch green mountain timber frames

We have come across beautiful barn doors as we do restoration work, and the granary that we are currently restoring at our shop is no exception. Note the beautiful hand forged hinges in the following photos.

We will be putting this building back up with a bell tower and have been carefully thinking about the best way to craft the new entrance, with the original hinges, into the space that will be a small chapel.

Here is our latest sketch of the entry and windows:drawing of rupert granary barn home green mountain timber frames

Here is a photo of a grist mill that I recently drove past. I love the doorway on this building!

I have had opportunities to construct a few doors that serve as the entrance to restored barn homes. I have always found it incredibly meaningful to handcraft the “gateway” into a home centered around a barn that we have restored. This next door was built out of maple, and a local artist crafted the bullseye glass.
bulls eye glass custom entrance door green mountain timber frames barn home

In this photo and the next, you can see “hidden” doors that lead to outdoor closets on the right-hand side of the doorway. custom divided lights entryway barn home green mountain timber frames

Materials Matter

Significance can also be found in the materials used for an entrance. When I built a timber frame sugar house on my family’s farm, we had to cut down a plum tree that had lived on the barn site. Out of respect for the tree, I used a branch of the plum to frame the top of the door opening. timber frame sugar house | Green mountain timber framesPlumb tree door header in timber frame sugar house green mountain timber frames

Last week, we delivered two doors that will be installed as the entrance to a large timber frame that we recently constructed. Each door is 48-inches wide, so when both swung open on their strap hinges, the opening will be 8 feet. Significantly, the cherry boards that create the interior panels of the two doors are from a tree that was removed from the spot where the barn now lives.

First, the barn: grape vineyard timber frame | green mountain timber frames

And here is one of the custom barn doors ready for delivery: custom barn door timber frame green mountain timber frames

Now, since who doesn’t like a little potty talk, I better throw in a photo of one my favorite outhouse doors!

outhouse in vermont | Green Mountain Timber Frames

Good Things Come in All Sizes

Here at Green Mountain Timber Frames, we have also been fortunate to think about very small entrances. Some kinds of birds have long been considered healthy and happy to have around and in New England barns. For example, swallow doors were sometimes put in the peak of barns to encourage nesting inside. The benefit to the farmers and animals, aside from getting to watch the beautiful acrobats fly all about, was that the feathered friends helped to keep the population of flies in check.

Here is a photo of one of my favorite vintage barns.

Note the mini doors up in the siding: antique barn home swallow doors green mountain timber frames

We replicated this concept in a restored barn that we erected. Along with our client, we designed the opening and nesting box inside for a kestrel, which is a beautiful little raptor that has been struggling in Vermont. It took a few years, but a pair did eventually move in! You can read more about this restored barn.

Here is the barn: vintage barn restoration green mountain timber frames

And here is one of its residents!kestrel in vintage barn by Green mountain timber frames

We also just finished taking down a wonderful little 14 x 22 barn. This structure was first used as a corn crib and later converted to a trappers cabin. Up at the gable peak is a cute little bird door, complete with a landing pad! corn crib barn cabin | green mountain timber frames

Desert Doorways

To end this meandering blog on entrances, I want to show you two beautiful natural doorways that I just encountered while backpacking in the Superstition Mountains in Arizona.

Judging by the beauty of this woven grass, I think it is possible that animals also value the aesthetic of a gorgeous entrance. Here is a bird’s nest, well-protected in the branches of a Jumping Cholla cactus:Superstition Mountains in Arizona | GMTF

And for someone with a bit of arachnophobia, I had to do some steady breathing to really take in the beauty of this spider hole! From my reading since the trip, it seems that some spiders will weave grass around their entrance to channel rain away. But given the beauty of this construction, I am personally tempted to think that they may care about the aesthetic as well.

What do you think?Spider entrance in Superstition Mountains | GMTF

Do you love little barn doors, antiques and all things quaint?

Take a gander at our barns for sale!

Dismantling the Rupert Granary

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Here at Green Mountain Timber Frames, we have just finished dismantling a beautiful early 1800s granary.

Rupert Granary corn crib green mountain timber frames

This fantastic 18×20 corn crib was used to store the vitally important corn and grain that were grown on an historic farm in Rupert, Vermont.

Rupert Granary | corn crib | green mountain timber frames cabin

This structure has tipped walls, meaning that it was purposely built with the eve walls tipped out to be wider at the top than the base. This technique was used in the 1700s and first decades of the 1800s to keep rain running away from the valuable contents of the barn interior. You just can’t be too careful about protecting the food that will get you through the next winter!

antique barn door | rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

Come Inside this Historic Corn Crib

The barn was entered via this gorgeous door with hand wrought strap hinges. Once inside, there were high bins on either side. Hardwood 4×4 studs created the structure of the bins, which were approximately 3-feet wide and 9-feet high. The board walls of the bins had been removed before we arrived, but the elevated and slatted floors were still in place that kept air circulating all around the food that was stored in the bins.

1800s staircase | rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

200-Year-Old Corn?

Immediately to the left of the entrance door was a steep staircase up to a central loft. Ears of corn could be carried up and dropped down into the bins for retrieval throughout the long Vermont winters.

In the next photo, you can see some corn kernels that we found under the loft floorboards. I am so curious about the age of these corn seeds! They could be from a crop that grew 200 years ago so, of course, we saved them.

corn kernals from 1800s | rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

There are unique, full-length beams, which run the length of the structure. These hand-hewn timbers established the width of the bins for corn storage and also framed the edge of the central loft. In the next photo, you can see where this beam is lapped over the girt.

full length summer beams | rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

The care that was given to the chamfers in this joinery where it is notched over the center bent is spectacular.

full lenth summer beams up close  |  rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

We were also stunned by the beauty of the handcrafted rafter tails. They protrude out beyond the eve beams to create a gorgeous overhang that further protected the valuable corn from the weather.

handcrafted rafter tail  |  rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

Holding the Roof in Place with Rose Head Nails

At the dawn of the 1800s, iron was a valuable commodity, and it took a lot of work to forge nails by hand. In the next photo, you can see a few of the original rose head nails that were used to hold the roof boards in place.

rosehead nails  |  rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

In light of the value of nails when this frame was erected, the top plate (eve beam) was set with an overhang and carefully channeled to receive the top of the vertical siding boards. This was yet another detail that protected the interior from moisture. The top of the boards was carefully chamfered so that they would fit tightly into the groove in the beam. No nails were needed at the top of the siding boards because they were fit so tightly into the channel.

The Important Role of Hardwood Pegs

The main fastener used was, of course, hardwood pegs. These beautiful wooden dowels have held strong for over two hundred years, and it was an incredible experience to pop them out and contemplate the fact that they have not been touched by a human hand for so very long.

granary pegs  |  rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

We have had so much fun discovering the particulars of this vintage timber frame, and feel so lucky to be involved in saving it to be enjoyed by future generations. In the next photo, Jesse and Andy stand next to one of the center bent posts.

timber framing crew  |  rupert granary | green mountain timber frames

After labeling and stripping the roof boards and siding, we started popping the pegs and disassembling the joinery. Here is some of the crew after we lowered the first bent to the ground.

Green mountain timber frames crew | rupert granary

Once the bents were on the ground, we disassembled them and labeled the individual beams and braces.

There were two extremely friendly maple trees that have been hugging the granary for many years now. We used one of them, along with a block and tackle, to lower the bents to the ground. In the following video, you can see how we did it with the help of that maple tree.

Restoration Plans for the Rupert Granary

We will be restoring this adorable little frame over the coming month and we are excited about its future somewhere on a new foundation where many future generations of humans can enjoy it.

Speaking of enjoying and using this granary, here is a beautiful photo provided to us by the property owner of someone else who has enjoyed the Rupert Granary in recent years. When we pulled up the floorboards in this barn, we found many remains of dinners consumed there. It appears that chicken dinner was a favorite of the fox family that lived under this barn- much to the chagrin of the farmer!

Fox visitor | Green mountain timber frames | Rupert granary

Stay tuned to find out where this beautiful little granary is headed for its next phase of life and, as always, let us know if you are interested in restoring and preserving a barn of your own.

 

How Can an Antique Barn Withstand the Weight of All That Snow?

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Here in New England, we have to think about snow in relation to old barns and barn homes. In particular, we have to think about the tremendous weight that a sticky snowfall can deposit onto the roof of an old barn.

Snow weights a lot…

The expected snow load in Vermont can be as high as 65 pounds per square foot. On a giant old barn with a huge roof, that kind of weight can add up. We also live on the edge of the slate valley, so many of our barns have slate roofs. A slate roof adds eight to ten pounds to each square foot. That is some serious weight that the roof has to support!

Last weekend, we were blessed with 24 inches of snow in some areas and now we are getting heavy rain on top of that. So how did the master timber framers of the 1700s and 1800s build their roof systems strong enough to stay true in winter storm events?

The answer in many cases is the engineering brilliance of a queen system.
vintage barn restored queen system green mountain timber frames

In the barn shown above, which dates from the early 1800s and that we restored last summer, the queen system is the two full-length timbers and the posts and braces that support them. This method of construction cuts the effective length of the rafters in half, keeping them ridged under the forces of gravity.

Roof loading, caused by the weight of the roof system itself, the roofing material and the snow that collects on it, leads to two types of force. The first is a load directly down that can lead to sag or failure of the rafters themselves. A queen system supports them in the middle, thereby cutting down on the possibility of sag.

The second force is an outward thrust, meaning that the weight pushes outward towards the eves of the building. In an inadequate frame, this can break the joinery that holds the building together. In order to help with this outward thrust, queen posts are braced down to the horizontal girts. When the rafters are pinned to the queen beam, it reduces the amount of outward force that they can exert on the eve walls. historic barn rafter support system green mountain timber frames

Another way that timber framers keep the queen system and rafters from spreading under weight is the use of horizontal ties between the queen posts. This technique makes a ridged queen bent, and when the rafters are pegged down into it, they are held back from pushing the eves of the barn. Pre 1800s gunstock barn for sale_Green Mountain Timber Frames
The photo above shows a beautiful frame that we will be restoring soon. The pre-1800s gunstock frame has a queen system that looks like a stand-alone timber frame structure that provides rigidity to the roof system.

Another common style of queen system has the posts angled to meet the rafters at a 90-degree angle. When the posts are angled like this, large braces are needed to withstand the outward force.
1850s barn for sale restored on Cape Cod
The barn pictured above is an 1850s barn that we restored and re-erected on Cape Cod. And here is a photo of a very large barn that we did restoration work on in place this past summer. img_3058

Let it snow!

And, as always, contact us if you have any questions about queen systems in antique barns.

 

Dismantling the Benson Timber Frame: Timelapse Videos & More

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The GMTF crew has been hard at work dismantling the Benson barn frame, a structure that we will restore into a beautiful Vermont barn home. Despite the cold and snow, we’ve made great progress on the project and put together some videos of our work.

(For more details about this barn, check out our last entry.)

After removing the roof boards and rafters by hand, we used a telehandler to lift down the rafter support queen system. Once we were down to the main cube of the structure, we had a crane come in for 6 hours to help out, although back when this historic barn was built in the 1870s or 1880s, they certainly didn’t have such a machine around to assist. The silo made it a real challenge to maneuver, but the local crane operator (and our team) were amazing and it went off without a hitch.

Timelapse Video of Barn Dismantling

This first video is a timelapse video, showing the process of removing first the 48-foot top plate timbers, and then the bents:

When removing the top plate timbers that form the eve of the historic barn, the crane delicately set them down in the tight quarters. We had attached a guide rope to one end, and we were able to spin and then hold steady as it was set down on the ground. In the next photo, you can see the second barn on the property. We are delighted that the owner is keeping this barn in place.

The crane helped us fly down this 48-foot top plate.
top plate of timber frame barn in vermont
The 48-foot timbers are remarkable, and are hewn of pine. Imagine the trees that they were used for these beams, and also imagine how they got them up there without the use of a crane! The whole community must have come together to hoist this frame into place.
Here’s Isaac, inspecting a 10×12 inch hand-hewn timber that’s 48-feet long!

48 foot vintage wood from 1880s barn

The “bents,” (wall sections) that were being swung around the silo are 34-feet wide, 16-feet tall and about 5,000 pounds each.
In this picture, you can see us flying the gable bent. This bent is a whopping 34-feet wide!

34 foot gable bent from vintage barn for sale

Lifting the Basement Wall of the Vermont Barn

In this second video, you can see us lifting the basement wall as a truss unit. The wall consists of two, 48-foot long timbers, connected with 6-foot oak posts and many braces.
The 6-foot posts are mini gunstocks, meaning that they are flared to be wider at the top than they are at the base. A couple of them measure 10×16 inches where they are mortised into the upper timber.

We added extra “strong back” planks to stiffen the truss, but it turned out not to be necessary as it did not bend at all as the crane lifted it. Really incredible!
Once we lifted up the beams and laid them flat, we popped all the pegs, disassembled the truss, and labeled everything.
We hope that the next owner of the Benson Barn Frame will want a walk-out basement underneath so that this wall truss can be put back right where it belongs.
Here’s a shot of some of the awesome GMTF team during our take-down of the barn. The team was just taking a breather on a 34-foot, hand-hewn barn timber from the 1880s. We are a lucky bunch to get to be involved in saving and restoring these historic barns!
Green Mountain Timber Frames crew

This Vermont Barn is for sale!

If you’re interested in learning more, please contact us at 802-774-8972 or Luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com
Learn more about the Benson Barn Frame.

Saving a Giant of a Barn: the Benson Timber Frame

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We are now two weeks into the careful dismantling of a beautiful timber barn – for sale –  that dates from around 1880. This timber frame is not as old as many of the structures that we take down and restore here at Green Mountain Timber Frames, but the high quality of the frame more than justifies our efforts to save it. At 34 x 48 feet, this wonderful vintage frame is a big one!

evening light on old barn for sale in benson | green mountain timber framesThe barn’s foundation, roof and sills are deteriorated, and would be very difficult and costly to repair in place. We have purchased the barn and now it is in our court to take down the frame, restore it, and find a new home for this majestic and historic building.

(Let us know if you are interested in seeing the barn!)

Taking Down the Timber Frame Barn: Step by Step

Our first step was to remove an enormous amount of hay from the inside of the building. Thankfully, we had some pitchforks handy. removing hay from the benson frame | green mountain timber framesThe hay piled inside the barn had been hiding a very interesting feature of this barn. The smallest bay, which is where the animals were kept, had built in wooden gutters for removing manure.

Discoveries in an Old Barn

The clever system had two trap doors that could be opened, allowing the waste to be dropped into wagons or carts below for spreading on the nearby fields. There was also a trough in front of the animals where they could be fed. It is really amazing to see the wear marks on the floor from hooves. We can tell where the antsy cow lived many years ago! cleaning out cow stalls in old barn for sale green mountain timber framesWe made another discovery while opening up the walls of this barn. Between layers of siding, honey bees had built a hive at some point in the past.discovering an old bee hive in the benson old barn for sale green mountain timber framesWe collected the brittle wax comb, and I am excited to make candles out of it. Once we find a new home for this barn and re-erect it, I can imagine a celebratory meal in the restored frame- lit by the wax of this bee hive. honey comb in the wall of benson barn for sale green mountain timber framesAs we removed the wide hemlock wall boards, we labeled each one so they can be installed back in the same location. Many of the timber boards are over 15 inches wide, and the patina on them is spectacular.

We can’t wait to wash them, but the temperature will have to get up above freezing for that process to take place and winter really seems eager this year in Vermont. wide vintage boards for sale | green mountain timber frames

Removing the Slate Roof

Once we had the barn cleaned out and many of the siding boards removed, we went on to remove the roof system. This barn still had its original roof- large purple slate from the nearby quarries.

Here we are removing the slate piece by piece.

It was unusual for us to be removing the original roof from a building, as most of our older frames went through at least two, and often four, generations of roofing material before they come under our care. Much of the slate is still good and we will set it aside with the frame for future use. removing slate and roof boards benson barn for sale In order to be as safe as possible, we built a temporary second floor in the barn. This allows us to do most of the board and rafter removal from this deck rather than from the top of the roof or from long ladders. This barn is so large that it took fifty sheets of plywood to create this safe work platform! how to take down an old barn safelyThe effort building the deck paid off, as we removed and labeled each roof board.removing roof boards from benson barn for saleLet me share a couple more interesting features of this barn:

All farmers know how hard it is to keep large barn doors on a building. Inevitably, it seems, they get caught by a gust of wind and torn off the building. Well, it must have been someone with life experience who designed this structure. They built a giant pocket door system and hung the 13-foot-tall doors on tracks on the inside of the barn.

In order to create this space for the doors, secondary posts were added in the doorway bents. In this way, gusts of wind could not get at the doors when they were opened. giant pocket door old barn for sale A good luck horseshoe was nailed to one side of the door opening. horseshoe for good luck benson timber frame barn for saleIt was exciting to get lots of light on the upper queen system. These timbers support the rafters at mid-span, making the roof strong enough to carry the weight of all that slate as well as Vermont’s winter snow. There is a unique and beautiful scarf joint that was used to get the queen plates to span the whole 48 feet.queen system in benson old barn for sale green mountain timber frames

Here is a close-up of the scarf joint:scarf joint  | green mountain timber framesWhile the queen plate is made out of two timbers, the main top plate that creates the eve of the building is not. Incredibly, these hand-hewn timbers are the full length of the barn at 48 feet and 2 inches! Imagine the size of the old-growth tree that was required, as well as the difficulty of getting these beams in place without the use of modern equipment.

These 48-foot timbers are a testament to the skill of the timber framers who crafted this barn, as well as to the strength of a community that would come together to hoist such a barn into place. We are honored to now be the caretakers of this structure.48 foot hand hewn timber | green mountain timber frames

You can see drawings of the barn here on our site.

This old barn is for sale!

If you are interested in this barn, or another timber frame structure, let us know!

 

 

Dunlap Barn Restoration, and Discoveries about a Civil War Veteran

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This past week, we finished the barn restoration of a structure from around 1850. The old barn stood next to a dirt road in Brandon, Vermont. Thanks to the commitment of the family that now owns the property, the barn, which was in very bad shape, is now restored and re-erected on the same land.

restoration barn home green mountain timber frames

Remembering a Civil War Veteran

In digging into the history of this particular barn, we found that a casualty of one war is tied to the history of the barn that we have just restored. Next to the original barn location, we found the burial site of William Dunlap. The gravestone tells that he was part of the Vermont 12th infantry and that he died July 31st, 1863, at the age of 25.

I would like to pause here and take this opportunity to thank our veterans for their service to this country. In particular, I want to acknowledge and express gratitude to one of our own team, Andy, who served in the army for eight years. So many have served, and the sacrifices are tremendous.

In the next photo, Andy and I were finally able to read the memorial stone for Dunlap. We had stopped earlier on a clear day, and could not decipher the faded engraving. However, something about the rain running down the stone on this particular day allowed us to read the words.

William Dunlap, Vermont 12th regiment green mountain timber frames

It was a surreal moment to be at his grave and to reflect on the life and death of this young man. He joined the 12th regiment that went into camp at Brattleboro on September 25, 1862. The group was mustered into United States service on October 4 and left Vermont on October 7 for Washington DC. It seems likely that William never returned to the hills of Vermont before his death. The Vermont 12th was near Gettysburg for that significant battle and was assigned to protect the corps train. Like so many in the Civil War, William died in a Virginia hospital of a simple disease just days after the Battle of Gettysburg.

William Dunlap 12th vermont regiment civil war veteran green mountain timber frames

It has been poignant to think about William. We reflected at his graveside on the likelihood that William spent his youth playing and working in this barn. While we have not been able to date the construction of the barn exactly, we believe it was built sometime between William’s birth and when he was a 12-year-old child. At the time of his death, the body was sent home to Vermont to be interred on the family farm.

While erecting the frame, we met another young man in his twenties. His grandmother has property nearby and he told us of swinging on the rope that was hanging in the hay loft of the barn. It is amazing to hear these stories—book ends on the story of this barn as it stood on its original foundation.

Now the frame stands again near the grave of William, and we are very grateful and proud of how the restoration turned out. I will take this opportunity to show some photos of the restored structure and the process of putting it back up.

Reerecting the Restored Barn

We erected the four bents first. These wall sections form the width of the building. The raising process took place during some very wet and overcast weather, and we even worked in falling snow on one of the days.

lifting a bent green mountain timber frames

Next, we set the 38 foot top plates onto the bents. In the next photo, Isaac checks the post tenon that is about to receive the top plate. In gunstock frames, the post has 2 perpendicular tenons at the top: one for the girt and one for top plate.

pegging a bent green mountain timber frames

barn raising top plate green mountain timber frames

A Modified Gunstock Timber Frame

The Dunlap barn is a style that is called “modified gunstock.” All gunstock frames had tapered posts that increase in size from post bottom to post top. These frames had this feature in order to provide increased bearing for the support of the upper horizontal timbers.

The posts get their name from the way in which they look like the upside down stock of a rifle. In a modified gunstock, the taper is oriented parallel with the eve of the building. The most important feature of gunstock frames is that the girt (beam going the width of the building) and the top plate (long beam going along the eve of the building) are at the same elevation. This makes an incredibly strong junction of timbers.

antique gunstock timber frame green mountain timber frames

The Dunlap barn has beautiful labels on the timbers and braces. These markings, sometimes referred to as “marriage marks,” were used to match each joint with its partner. Early frames were built flat on the ground before being erected, and each joint was scribed into its place. On raising day, the marriage marks ensured that each brace went in the proper place. We love studying these labels!

viewing vintage marriage marks on barn green mountain timber frames

Here are the marriage marks between a brace and its post:

marriage marks vintage timber frame green mountain timber frames

This frame had a couple of unique features in the rafter structure. First, the queen system that supports the rafters at mid-span had struts or braces that come from the posts down towards the center of the building. It was more common for these posts to be braced towards the eve in order to resist outward thrust of the roof load that could push the walls apart.

In a gunstock frame, where all the horizontal timbers come together at the same height, there is already incredible strength resisting outward thrust. For this reason, it was more important to these early craftspeople to install braces against the downward force or weight of the roof system and snow load that could push the queen posts in.

gunstock frame barn home green mountain timber frames

The second somewhat unusual feature in this barn is the way that the rafter system is braced to the five-sided ridge beam. In later buildings, there were often braces out on the two ends of the roof system. In this case, the timber framers installed a pair of braces right in the center of the roof.

vintage barn restored queen system green mountain timber frames

Installing the Roof Boards

We were able to reuse about 60% of the original roof boards and supplemented these with a few of the original wall boards as well as vintage material from our inventory. There were some beauties that went onto this roof! Imagine the size of the pine tree from which these boards were sawn.

beautiful barn boards green mountain timber frames

We are grateful that we had the opportunity to save and restore this vintage timber frame, and we are especially glad that it will remain not far from the resting place of William Dunlap, 12th Vermont Infantry.

May we respect and honor all our veterans as we work for peace in this world.

A Day-Trip to Waterford, Vermont…and 2 Surprises Behind a Barn

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A few weeks ago, Matt and I took a drive up and over to Waterford, Vermont. It’s in Caledonia County, and sits right on the border with New Hampshire. Waterford is a town I had never before visited. We were there to look at an old barn for sale.

Gunstock barn home for sale green mountain timber framesWe had been called because the foundation under a large gunstock timber frame is crumbling, and the property owners would like to see this barn saved and re-homed before it deteriorates further. This barn was worth the long drive from our home base. The posts and timbers are beautiful, and even the braces are hand hewn. gunstock timber frame for sale green mountain timber framesWe will be carefully disassembling this beautiful and worthy barn in the coming months, after which we will restore the timber frame. Stay tuned for more information as we get this structure measured, drawn to scale, and listed as an available frame on our webpage.

Exploring this Historic Barn

What we found when we walked around the back side of this structure stopped me in my tracks and struck my imagination. It was an immediate and poignant reminder of the days when this barn was used to store food from the land, and to house and feed the animals that sustained the New Englander’s lifestyle. decrepit farm silo green mountain timber framesThere, next to the barn, was a decrepit old silo, with vines growing up the side. It looked like the turret of some old agricultural castle, and I pushed my way through wild grapes and wild cucumber vines to find the opening. interior of woodford silo and stone foundation green mountain timber framesThe roof had collapsed and I could see vegetation reclaiming the interior. The old stone foundation was mossy and I could imagine the excitement of the farm crew many years ago as they laid these rocks in a neat circle to define the storage space for their crops- no doubt in between the daily chores of feeding the animals, tending the fields along the Connecticut River and milking the cows. a tree grows in the silo green mountain timber framesUnlike most of the old wooden silos that have vertical boards held together with steel rings, this one had vertical studs with thin boards bent to match the radius inside and outside. A sumac tree had sprouted, and its upper branches were capturing the afternoon sunlight as I peered in. A single four pane window was in the top of the silo wall, and in the early days this would have let that same sunlight into the interior to illuminate for the farmer how much of the summer’s bounty remained as the winter months progressed. I am so glad we will be catching the large barn before it, too, is reclaimed by vines and trees.

Surprises Behind the Gunstock Barn

There was another surprise behind the large gunstock barn that we had come to see. As we looked out into the woods, we saw another abandoned structure literally cradled by the limbs of trees. antique corn crib for sale green mountain timber framesI asked about the little barn, and was granted permission to explore it. The owners had not been in it for a very long time, and suspected it was nothing that would be of interest or that could be salvaged. I went in for a closer look.

Each gable rake of the little barn had a tree that had pushed right through the metal roofing. Undoubtedly, this barn must sway with the poplar, maple, and birch trees when the wind blows.

Climbing through the door, I was blown away by the interior. Like the silo, the uses of this structure were immediately apparent.

  1. First, it had been built as a corn crib. The slatted siding on the back gable wall gave me this clue. It had a beautiful stair case up to the loft and the stairs were designed with a half radius at the top and hand made hardware that allowed the stairs to be folded upward and out of the way.
  2. Second, someone had rigged a wood stove on the second floor and a little side table and chair indicated it had been home for someone-perhaps summer help on the farm.
  3. Third, this had been used as a machine shop in the 1800s and the first half of the 1900s. It is absolutely filled with gadgets, tools, hardware and belt-driven devices.

pulleys and wheels in a corn crib machine shop green mountain timber framesinterior of timber frame machine shop and corn crib green mountain timber framesThe incredible durability of old-growth timbers was apparent as I inspected the hand-hewn timber frame. In spite of the trees pressing in, the frame is worthy of restoration, and we agreed to purchase this 14×18 foot frame. Once restored and erected on a new foundation, it will make a remarkable cabin with sleeping quarters on the second floor. We will be listing this corn crib on our webpage soon.

Like many high quality corn cribs from the late 1700s and early 1800s, this barn has braces that go up from the posts to the girts, and also braces that go down from posts to the sills. corn crib interior green mountain timber framesI cannot wait to spend a day inside this barn with our dedicated team doing our best to decipher and document the creative web of belt-driven machines and jigs. We will then begin popping out the hardwood pegs, disassembling the timber frame joinery, and labeling all of the wooden joints. In time, this frame too will have a new home and a continued evolution of usefulness. The constant variable throughout these progressions will be the stout integrity of the structure and its aesthetic beauty.

Our day in Waterford was a good one, spent meeting new people who care deeply about saving the buildings of our New England farming heritage, learning about the farming practices of long ago, and acquiring two more vintage timber frames that are worthy of restoration.

Interested in old barns? Contact us to chat.
– Luke Larson

Time Is Running Out…Can You Help Us Save This Beautiful, Historic Barn?

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Here at Green Mountain Timber Frames, we are trying to find a new owner to help us save this beautiful 1800s barn for saletimber frame barn for sale green mountain timber frames

The barn dates from the 1880s. It is a remarkably well-built structure, and we are getting down to crunch time. This antique barn has to be taken down in November, and we are eagerly trying to find a home for it. Can you help?

Antique barn for sale_ Green mountain timber frames benson vermont

A tall and magnificent structure, the historic barn stands 34 X 48 feet. The frame has beautiful color and it would make an incredible barn home, hay barn, or horse barn. It could also become an incredible event space or restaurant in its next life.

With a steep roof pitch, the interior is majestic and cathedral-like.

Antique barn interior_Vermont barn for sale

The patina on the wooden beams has been created by approximately 140 years of light, oxidization and aging. These colors just cannot be replicated on new wood.

partial floor joists in timber frame barn for sale

The frame had a partial loft originally, and more loft could be added during restoration, renovation and rebuilding.

The Stories Barns Can Tell

I had a remarkable visit recently with the matriarch of the family. The same family has lived on this farm since the beginning of the 1900s. As we stood by the faded clapboard wall of the structure, she told me stories about growing up on this farm.

Now well into her 80s, her memory is sharp. She told me stories passed on to her about tough times during the depression. Her father had a mortgage on the farm, and could not make the payments when the economy was poor and money was scarce. He went to the local Vermont bank and secured an agreement that if he could keep up with the interest payments on the loan, the bank would delay the regular payments until times improved.

Even this was a challenge, so the family planted one of the cornfields to cabbages. From the middle of a summer through the following winter, the farm truck was loaded with cabbages every weekend, and the family drove to the nearby town of Brandon to sell the cold crops for cold cash. Armed with perseverance, and with the help of cabbages, this family made it through.

Can We Preserve This Piece of History?

Now it is our turn to preserve this worthy barn. If your vision for the future can include caretaking this structure, or if you know of someone who needs a barn, please pass on the good word. Help us preserve our New England heritage. Thank you.


NOTE: We first blogged about this historic barn back in 2014 when the family asked us to help us find a new owner who would love the structure and restore it.

Want to help us save this Vermont barn?

Please contact me with any questions. (802) 774-8972
Luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com

What Is One to Do with an Antique Slaughter Wheel?

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This antique slaughter wheel came out of an old Vermont barn for sale, built in the late 1700s. The barn has been taken down, and Green Mountain Timber Frames recently purchased the timber beams, as well as this beautiful antique.vintage slaughter wheel from Vermont barn home
The barn that housed this magnificent wheel was on the Henderson/Vail property in Bennington, Vermont. The family played a significant role in the Revolutionary War.
David Harmon, a key figure in the town’s history, built and operated Harmon’s Tavern around 1770, which was located about 1/4 of a mile from the Vail house. On August 14, 1777, General Stark had breakfast at Harmon’s Tavern on his way to the Battle of Bennington. He likely marched past this barn on his way to the significant battle.
The barn is just visible behind the trees and between the couple in the next photo, taken around 1900. (Read more about this timber frame barn.)
henderson historic barn home in vermont
The slaughter wheel we have just brought home and cleaned was mounted in the center bay of the barn. This was a common practice in the 18th century. In our work restoring old barns, we have come across many of these hoists, forgotten between the bents of ancient barns. Sitting 12-14 feet in the air and just inside a large barn door, the hoists often emerge from the darkness above our heads as our eyes adjust from the bright outdoors to the solemn twilight of an aging barn interior.
hoist of antique slaughter wheel green mountain timber frames
Remarkably, both ends of the log were still able to spin. The doweled ends sat in a cradle on top of the girts, which are the 30-foot timbers, spanning the width of the barn. A rope was wrapped around the large wheel and held in place by hand-forged metal brackets. A second rope passed through a hole in the middle of the round log.
The large size of the wheel in comparison to the diameter of the log gave tremendous leverage to an individual hauling something up into the air. It is an ingenious and simple method that functions much like a pulley system.
antique slaughter wheel green mountain timber frames
The wheel was used for cleaning slaughtered animals or for lifting the end of a wagon in need of repairs. This particular wheel is notable in that it is crafted out of a black walnut tree. The walnut boards that were needed to cut the four curved sections must have started at about 28-inches wide. It is 13 feet long, and about six feet around.
antique hoisting slaughter wheel green mountain timber frames

So what do we do with such a beautiful artifact of our Vermont farming heritage? A client of ours is considering using it as a giant chandelier in his 1780s timber frame barn home that we restored for him. I can just imagine the dinner party conversations that would ensue as guests look up at this slaughter wheel and discuss its past!

Or, this wheel hoist may just end up residing in the upper beams of our shop where we could use it to lift its contemporaries- beams from the same time period that we restore.

Have an idea of what we should do with the slaughter wheel? Or simply interested in learning about the barns we have for sale?

We would love to hear from you.

802.774.8972 or luke@greenmountaintimberframes.com

The Old Brick Church and its Barns

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I recently stopped on my countryside meanderings at a favorite historical place: an old brick church located not far from our Vermont timber frame shop.

Old brick church green mountain timber frames

Matt was with me in the truck, and we both were struck by the calm and peace in the air when we stepped out. The church sits on a very quiet intersection of two farm-lined roads.

A Testimony to the Past
All was quiet at this 1826 church, but there were plenty of signs of past bustle, living and dying, and a way of life that revolved around the local community. The sky was amazing on this mid morning, and I imagined the lives that were centered here nearly two hundred years ago, many of whom no doubt now rest in the cemetery behind the church.

Old brick church graveyard green mountain timber frames

Looking carefully around the yard of the church, Matt noticed the faint sign of the horse and buggy drive that circled from the side and across the front of the church, now grown over in the neatly trimmed grass, but showing the shadows of days past. We commented that we could almost hear those horse hooves and the sound of parishioners greeting each other as they tied up their horses for the service.

The Timber Frame Carriage Barns
Beside the church, there are two amazing carriage sheds, and these were the original impetus for us to stop and visit this site. They are remarkable timber frame structures from when the church was built in 1826, and they have drawn my eye for years because of their simplicity, pragmatic purpose, and their beauty.

old timber frame carriage barn green mountain timber frames

The carriage barns sit on the hillside between the church and the cemetery and were once used by churchgoers to “park” their horses and carriages while at services.

The historic barns‘ hand-hewn timbers are mixed species, but the majority are pine. Chestnut was used for some of the timbers closest to the ground, no doubt chosen for its rot resistance.

timber frame carriage barn green mountain timber frames

It was amazing to see how the timbers have survived for nearly 200 years, despite being open to the weather for so very many decades. Of course, the beams are weathered, but thanks to the density of old-growth timber, and the structural shoring up that has been done over two centuries by the community, they stand strong and true.

old barn timber frame joinery green mountain timber frames

Matt and I were so inspired by the simple elegance of the construction, and our imaginations went right to wondering when the last carriage had been backed into one of these stalls.old new england carraige barn green mountain timber frames

Why I Love Timber Framing
One element in the design of these carriage sheds spoke straight to the source of my passion for timber framing. The craftspeople who put these buildings in place were seeking to work with nature – not to change it or overly manipulate the natural materials. As a visual example of what I mean, notice the flow of the carriage barn in the next photo as it relates to the land on which it sits.

vintage new england carriage barn green mountain timber frames

The land went downhill, so the framers simply adjusted the post lengths in order to achieve a level eve and roof.

This concept speaks volumes to me about the character and world-view of the framers who put these old timber frames together. Our historic barns here in New England have survived centuries because of this approach taken by the craftspeople of yesteryear. Timber frame structures, sitting on stone foundations, can breathe and move with nature, and I am grateful that they have lasted to teach me life lessons beyond my craft.
~ Luke Larson


At Green Mountain, we have a passion for restoring historic timber frames and we’ve got some sweet, old barns for sale
We would be happy to answer any questions you have. You can email or give us a call at 802.774.8972

 

Kestrel in the Barn!

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About six years ago, we restored and erected this early New England timber frame.

timber frame barn for sale

The frame is a classic size at 30 by 40 feet. The interior of the barn is “clear span,” which means that the 30 foot timbers are so big that no center posts are necessary inside the barn, making it perfect for storing cars.

timber frame barn_Vermont

The timber frame barn sits nestled at the bottom of Mount Equinox here in Vermont, and wildlife is abundant here. Our client had been seeing American Kestrels in the area, and had the idea of building a nesting box for this smallest of North American raptors. A decline had been documented in the New England population of these birds.

Why not build a box right into the barn?

old barns for sale_Vermont

I have heard that early New England farmers would sometimes cut little bird doors into the gable ends of their cow barns for the swallows. Why? Because barn swallows are so incredibly beneficial for keeping the fly population down in a barn full of livestock. One of my favorite local timber frame barns came to mind, and we chose to copy the style of cut-out from this little gem: timber frame barn with barn cut outsWhen we sided our barn using vintage boards, we cut six holes in the upper section. Copper flashing was used to keep water from going in. Five of the doors are faux, and the sixth has a hole that leads into a nesting box.

timber frame barn with barn swallows

Well, five years past with no kestrels. But this spring a pair moved in! And here is the evidence:

kestrel-house-in-a-vintage-barn-garage-green-mountain-timber-frames.png

Kestral in a vintage barn Green Mountain Timber Frames

We are so delighted that this idea came to fruition! It is remarkable to imagine the spring journey from far south, and perhaps even central America, that brought this pair of birds right into the gable of this beautiful vintage barn.

Now the only question is, who is going to climb up into that high gable when fall comes to clean out the nesting box?

Love hearing stories about old barns?
We hope you will follow our blog.

Restoration of the Roof System on a Corn Crib

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Here at Green Mountain Timber Frames, we have spent the last couple of days working on repairing, sorting, and preparing the roof boards for a little corn crib for sale that dates to the 1800s. corn crib for sale_Vermont Timber Frames

This homemade corn crib was used by a local farm family for generations. We purchased it and took it apart carefully because the sills were completely gone and it was beginning to settle back into the earth.

A future blog will get more into what makes this corn crib really special and how it will be used, but working on the roof this week got me thinking that I would like to lay out in a blog our process of restoration as it involves roof systems and roof boards.

Old Barn Restoration: The Process

Our first step when we get the frame labeled, disassembled and home is to pull the many antique nails. And I mean many! When a frame comes to us, it has usually gone through several generations of roofing material. Often our barns were first roofed with cedar shingles. This roof will last for 30 to 40 years before it has to be replaced.

From Slate to Cedar Roofs

A barn built in the 1700s had at least two or three iterations of cedar before the next big event in New England roofing: the development of the slate industry. In between these generations of roofing materials, the nails were tapped down into the boards rather than being removed. That leaves it to us to get all that metal out. It is fascinating to see the generations of nails in a single board- from hand forged, to cut, to modern wire nails. We tap them from the inside first, careful not to mark the show surface with our hammerheads. Then we flip the board over and pull them out. We save the handmade nails, and throw the rest into our metal recycling bin. Removing nails to restore wooden beamsRemoving nails to restore wooden timbers

Washing the Timber Frame and Boards

Next, we wash the frame and the boards. It is amazing to watch two hundred years worth of grime fall away from the boards! It feels like painting in reverse – allowing the incredible patina to come through that only a century or two of light and air can create. It is a process that requires great care; if we wash with too little pressure, the patina does not come out, but if we use too much pressure or pause in mid-stroke, the water will raise the grain of the wood and cause an unsightly mark. IMG_3482

We can not put away the boards when they are wet because of the risk of mold. So we dry them in the sun like so much laundry on washing day. The end result of all this handling is worth it when we see the sun shining off these vintage boards. They will make a stunning ceiling when the barn is re-erected. Restored timbers drying in the sun

Reassembling the Rafter System

Next, we are ready to assemble the rafter system. We make any necessary repairs and replacements to the rafter system, and then we assemble one half of the roof at a time. In the next photo, you can see the five-sided ridge beam from a restoration we completed last summer. That particular roof had four braces that went from rafters to ridge beam.

5 sided ridge beam barn restoration

We check the peg holes to make sure that the new pegs will hold strong and true. If necessary, we re-drill a peg hole where a “new” rafter was installed or where we made a repair to a rafter tenon.

restored timber rafters | Green Mountain Timber Frames

Laying out the Timber Roof Boards

Now we lay out the roof boards. All the roof boards are labeled as we take the barn down, but we very often have to straighten some edges and switch out fatigued boards for others with similar color. Remember all those generations of roofing material? Very often there was a drip somewhere at the end of the lifespan of each layer of cedar, and thus very often we have to replace some of the boards.

There are blond “shadows” on the underside of the boards where contact with a rafter shielded them from light and air. We do our best to line these shadows back up on top of rafters. Complicating this process is the fact that half-round or hewn rafters are rarely straight, so the spacing of the shadows varies depending on the spot in the roof. Doing this work while flat on the ground at the shop allows us to be as careful as possible with color matching, board spacing, and shadow hiding. Luke Larson | Green Mountain Timber Frames

Restored roof boards

Checking the Roof Board Labels

As our final step in this part of the restoration process, we carefully go through the boards and check the labels. We have a system of marking the outside of the boards so that we can efficiently apply them when the rafter system is standing.

Timber Frame Label System

The end result is a timeless visual ceiling. Or, perhaps we should rather say time-full. Here is what it looks like on one of our completed frames that now stands as a barn home:

Restored Timber Frame Ceiling

Back to Roof Restoration!

Let’s get back to that roof restoration that we completed yesterday. Here are a few more photos from this week’s restoration of our little corn crib roof. With a footprint of 14×18, this barn is a miniature of some of the larger barns we work on, but it is not small or modest in craftsmanship.

The half-round rafters are beautifully tenoned into the five-sided ridge beam, and the rafter tails have an elegant “swoop” at the eve. When we put this frame back up on its new foundation, the roof system will be ready to support many future iterations of roofing materials.

Stay tuned to learn more about this restoration, and about the exciting future home for this frame.

Have questions about restored barns? Dream of living in a timber frame home?

Contact me!
Luke – 802.774.8972 | Luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com

Below – enjoy more pictures from the roofing project!

Tenons on the Pawlet Corn Crib rafters

Tenons on the Pawlet Corn Crib rafters

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Rafter tails with swoops on the Pawlet Corn Crib

An Ingenious Corn Crib

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Corn Crib for Sale in Vermont

I first looked at this corn crib for sale last spring. The owner of the property called me, and in his very Vermont way explained that there was a barn on his property that his family could no longer maintain. The property had been in his family for quite some time, and he wanted this barn to be saved. I took a drive to Montpelier, I took a look, and I fell in love.

Old barns for sale_timber frame barn

I purchased the timber frame and we recently disassembled the barn. It was a “corn crib,” a name that applies to a very specifically designed barn. As the name implies, it was used for the drying and storing of corn as well as oats and other food stuff from the garden.

A Corn Crib Built to Last

As the farmer whose family has lived here for three generations told me: “When you moved onto a raw piece of land back in the day, you didn’t much care about your first house. You put something up quick to keep you dry and not frozen, and then you built something real nice to preserve food for the winter.” Well, the craftsmen who built this corn crib did it “real nice.”

Old barns for sale_timber frame barn_with staircase

These stairs lead to a lovely second floor with a steep roof pitch and two windows. We discovered two wooden barrels with sapling dovetailed rings that were tucked into bins. Sawdust was packed tightly around the barrels inside the bins, and it was clear that something very precious and sensitive to heat had been stored in these.

corn crib timber frame rafters

A Remarkable Louvered System

In order to dry and then preserve the corn, the walls were sided with an ingenious louvered system. The siding itself is narrow and gapped to allow lots of air movement through that would dry the corn out after harvest. However, the corn also had to be protected from rainstorms and drifting Vermont snow.

The solution? The builders crafted louvers that can rotate on wooden pegs to close the gaps between the siding. handcrafted louvers_old barn for sale

louvers_old barn for sale

The louvers were attached to each other by small staples so that they could be swung shut in gangs when the farmer saw a storm blowing in. It gave me great pause for reflection when I found a few kernals of corn left behind — from how many decades or even a century before? Of course, I had to save them to see if these corn seeds would germinate in my garden. (Stay tuned)

antique corn crib_corn seeds

We started the disassembly a few weeks ago by removing the roofing and then carefully labeling each roof board.

As we removed the roof boards, we were delighted to discover a name, scrawled in large red cursive, across several of the boards. The letters were faded, but readable. old timber frame barn_roof boards

A Peek into the History of the Corn Crib

Later that evening, I showed the property owner these boards, and it led to him sketching out for me more of the story of his farm. His great-grandfather had worked for someone with the same last name that we discovered on the boards. The gentleman was elderly and apparently farming was not easy, neither physically nor financially. He was unable to fully pay his farm help for the last few years of work on the farm. When the last family member died, the farm was left to the hired hand who had been loyal and worked without pay. That is how the family that I bought this corn crib from came to own the property.

Soon enough, we were down to the bare frame, which is hand hewn beech and pine.

small timber frame barn for sale

After labeling the floorboards, we popped out the ash tree pegs, and began tipping down the bents.

Carefuly Disassembly of the Corn Crib

We were grateful to the maple trees that stood sentry at the entrance as we were disassembling this small 18×22 frame by hand- without the use of a crane or other motorized equipment. In fact, we were able to disassemble this frame without ever firing the generator we had brought with us. It was a frame put up without electrical tools, and one that we took down with only minimal use of our battery tools.

vintage corn crib_tipping up

We labeled every mortise and tenon joint, and after 6 work days start to finish, the frame was down. We shipped the vintage beams and boards back to our shop and cleaned up the site of the structure.

Vermont site_barn restoration

I found it incredibly poignant to see the trees still standing around the perimeter of where this adorable corn crib has stood for two hundred years. I am proud and grateful, to and for the family that has cared for, used, and maintained this building for generations, to our skilled and careful team who took the time to pull each peg with conscientiousness and care, and to the trees from whom this frame was built so very long ago.

Are you looking for a corn crib for sale?

Let me know – I’d love to help.
Luke – (802) 774-8972 | luke@GreenMountainTimberFrames.com

 

Green Mountain Timber Frames Has a New Home

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If you’ve been following the Green Mountain Timber Frames Facebook page, this is old news, but I know that not everyone has heard…

We have a new home!

Green Mountain Timber frames staff

The GMTF team our new property!

That’s right, GMTF has purchased a brand new homebase in our hometown of Middletown Springs, VT. In fact – fittingly – the new property is located right near the home of GMTF founder, Dan McKeen.
When Dan started the company over 30 years, he could not have imagined how it would grow. I have been honored to take over the reigns and build up a team of talented, caring and fun-loving staff members who join me in restoring historic buildings and perserving the oldest barn frames and timber structures of Vermont and New England. Together, we look forward to carrying on Dan’s dedication and passion for restoration and the preservation of history.

So what’s the new property?

As a team, we had been looking for some time to move our restoration shop to a larger and more open piece of land, and we found just the right place to dismantle and restore our many old barns for sale.
In choosing a piece of land, I had three key priorities:
  1. First, I am deeply committed to staying in the beautiful little mountain town of Middletown Springs. With a tight-knit community, small school and beautiful setting, this town where Green Mountain Timber Frames began has been supportive and it is home for the majority of our team.
  2. Second, I wanted a space with plenty of open space for restoration work, careful storage of timbers, and that has the room to stand up some of our vintage frames. I also needed it to be on a paved road so that we can get large trucks and trailers in and out all year- even in Vermont’s famous mud season! In a town with only a few miles of paved road, this really narrowed down the options.
  3. Third, I wanted a space that would be beautiful and conducive to creative work.
Well, this property has it all!

Green Mountain Timber Frames New Barn Home

The site currently has a small house and one large barn. We will be brainstorming and planning for how best to facilitate our restoration work on vintage barns, corn cribs and post and beam structures of all shapes and sizes. The spot also boasts a gorgeous 14-acre meadow, where we had a team celebration the afternoon of the closing.
 Green Mountain Timber frames new home in Vermont_2