Demolition

Last week the earth moving contractor started us on the trail towards our new hog farrowing house. The trackhoe knocked down and buried a thirty five foot silo built in about 1960 as well as a Quonset style shed built in 1952 and used to house the cattle the silo fed. The entire enterprise, my father's effort was abandoned before we came to the farm in 1977. The silo has sat empty and unused since about 1972 and the shed was used for bedding and machine storage until it became unsafe last year. The buildings needed to go, and we need the new hog facility. But it is still a bit difficult to see it happen. The shed has been a part of my mental furniture my entire life and I have clear memories of unloading silage from the silo in the company of my father and brother. As the trackhoe brought down first the south side, I could see once again into the structure and look at the doors as they looked fifty years ago when the three of us stood up there on the pile in the cold of winter, swinging those silage forks over and over, dispatching the feed through the door and down to the waiting cattle. Warm feet, cold noses, and plenty of exercise. But now its on to the next thing. Make way for the new! For now, the barn stands alone on its hill . We will keep you posted on progress. Jim