Renovating the Maple Barn

Update #2 (04/17) - Behr & Ella Return!

We are nearly three weeks into the Maple Barn Renovation project, both excited and tired. Anyone who has renovated an old building can empathize with the surprises and the twists and turns as you move forward.

Behr and Ella have been out of their paddock too long according to them, and with their portion of the Maple Barn ready, we laid down rubber mats, hung Nibblenets, put a new salt block in the corner, and filled the water trough, so they could come home! It was exciting walking them back up, and showing them around. Everything had to be sniffed and explored, but it will be a much more comfortable space.

The other three stalls are framed out, and we hope to see them completed shortly. Then we can start on the mini paddock! Photos below; more to follow as we get closer!

Update #1 (04/06) - We've Made the Match, Let the Destruction Begin!

Thanks to a wonderful response from over 120 caring supporters, we have met our $10K match!! And that means we are close to meeting our $22K estimated total goal for this special renovation of our beloved Maple Barn.

So this past week, we prepared for the crew's arrival, first by relocating several horses that still had access to the Maple Barn, and shuffling everyone below in closer quarters, all safe and out of the path. We also needed to move our trailer and prepare for trucks and demo equipment! Then the crew arrived, and destruction of the old interior began!

All old walls and broken floor had to be ripped out to make way for the new. There were lots of odd remnants of old construction, various levels to the floors, including sections of concrete poured at different times, and at different heights. To create a level base, we brought in two truckloads of rock (two different grades) and moved it in bucket by bucket. The back corner needed to be raised up 18" to meet the rest of the barn floor. This was flattened and slightly graded for drainage, and the framework for the new stalls begun!

Enjoy the photos below, more to come as we progress!! We are grateful to everyone who is helping bring this vision to life, and if you still want to add your name to the gratitude wall, we welcome your contribution!

Mend and Make Do ... the Maple Barn Project!

Having built Rosemary Farm Sanctuary on a historic old family farm, we have many buildings whose original purpose has passed, while the buildings remain, with strong foundations, beautiful detail and a life of their own. Our Maple Barn is one of these, having had many lives over its 100+ year history. Today, with our growing need for dedicated spaces, we are turning our attention to repairing and repurposing this little gem!

We have a plan, our contractor is scheduled, and we are pulling materials to re-use where possible. We have $2,000 contributed to get us started. And we have a devoted supporter who knows the value of this project to our long term sustainability, and has offered a $10,000 MATCHING GRANT!! That means $10,000 donated here will become the $20,000 needed to make this concept a reality (our total estimated cost is $22,000).

Every single donor will be included on a "gratitude wall" in the renovated building, and be part of our ongoing history. We also have "stall naming rights" available on two stalls, each for a $1K donation. If you are interested in giving at that level, email us (info@rosemaryfarm.org) and let's talk, but every donation of every size is needed and appreciated!

Please consider a donation to the "new again" Maple Barn and double your dollars today!

See below for photos and sketches of the renovations, and the project list we're tackling.

PHOTOS AND RENDERING OF RENOVATIONS

Front view of the Maple Barn today, the near side facing the farmhouse and looking out on the main property.

Lower windows on the near side will be converted to double Dutch doors for two mini stalls that will open onto a dedicated mini turn out area. Existing rabbit hutch to be removed and ground leveled. Turnout will include a multi-side panel set-up for Nibble Nets, much like we use at Ella's Place, to encourage movement around the space.

Interior of Maple Barn, near side, which will house the Mini's. The current long narrow run in space will be divided into two stalls that open onto the turnout via double Dutch doors. A third mini stall will be on the back wall and provides access through the other stalls or out the main sliding door.

Interior of Maple Barn, far side, which will be home to Ella & Behr, residents of the Maple Field. The current long narrow run in space will be replaced with a wider, more draft-appropriate run-in/stall combo connecting directly to the Maple Field. Behind the stall wall we will put the old staircase back in, providing access to the upper floor.

FLOORPLANS

Current layout. Long narrow run-ins on left and right, center storage and chicken coop.

Future layout. Mini stalls on the right side; a stall for Behr & Ella on the left side. Rebuilt staircase in the back with access to the upper floor for hay & grain storage.

PROJECT LIST

• Strip floor, any decaying board and walls, add cement footers under new supports; add new support beams
• Remove the old rabbit coop, grade land for small paddock, add fencing
• Rebuild windows into double Dutch stall doors
• Add rock base inside the entire floor area inside, layer and tamp down
• Build three stalls inside to specs
• Remove exhaust, rewire electric out of the path of equines
• Rebuild/reinforce the opening to the second floor, recreate the missing staircase to the second floor
• Excavate the 18” buildup on the far side of the barn
• Create new larger stall with two full sized horse doors, Dutch design (one facing outside and one facing the interior, both designed to lay flat when open
• Rebuild the broken sliding doors on the front of the barn
• Replace the window that will be facing into the new grain room (back left corner of barn)
• New secure door to the new grain room
• New paint (may need to wait for better weather!)
• Cut rubber mats for the four new stall spaces