The Evolution of Atlas: A Breeding (and Chat) Thread

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Big red barns in Wisconsin are all falling down and going away as family based farmers are getting replaced by big farmers with cows on dry lots and fancy milking parlor.

When a barn no longer contains cows, the barn begins to die. Barns need that moisture and life that animals provide. They need the hay loft full of hay to not dry out all winter. So when the animals go the barn begins to die.

When we moved here our barn had the typical big hay loft, but unfortunately it was already in disrepair and falling down. We did remove the top, and built a smaller roof on the good part of the foundation. It only contains extra junk now, not hay.

Not too often do new old fashioned barns get built here. Sometimes the Amish still do have barn raisings. It's kinda sad, but I guess that's progress.

 

[1muttsfan]

I'm sorry about Maretta. She was such a lovely girl.

Lots of old barns up here succombed to the heavy snow this winter. They have been slowly deteriorating for years - often in the 100+ range - but the weight this year was the last straw.

 

[speckledhen]

Maretta was a really wonderful hen, thank you, Mary. She was so smart and funny and wanted us to take care of her the last few weeks. Now, on the heels of Gypsy, it's extra hard, but I'll never miss any as much as Gypsy, I'm sure.

So sad about the old barns. I loved my grandfather's barns. I hope they're still standing.
Pics of two of the barns for you, though I think you've seen them already, no idea what the wood was they were constructed of. The one where my horse is and where I'm on the mule was fairly close to the house. And the one where my dad is with the Angus cows was back at the cow pasture and both cows and pigs were in that one, divided from each other, of course.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Love the mule. I always like the look of older photographs. They make me feel all nostalgic.

 

[speckledhen]

He plowed with a pair of mules a red and a black one. He called them Red and Black, so original, LOL. There were always kittens born in the hay loft of that barn. We'd go up there and look every time we went.

 

[1muttsfan]

Nice fat cows too.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

He plowed with a pair of mules a red and a black one. He called them Red and Black, so original, LOL. There were always kittens born in the hay loft of that barn. We'd go up there and look every time we went. View attachment 1781801

So adorable. Back than everything was utilitarian, even livestock names.

I always had my hands full of kittens too as a kid. I got scratched in the eye once, and caught cat scratch fever which apparently was a real thing back than. Now I prefer dogs.

 

[getaclue]

Cat scratch fever is still areal thing even today.

 

[seminolewind]

Speaking of old hens, another is gone. She went into the hole I had dug for Georgie awhile back, who seems to have made a fabulous recovery from her "episode"/stroke/whatever it was.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ors-in-our-flock.727211/page-23#post-21368016

Sorry you lost an old hen! It's always hard.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

Cat scratch fever is still areal thing even today.

I thought it was just a song.