We like to let Mason have free range with the digital camera every now and then. Kids have such a unique view on the world and it’s nice to get a glimpse into it once in a while. The web doesn’t do it justice. Mason will be selling prints of his picture. We are also looking into having it on display at Prairie Blue (our coffee house/art gallery here in Jefferson). If you would like to order a print, email Reagan We plan on offering it in 8×10 unframed for $30. A framed 8×10 (white mat with black frame) is $75.

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A good friend of ours, Kevin Wilbeck, recently found an article he has started for the Raccoon River Valley Trail. It was to entice buyers for property along the trail, but he never finished it. This article was about the exact chuck of land that became known as Two Barn Farm. I would have sworn he wrote our thoughts on it. Here it is now:

The Bike Retreat

There is this strand of DNA that I inherited from my dad that I am sure is strongly tied to his farm upbringing. This is the gene that sometimes keeps me up at night. Regardless of the condition of anything used or discarded or even new this gene lights up a portion of my brain that says “Hey you could do something with that!” If you moved this over there, fixed that, modified this, and used that piece gathering dust in the barn you could turn this into something with a brand new purpose.

This gene has instructed me to convert feed bin supports into a platform and ladder for a zip line, a windowless feed shed into a comfortable bike shop; a boar’s shed into a camping shelter, and a four door Pontiac into a 150 mph race car. It is currently instructing me to start gutting the inside of our corn crib so that it can be converted to a guest house someday. This same thought process occurs when I look at some of the properties available along the Raccoon River Valley Trail.

There is this barn on the Bill Ecklund property next to the trail offered by Marso-Peckhamn Realty that intrigues me. It intrigues me enough that I have visited it three times. The barn has this amazing hay loft with curved laminated beams that leaves the entire space void of structural supports. Sure it’s a little rough but it is also solid and straight. So what has my little gene turned this into? The first floor would have four bedrooms but the loft would be one large living, dining, and kitchen “cathedral”. Since the loft is so tall you might have a “floating” upper deck or stairs up to a quiet reading or bedroom loft. Now picture big, beautiful Gothic style (think church windows) windows at each end of the loft that mimic the curve of the roof.

Imagine you and your friends sitting in this cathedral, sipping your favorite beverage after a satisfying day on the Raccoon River Valley Trail. After dinner you can spend a little time outside on your three acre recreational playground. For you that may be a garden, or putting green, or ball field, or horseshoe pits, or volleyball, or campfire pit, or whatever. Or maybe you just completely detoxify in the quiet created by a hammock and the lack of noisy surroundings. Now imagine that people would pay you for the opportunity to stay in this great abbey on weekends when you aren’t using it. Or better yet convert the curved roof corn crib on the east end of the property to your permanent residence so you can bike every day and offer the barn as a full-time rental.

A lakeside cabin is great if you can find an affordable one and have a boat. A mountain condo is great if you enjoy skiing and like flying out to it a few times a year. If you really like bicycling how about a bike retreat with access to over one hundred miles of trail, more than a dozen great towns, and located within 45 minutes of Des Moines? If I had a rich uncle I would be sitting in this great vaulted space right now.

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For some strange reason, Reagan and I have been craving Mexican food the lasr week or so. After work on Friday night, it was off for another big city escape. This time we went to neighboring Perry. Downtown we found Case De Oro which had a impressive menu, great service, and even though the margarita was a little watered down by Sweet and Sour mix, it was tasty and had quality ingredients. I still miss the Cactus Grill in Colorado.
We walked around for a little bit, as we once saw a sign for a bike shop at the Highland Elk. Then we realized, it was in another section of town once we checked for the address. We finished up by hitting the Hi-vee grocery store. It does have a better selection than our Fareway, and it’s open on Sundays. Mason found his ‘Fruit 9 from Outer Space’. 10 bonus points to the person that understands that reference. For everyone else, it is a Pomegranate that we cut into the next day.

I keep checking out the window on the drive home. I was seeing quite a few stars. When I looked as far up as I could, there were more. I know being in the country, and away from city lights cures the light pollution problem. This was a clear night, and we had not really stopped and looked yet. We swung off the road and over to Two Barn Farm. We walked away from the car, and looked around in the dark for a minute before really looking up. WOW!!!
I have never seem the sky so clearly. Reagan, who wasn’t the most thrilled to be going out, was floored when she looked up and saw our own Milky Way first thing. It was so bright and clear, and there were many details visible. There really were too many stars to find constallations. We even saw one shooting star. After a good 10-15 minutes of stargazing, we finally went home. Hey you, support Dark Sky

Saturday was work day. The bathroom got prepped for a new floor, the living room found it’s original hardwood floor, and there was quite a bit of clean-up inside and in the garage. Reagan hung a new dining room light, while I ducked away for a quick spin out of the county and back on the Raccoon River Valley Trail. Since then, the bathroom is seeing new tile.

Sunday morning brought the next piece of excitement for the farm. A Swisher trailmower. It’s one of those towable mower decks, with it’s own engine. You can hook it up behind an ATV, a tractor, or even next to a tractor. The arm lets it offset if you already have a mower deck. This way, you can mow double your normal width. We bought this used from someone on Craigslist near Linden. Later in the afternoon, I got this hooked up and mowing felt like progress for once. Each lap around the corn crib seemed wider than the lap before. It was actually clear-cutting our weed infested farm land too. I pushed back the growth back to all the original lines, and then some. Mowing the ditches was easy as well.

I filled up the truck with some of the junk that had been accumulating around the farm, such as parts from the old well. I also went to check out the barn a little more in depth and fixed up some of the doors. The haymow is still wonderful, but looks like a disco ball is shinning. The south edge of the peak seemed to been stripped of shingles during that little tornado. Yes, we did find some more damage, time for a new roof as we are missing a chunk of ours now.

We have two main goals before winter. The first is to get some concrete work done along the east end of the corn crib. This will seal the trenches off and give us a sill to build the end wall on. Hopefully we can do both ends in one pour. Having the forms in place would also give us a great opportunity to do the frost protection on all the concrete. Why dig the same hole twice? Getting the crib enclosed around the bottom is a big goal, and would be huge in getting a place to store things, and possibly run some heaters from now until spring to continue to do some weekend work.

The other task, is to start re-roofing the barn. The west side is the worst. I wonder, if we can get away with roofing half the barn? It is such a huge roof, it will cost some $$$. If we replace the west side first, the holes will be gone, and I bet we can salvage enough cedar shingles to patch the small holes on the east side. That could hold things dry until spring, and a few extra paychecks come in.

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“Hi, my name is Reagan, and I am a bottled water addict”

Rich has been bugging me for a while now to stop getting bottled water. Bottled water has been my guilty little indulgence for the past year or two. To help with the guilt, I would refill the empty bottles with tap water. So it would take me about 3 months to go through a 24 pack of individually bottled water. You see, I wasn’t really after the water, it was the container. I like the close-ability so I can chuck it anywhere without spillage. I like the portability, plus if I lost or misplaced it, no big deal! I’d just get a new one.

So after some discussions with family members over the perils and evils of plastic containers, I have MADE A CHANGE. I am hereby giving up my bottled water habit. I have finally gotten used to the drinking water here in Jefferson, so I don’t have any more excuses. I purchased a SIGG bottle. Wow! My brother, Blake has one and raves about it. I thought he was nuts. Anyway, the water inside tastes a-m-a-z-i-n-g. It is the first time I have ever tasted water without tasting it’s container too. I got the carabiner and rubber “noose” so I can clip the bottle on my bag for hands-free water portage. After only 3 days, I’m in love!

So go ahead, kick your bottled water habit! Let’s save some non-renewable resources. If I can do it, you can too!

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There was lots to do heading into Labor day weekend. We went to the last Summer on the Square for this year. We sat around on the grass, talking with friends meeting new ones. Rich even won a raffle prize. A very nice “refreshment basket” that was full of Boulevard Beer and customized pop corn. Very cool!

Friday night we went to the BIG CITY of Ames to our east. We usually prefer to find locally owned restraunts, but couldn’t resist the call of calzones from Old Chicago. We definitely are going to do restaurant research before our next trip.

Saturday was FINISH SIDING on the Corn Crib DAY! It took us about 5 hours, but we got every single piece up and finished the north side. It looks great! It get me excited to move on to our next project. . .concrete work. Something is living in our camper that we left out there for a base of operations. I think we are going to sell it since we now have a close place to go to for showers, naps, and food. Know anyone?

Okay, so technically this isn’t and event from the weekend, but it is a fun story. Every year, after the pool behind our house here closes (usually after Labor Day), they have a “Doggie Paddle” at the pool. It is $1 per paw to get in and free for their humans. The dogs have run of the pool. So Mason and I took Ozzie. I know he likes water, but was not sure if he could swim. I thought it was encouraging when he immediately jumped in. I don’t think Ozzie took into account the depth and that he would have to swim. He feebly made it back to the edge and begged to get out. Next stop was the kiddie pool That was more his speed. What a chicken! He and Mason had a great time though.

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