The interior also contains a granary alongside the drive-through as this was where threshing of grain was done before the era of the combine began in the 1940�s.  Also located here were two draft horse stalls and the bottom of a hay chute through which feed was pitched down from the mow for winter feeding.   

Installing Roof Sheathing.

The Freiburgers carefully planned the lighting to fit the barn�s new adaptive use�a family social center and a wildlife viewing site from platforms located high in the loft.  The main floor features 42-100 watt lights in eight dimmer zones, the loft, 16-90 watt flood lights with two zones of dimmers and the exterior two-90 watt flood lights over the main entrance and a light activated mercury vapor at the barn�s rear. 

The culmination of two-years of planning and execution was the October 15, 2005 barn warming for 85 family members and friends.  The bar was in a horse stall, buffet tables lined the granary wall and the music was staged at the far end of the drive-through with dancing between the two-lofts.  Clear skies, a full moon and balmy temperature made this evening a perfect beginning for the Freiburgers �new, old� barn. 

Board and Batten Siding; the Windmill has since been Repaired and Repainted.

The Board of the MBPN concurred with the outcome of Jim and Ann�s effort to produce an attractive �new, old� barn and in March 2006 presented the Freiburgers a co-award in the �Continuing Agricultural or Adaptive Family Use� category. 

More photos during and after the restoration

By Charles Leik, September, 2006.

Posted September 18, 2006