Barn Raising Blog

Before we even dug the trench, we purchased our frost-free hydrant from our local Tractor Supply Company (where would all of us be without them!). Once shut off, the frost-free hydrants allow water to drain back down, away from the metal top, discouraging freezing. And, if they do happen to freeze in really frigid weather, they are easily thawed with a little hot water. Here you see Kenny securing it with an extra post for stability.

By late spring the barn was built, the horses were in and settled and we were about at the end of our pre-determined budget. Kenny had purchased the electric wire to tie the barn into the house wiring, and rigged it up as a very long extension with one outlet to use for running power equipment while building the stalls. Similarly, he rigged a water line from the house, using heavy-duty plastic pipe that we would eventually bury, letting it sit on top of the ground during the warm summer months (see top photo). But the nights were getting cooler and the dusk was coming earlier and earlier, so we had our excavator, Tim Wise, dig a trench for the water & electric lines. He used a trenching machine, also known as a "Ditch Witch." At one point in the yard, he hit some really hard shale, so the trench took a little longer than planned, but by day's end, he and Kenny had the lines in and we were in business!