People envy their neighbors for different reasons. Maybe it’s their inground pool or their stylish home renovation. Maybe it’s the shiny SUV in the driveway. Or maybe it’s their barn. Yes, their barn.

For several years, Arnie and Char Schwerin of Metamora, Michigan, lived next to a farmhouse that dates from the mid-1800s. The house was built in 1847, while a 24-by-68-foot portion of the Hand-hewn wood-frame barn may date from 1850.

The couple weren’t looking to buy a property, but when the farm went up for sale in 2006, they couldn’t pass up an opportunity to own it.

“We’ve always loved old barns,” says Arnie. “We admired this barn.” An honest case of barn envy.

At the time of the purchase, the couple were still working full time. The barn had no issues requiring immediate attention, so rather than leaving it empty which hastened a barn’s demise, they rented it out to a family who used its four stalls for their saddle horses.

Eight years later, retired and able to devote more time to the farm, the Schwerins put on their work gloves and tackle the renovations seriously.

“We started with the house, which still has the log-joist floor joists with the bark intact,” says Arnie. “Major interior upgrades have been made including new flooring and replacing half of the old wiring in the house. “

They moved into the farm, selling their neighboring house to a son. Then there was the removal of a dilapidated corn cradle and the modernization of the henhouse into a storage building.

Then their attention turned to the barn.

“I couldn’t find any stories about the barn and I’d like to know more,” says Arnie. “We know the previous owners built an addition in the early 1900s, which is the mansard roof section approximately 36 feet by 48 feet. The part of the basement, built into the hill, is still fitted out with 12 stanchions for the cows, a calf pen and a corridor for the cows where they could shelter from bad weather. According to the writing in concrete, it was sunk on July 12, 1937. Carefully cleaned, it serves as storage space.

Stop the leak

The first order of business for the barn repairs was to stop a leak that had started in the roof and add additional reinforcement to the beams, ensuring continued structural strength.

“The barn got a new coat of paint, top to bottom,” notes Arnie. “In 2018, we transformed the four horse boxes into parking spaces for two vehicles. The cereal room has become a private entertainment area with a bar.

“We found a variety of old tools and antiques when the barn was cleaned out,” adds Arnie. “Now we are always on the lookout for old objects to decorate inside and out. “

Over time, flooring in older barns often becomes uneven, stained, weak in places, or may even have missing planks as displacement, repetitive use, and weight have taken their toll.

“A local sawmill cut new boards that were 1.5 inches thick by 8 inches wide and 16 feet long,” says Arnie. “The new boards were screwed to the original boards. We chose pine to minimize the additional weight load.

He estimates that about two-thirds of the ground floor has been replaced. Steps have also been constructed from the ground floor of the barn to the downstairs milking parlor with a locked door for added security.

The interior of the barn being in good condition, attention has focused on the surroundings. In the old days, a team of horses, harnessed and ready to work, could have grazed near the barn, waiting for the farmer to grab the lines and head out to the field. Or a stray cow, looking for a little greener grass on the other side of its fence, could have been brought back to the barnyard by the farm dog nibbling at its heels.

Today, the landscaping showcases the barn like medals proudly pinned to a military uniform. The stone walls of the driveway were filled in and a walkway, wooden steps and flower beds were added. Some 25,000 pounds of pavers were imported.

The west wall at the back of the barn was covered with metal in 2019. In 2022, the north and south walls will be redone. To the east, a smaller part of the wood siding of the barn will be left natural. “We decided to go with metal to preserve the aging coating and retain the interior patina,” says Arnie.

“We had family reunions, weddings and birthdays in our barn,” says Char. “And we had a Michigan veterans reunion. Additionally, Reining in Warriors Ranch, a human-horse bonding program, is located next door and works with veterans suffering from PTSD. We organized three open days for them.

The Schwerin barn is only used for family and friends free of charge. Using the barn for profit would have required a more rigorous code compliance process.

Arnie and Char Schwerin easily say that their barn was worth the energy and resources they spent as happy owners. People who watched the barn come to life were in awe and praised along the way. Now some of them feel the urge to barn.

“It’s so nice to be a small part of saving the history of the barn,” agree the Schwerins. “All good.”

Arnett is the author of “American Barns” and co-founder of the Barn Believers Community Project Fund. Visit barnbelievers.org. Arnett writes from Battle Creek, Mich. Visit jancoreyarnett.com.