Background

The farm, founded in the 1970’s, was once a fully furnished and thriving 4-H clubhouse, but had since fallen into disrepair. I stumbled across this rural oasis in the city by accident when a monthly newsletter from a waste management company describing the farm found its way to my dining room table. After contacting the farm’s supervisor, I found the farm began to insinuate itself to me as it came to occupy my thoughts. Manure covered the animal stalls, cobwebs blanketed the rafters, and rotting posts barely held up the roof. Somehow, I fell in love with the farm and the youth who used it to raise their fair animals. As the project lead, I spent the next few years repairing and building up the farm to make it safer and more useful for the animals and their caretakers.

Animals Stalls

On the left, is an image of the state of the animal stalls before we started work. The image on the right shows the updated stalls complete with brand new doors, repaired dividers, and a fresh coat of paint.

Barn Doors

Throughout my time on the farm, we were able to give the side of the main barn a new coat of paint and rebuild the main barn doors (painted in 4-H green).

Outdoor Animal Stall Roof

The roof covering the outdoor animal stalls was completely rotted away and required a total rebuild. My team and I were able to tear down the old roof and safely construct a stronger and better stall covering.

Solar Lighting System

The farm is off the grid, which meant that the only way to supply reliable lighting to the inside of the barn was to install a solar lighting system. We were able to compile parts ordered online with marine batteries to create a reliable and safe solar lighting system.