Omar's fear of fire extended to his home as well. Uncomfortable about sleeping under the same roof as a furnace, he had a steam heating system installed in the garage, with pipes running the hot water into the house. A connoisseur of old farm buildings would say Good Enough is a modest way to describe these farms. Each of the four historic barns is a masterpiece in itself. Use a barn, save a barn All four barns have been carefully maintained through the years.
Preservation is ongoing.
We replace materials only when needed, but we do it with appropriate materials. That means a coat of paint every 10 years or so, periodic repairs to roofs, siding, doors and windows, and in some cases installing steel rods in the haymows to keep the barns straight. Awards are given for the best examples of older barns adapted for new farming uses and for preservation of an entire farm or ranch complex. The deadline for receiving applications for the 2002 awards is July 15, 2001. Sid and Joey are proud of the family history the farms portray, from the stately Westleigh bank barn to the handmade gate hinges and latches made from iron by a 1930s farmhand.