Barn owners will have a chance to learn from nationally renowned timber framer Rudy Christian who will present "Repairing Historic Barn Frames" at Indiana Barn Foundation's fourth annual meeting on July 22 at the Indiana State Fairgrounds. In its first ever two-day event, IBF will also offer a Friday Barnstorming Bus Tour on July 21, where Christian and other barn experts will act as "barn detectives" and share insights on six historic Hancock/Madison county barns.
Friday's chartered bus tour will leave Greenfield, Ind. at 9 a.m. for stops at six historic barns, including Indiana's largest round barn, the Littleton-Kingen barn, and a unique 10-sided barn built in 1914. The group will be joined by county historians who will share their knowledge of the two counties, and barn experts will be on hand to point out often-overlooked features and clues to age and construction.
The bus will leave at 9 a.m. from Greenfield's County Inn and Suites, where a bloc of rooms has been reserved for overnight guests. A limited number of seats for the bus tour are available. Lunch at a working farm is included in the price of this trip.
On Saturday, IBF's fourth annual meeting will take place at the Normandy Barn. This all-day event is a chance for barn enthusiasts from all walks of life to celebrate Indiana's iconic barns, which are disappearing at an alarming rate. The keynote speaker is Rudy Christian, founding member and past president of the Timber Framers Guild. Christian has served as a consultant for preservation projects across the globe, and received achievement awards for his work in historic preservation.
Other speakers will include Purdue's Doug Hurt, who recently released the book "American Agriculture," and Ball State's Chris Baas, an expert on hay press barns.
A highlight of Saturday's event will be a panel discussion by barn owners who have repurposed their barns in "Old Barns, New Ventures." In the face of ever-changing agricultural practices, Indiana's traditional wooden barns have sometimes been seen as impractical. Tabouhese grand structures has enjoyed a resurgence of interest as more are being repurposed into bed and breakfasts, farm to fork restaurants, and popular wedding sites. This is an opportunity to learn from Hoosiers who have taken the step of repurposing their barns, as they share experiences and answer questions.
This year's annual meeting will be held in honor of Mauri Williamson, founding IBF board member and life-time friend to Indiana agriculture, who passed away in January.
Lunch and live music is included in the price of tickets.
This year's annual meeting and Bus Barn Tour is open to the public and will be a unique opportunity to connect and network.
To register, visit www.indianabarns.org and click on Events, or call 260/437-7800 or 574/342-3812.