Organizing the Equipment Barn on a Rainy Day
Here at my Bedford, New York farm, even rainy days can be extremely productive.
Whenever it's stormy outside and my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew are unable to work in the woods or gardens, I encourage them to take stock of the equipment, clean everything, and then organize all the tools and supplies. After I bought this property, it became quickly apparent that I would need a large building to store equipment. The structure is about 40 by 120 feet, with a substantial amount of height. It is where we keep our mowers, blowers, tractors, tools, and other pieces of important machinery. Yesterday, while it rained for hours, my foreman Chhiring Sherpa cleared the space, cleaned, organized, and inspected every item before returning it neatly to its spot, so everything is in good order and ready to use. Keeping things well maintained and properly stored will always save time in the long run.
Enjoy these photos.
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- I wanted this Equipment Barn to be an attractive structure in an easy-to-access location. This building is just off the carriage road next to my Pin Oak Allée, hay barn, and vegetable greenhouse. This is one of two giant sliding doors – one at each end.
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- On top of the standing seam aluminum roof, I have three lead-coated copper finials. In winter, these can be seen clearly from across the paddocks.
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- Inside, the Equipment Barn is well lit with these big overhead lamps. I use very utilitarian lighting and fans where I can on the farm.
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- Natural light also comes through these windows.
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- In the back corner, we have this bank of lockers for the crew. Everyone has their own set of lockers where they can store safety equipment, extra shoes, clothing, and other personal items.
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- Each set of lockers is labeled. Safety helmets are kept on top for easy reach. There’s plenty of room for everyone.
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- On this rainy day, I asked that the equipment barn be well organized. All the pieces of equipment are brought out onto the driveway for inspection and cleaning.
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- Chhiring makes sure each piece of equipment is in perfect working order. Then, using a power washer, he thoroughly cleans each piece, so it is ready to use. This is my Kubota ZD1211-60 zero turn riding mower. It has a 24.8 horsepower diesel engine and a wide mower deck.
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- Once it is cleaned, Chhiring parks it back in the barn, in a designated spot, where it can easily be driven out when needed.
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- We have a fleet of Kubota mowers. They are used almost daily during the warmer months.
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- Our blowers are made by STIHL. We’ve been using STIHL’s backpack blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering much lower emissions.
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- This is STIHL’s backpack battery and hand blower. The backpack battery eliminates the cost of fuel and engine oil and can be used with several other useful accessories.
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- STIHL’s most well-known tool is the chainsaw. STIHL designed and built its first electric chain saw in 1926 and 94 years later, it is still one of its best pieces of equipment. The chainsaw has soft grips for comfortability and secure maneuverability.
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- Ladders of various sizes rest against one wall close to one set of large barn doors.
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- All the garden tools – hoes, spades, shovels, and rakes are hung on sturdy hooks.
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- On this section of wall, we hang all the leaf blowers, long handled hedge trimmers, and weed-whackers – also by STIHL.
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- This is our wood chipper – an important piece of equipment at the farm. I am fortunate to have this machinery to chip fallen or cut branches and then return them to the woodland for top dressing various areas. It has a special parking spot in one corner of the space.
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- I keep this vintage Allis-Chalmers tractor from the 1940s in this barn also. It reminds us how much these farm pieces have evolved over the years.
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- These broadcast spreaders are cleaned and then suspended on hooks, so they are out of the way.
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- Blowers, tillers, edgers, walk behind mowers, and generators are all parked by type and frequency of use.
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- We even have an area to store spare tires.
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- Once everything is back in place, the rugged cement floors are all blown of debris, swept, and washed. At nght, this barn also accommodates all our farm vehicles. So much can fit into this Equipment Barn, especially when it is clean and all the tools are properly put away.
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