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June 9-10, 2000 Preserving and Restoring Old Barns: An On-Site Technical
Workshop
by Steve Kastner |
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INSTITUTE, WI - Inside the Team Leadership Center's barn over a hundred people have gathered from all
over the Midwest to talk and learn about saving barns. Roger Springman of the Wisconsin Dept. of Agriculture,
and President of Barns
N.O.W! opens by explaining some the goals of the organization:
- to develop strategies to increase awareness of historic farmstead buildings,
- to provide information on their history and preservation and
- to encourage legislation to help with rehabilitation and reuse.
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Springman explains, "Nothing like this has ever been held in Wisconsin before.
We are all an 'endangered species' - people who understand or appreciate the reasons for preserving old agricultural
buildings. |
He explains that often an old barn is destroyed because people expect to realize
a savings on property tax, and asks if anyone knows exactly what portion of their property tax is generated by
existing agricultural structures.
Roger proposes a plan, dividing us into two groups, each of which will board a bus and be transported to one of
two local barn restoration sites. |
| Six regionally and nationally known barn and agricultural building contractors are
waiting to instruct and demonstrate their techniques and strategies at the two sites. |
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After lunch both groups we will be transported to the other of two local barn sites
to experience the same program delivered in the morning. I travel by bus to both sites, observe demonstrations
and talk with experts onsite. |
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