The pandemic has made us more aware of the need to have earned income and to be self-sustaining. The farm has the most potential as food is a necessary commodity all the time, no matter the circumstances. For some time now, we have looked for ways to improve the farm. Thanks to special donations designated for the farm, our buildings have been made safer for our animals and more day-old chicks have been purchased.
Removing buildings that are no longer usable to make room for our expanding poultry production is a step needed. Demolition is a part of improvement.
Benjamin, our maintenance manager (in the red hat), and his crew of three carefully remove the roof tiles. They will be given as promised to the woman who sold us this piece of farmland. It has been a long time coming and she has been patient.
We used the building as a place to store bulk food for animals. Finally, after feeding mice, other larger rodents, birds, and heaven knows what other creatures who stole our animal food, this old shed is coming down. It is a mud-brick structure. Mud here is red. Age and weather also have also taken their toll.
We now store animal food in this well-constructed building.
There are screens on the windows to keep out birds. There is a door that closes to keep out uninvited guests. It’s definitely a safer place to store animal food and necessary wood chips for baby chicks.
There is a story connected to the old building.
This was the only building on the piece of land when we bought it 14 years ago. The older woman, Esperance, who sold it to us, wanted the tiles from the roof. Now, I ask you, what good would a building be without a roof? I refused, but I promised her when we tore down the building, we would give her the tiles.
For several years she came almost every week to make sure we had not taken the building down and kept the tiles. She was keeping her eye on her roof tiles. I don’t blame her. I was determined to keep my promise to her. That was my first direction when the old building was to come down: “Remove the tiles carefully and call the lady and let her know she can come for her promised tiles.” Bless her heart. She came to see if it was for real and when all the tiles were removed, she and helpers loaded the tiles into a truck and took them away. She was very pleased that at last, the tiles were hers.
Yes, now 14 years later, the dear lady has her roof tiles. We have kept our promise.
The roof is off. The tiles are gone. Progress in action.
The mud-brick, shed-type building was in bad shape when we purchased the land. The rodents in this building were a danger to our baby chicks. No more predators.
All that remains.