This summer, Mile Jenness of Vermont Heavy Timber, with the help of his skilled crew, disassembled the West Barn at Vermont Family Forests’ Anderson Wells Farm–step one in a complete restoration of this historic barn. Before deconstruction, the crew carefully labeled each timber. Materials that were structurally sound remained near the barn site, neatly stacked and ready for the reassembly process. Other timbers needed repair, so were stacked separately and hauled to Miles’ shop. Some timbers were too far gone to reuse or repair. These will be replaced, using matching materials and joinery techniques.

All that remains of the 1860-era bank barn is its crumbling foundation. Restoration of the foundation will begin in early September, and Miles and crew will raise the barn again once this is complete.