How do you replace wooden windows in an old brick farmhouse? Call your best one eyed carpenter. Nearly an impossible job as the building has settled and nothing is square. This we knew would require the skills of the one and only Jeff Coffin who has solved similar problems for and with us in the past. Jeff has spent a good part of April working thru the issues and the windows look great.
The other major improvement to the house is the removal of the ceiling in the great room. John Rohner painstakingly removed the plaster and then the lathe to find that the 5" dip in the ceiling was caused by the square nails holding the strapping, having given way. The floor joists between the hand hewn beams were very level and will not require additional structural work. Ron Pare the electrician who rewired the first floor last year will soon be back to run a few more cables before we close up the ceiling.
Out on the farm, we cleared the acre north of the orchard for expansion of the fruit trees and we cleared the ridge field back to the stone wall to the east. While the stumping is not yet complete, we now have the land to plant grapes and berries where they belong. Mark Fulford, our soils adviser made a recent visit and has given us guidance on the next steps to prep for the new planting areas.
Out in the big field the fall crop of oats did well and we are preparing to plant again within a few weeks. Above the tillage field, we began clearing for an equipment barn late last year. David Hallowell our sitework contractor has been busy and has cleared some more after advising us to move the barn back up the hill. We have added an irrigation pond in our laydown yard and stone cribs for storing rock, mulch and compost.
Bradley was home several weekends this winter for skiing at Sugarloaf and he managed to add some ideas to how things should look and work. Pictured below from left to right are, John Rohner, Bradley Abbott and David Hallowell.
