Finding Dory, and a Decent Sized Outbuilding to Keep Her in.

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As you all know, building a milk house/storage building out of tires is a no-go this spring. Thanks again Illinois EPA, you're a peach.

Instead we are driving about the area in search of a building we can move here. We considered another grain bin but framing this one in with all it's round walls was no picnic, and design wise, a boring old rectangular building will meet our needs best.

We have found a farmer who has agreed to move the building for us, once we find it, provided it does not interfere with his planting schedule. Thus if we can't find an appropriate structure soon, the move will have to wait till May. Not the end of the world, but the sooner we can get a building here, the more time we'll have to finish the inside, make repairs, paint etc...We are after all on a tight budget and expect whatever building we can afford will be a fixer-upper, which we can handle. It just has to be sturdy enough to move and in better shape than the old beauty above.

The good news is this, we may have found a building already! We noticed it sitting out in a field awhile back, located about 12 miles from us, and it appears perfect...from a distance. All metal (with a good amount of age appropriate rust) it looks quite sturdy and able to be moved. Since it is surrounded by fields, all the way up to its walls, it seems unlikely it's being used for storage, and its removal would be more land for the farmer to plow. Today Keith located the field in our Plat Map book and the phone calling began.

I started with a gentleman who sold us some doors two years ago, he lived about a mile away from said building. Yes, he did know who was farming that land and gave me a name and phone number but before you go, he said, how did those doors work out for you? I explained they were still in storage at our daughter's house, that we'd use them for a bigger house we might build one day. The tire house? he asked. And off we went for 10 minutes about THAT topic.

Eventually I was able to hang up and contact the man who farmed the land around the building in question. That man's wife answered and it took awhile for her to understand the nature of my call. Eventually she gave me her husbands cell phone number...which I called. He answered but was more suspicious than his wife. Yet, after I mentioned some other farmers we know and he mentioned some he knew and we finally landed on a couple we both knew-whew-he decided I was legit.

He admitted they were not using the building and the owner of the land was not using the building and maybe it could be sold. What do you think a building like that is worth? He asked. I suggested Keith and I take a look inside and then maybe we could agree on something. You do that, he said, you take your man out there, then call me, then I'll call the farm manager and then we'll just see.

"We'll see",  he said. Now, if that isn't a done deal, I don't know what is.



P.S. Blogger and I continue to struggle. Due to a huge influx of spam the last month or so getting past my block settings, I went into comment moderation mode. But while rereading comments made on last two posts, and then approving them and commenting on them myself, they suddenly disappeared. PLEASE KEEP MAKING COMMENTS, I'll get this blogger issue fixed I promise.