Blogs

Discover stories, insights, and technical know-how from barn owners, preservationists, and OBP experts dedicated to keeping Ontario’s barns standing tall.

All things Ontario Barns

The Peace Barn

by Alycin Hayes, Echo Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. I love old barns and wanted to share with you a few photos of my barn located on my organic farm/native wildlife sanctuary. I enjoyed the OBP article on...

A Great Drive to See Log Barns

by Jon Radojkovic Radojkovic, OBP Director I was happy when I saw the first log barn. I had expected to see some but after driving six hours from Grey County towards Renfrew through beautiful, mostly...

Wagon Door Hardware — Strap hinges and Pintles

by Claudia Smith, OBP Secretary By the mid-1800s, Ontario farmers were increasing their grain production and three-bay English barns became...

Haunted Barns! Part 2

PRESENCES INSPIRE PRESERVATION by Peter Roe It has often been noted that ghosts haunt any location where life has existed, be it a house, a hospital, a prison, an asylum, a battleground or a theatre...

Haunted Barns! Part 1

by Richard Palmisano. Nothing defines a farm from any other property then that of the majestic barn. The command-and-control centre for any operating farm, be it, to store, repair or prepare...

Canadian Barn Reference Book List

Contributed by Claudia Smith Secretary OBP If you are a barn lover who likes reading about old barns – their history, their important place in the Canadian economy over the decades and the fine...

Iowa Barn Tour: Part 1 of 2

State of Iowa fall barn 2023 tour This is post 1 of 2 in the series “Iowa Barn Tour” State of Iowa fall barn 2023 tour. Iowa Barn Tour: Part 2 of 2 Iowa Barn Tour: Part 1 of 2 by John Busch, OBP...

Rising Leviathans

How Barn Poetry Can Uncover Canadian History By Mikayla Barney, OBP Member and Volunteer Repurposing can come in many forms. The literary legacy of a structure can be just as important as the real...

Education in Eramosa: Part 2 – Exploring the OAC Dairy Barns

By Emma Rutledge In this month’s blog post, we have an article written by Emma Rutledge, who is a history student at University of Guelph. Experiential learning is a great way for students to get out...

Education in Eramosa

Part 1 – Exploring Farmer Tim’s Historic Barns Written by Emma Rutledge Foreword written and edited by Mikayla Barney In this month’s blog post, we have an article written by Emma Rutledge, who is a...

Iowa Barn Tour: Part 2 of 2

Zwingle Barn, part of the Fall 2023 Iowa Barn Tour This is post 1 of 2 in the series “Iowa Barn Tour” State of Iowa fall barn 2023 tour. Iowa Barn Tour: Part 2 of 2 Iowa Barn Tour: Part 1 of 2 State...

An Itinerant Historian With a Camera

GORDON BECK PHOTOGRAPHY by Claudia Smith, OBP Secretary Part 1 “When people say, ‘There used to be a barn here,’ it is too late.” The acclaimed photojournalist, Gordon Beck, took this to heart and his...