Fairwell to an historic building!

Those who hiked near the wetland should remember the old corn crib that sat right between the Barn and Crane Prairies. This little building dated back to the original Lockwood farm and at one period housed a privy. In recent years it was just a nuisance, especially when we were burning the two nearby prairies. Twice in the past few years its roof caught fire and we had to stop the prairie burn until it was put out. Since it only had sentimental value, we decided it had to go, and with good snow on the ground now was the time.

Yesterday Amanda and Chris touched it off and as might be expected with such an old, dry building, it burned to the ground in no time, as Amanda's photos show.

The Crane Prairie is just behind the embers in the photo below, with the wetland behind.

Now that it is gone, we can expand the prairie into that area. Perhaps we can even connect the Crane and Barn Prairies together?

Those of us who have been working at Pleasant Valley Conservancy over the past 16 years are a little sad to see the corn crib go, but time marches on.

A 2006 autumn view of the former corn crib.