So a large cottonwood tree fell on our barn this evening. It was about 50 feet from our barn. We had tried to have this tree taken down 2 years ago but the tree service kept postponing it because of windy weather and it never got done. One week ago we noticed that the trunk was splitting. We called at least 6 different tree services, only 2 of which returned our calls. One offered to come out on 3/27 to look at the tree. We moved our tractor and quad out of the way and hoped we could get someone to help us. But then tonight, in a downpour it fell. I had just taken a bath and was painting my toenails and Tom was bringing the dogs into the house out of the rain when we heard a large explosion in our backyard. We both thought lightning had struck but it was the tree. It happened just as it was getting dark. Here is the tree on the barn.
tree-on-barn
This is a view further down the trunk of the tree with the freaked out goats in the background.
tree-in-front-of-alleyway
This shows where the trunk was rotten. The blackened area was rotten and only the yellowish area was holding this large portion of the tree.
rotten-trunk
We then went into the barn to see the damage. Here is the northwest corner of the barn from the inside. The roof is coming down, the door and window are broken, and the electrical line is disrupted.
northwest-corner-of-barn
It is hard to see in the photo but there is glass everywhere on the ground.
glass-in-hay-floor
The goats are still standing in the downpour. Anyone who knows goats knows that they despise rain so that they were out there indicates how scared they are.
scared-goats-in-rain
We then went up into the hay loft. Here is where the tree landed on the roof, collapsing it.
collapsed-roof-in-center-of-barn-in-hay-loft
We found two really tough chickens. They are roosting right where the tree hit and stayed there. Amazing!
tough-roosting-chickens
So then we proceeded to get supplies to tarp the hay in the loft from the rain pouring in and pick up the glass on the floor. I had run out of the house as soon as my toenail polish had dried and had not bandaged my finger wound up. I had ripped the skin off my wound while in the barn so went back to the house to bandage myself up before returning to the barn for urgent work.
After we finished tarping the hay and raking up the floor and adding straw, we noticed that the tree had gone completely over our 40 x 60 foot barn and left quite a few branches in our old sheep pen. Daphnie had fallen over and needed to be uprighted but nobody seemed injured.
east-side-of-barn
Here is the tree top over the roof of the barn from the other side.
tree-top-over-roof
And here is the view walking back to the house. Look at the size of the tree where it hit the corner of the barn.
tree-in-northwest-corner
So Tom and I have decided that this week sucked. I have been out of work because of my finger injury. Duke’s eye ruptured and needed surgery. And then a giant cottonwood tree severely damaged our barn and traumatized our animals. Next we have to figure out what our next steps are. Wish us luck dealing with this mess.
Oh no! 😢
Oh, Donna!
Thanks Michelle. It is not a barn fire (my worst fear) but it is close. At last no one appears to be physically traumatized, just psychologically. And now it is snowing on the whole mess. Not sure what we are going to do.
What a terrible run of crummy luck you’ve had. ((Hugs)) it’s got to turn around soon, right?
Well, I don’t know. It is snowing now on the tree and the busted roof. It does not seem like our luck is improving yet.
I’m sure it also traumatized you and Tom. What a thing to deal with. My daughter always said these times build character, but she also added she has enough character for ten people.!
Thanks Chloe. It did traumatize us. It sounds like an explosion here and now the work begins. I have enough character now too!
glad no-one was hurt- but ugh! what a mess. and the poor barn!
We had our barn almost perfect for us, after years of work! Now we get to start over….
Wow, that is so scary! I’m glad none of the critters were harmed, and you and Tom and the house are okay. Sending good thoughts to you and I hope that the damage isn’t as bad as it seems right now.
Thanks for the good thoughts, Maureen. The damage is pretty bad but we are starting our clean up and our spirits are good.
Oh, Donna!!,
I am so very sorry to read about this! Is there anything we Shetland folk can do to help?
Many hugs! Glad the goats are freaked, but all OK.
Thanks Kathy. Nothing at this point. We have the tree off the barn and today’s project is tarping the roof to keep the snow off our hay. We are waiting on the insurance company. I guess they do not see the urgency of a barn.
What a stroke of bad luck, don’t you think?
Sounds like this year is not starting out well…2017 sucks!
2016 sucked and 2017 is even worse. Oh well. As the song goes, “I’m still alive”.
Thank goodness everyone is ok. Maybe you’ve got some neighbors that are handy with chainsaws and will volunteer? We’d help for sure if we could.
Tom is actually quite handy with a chain saw and a tractor too. The tree is off the roof and now we are going to try to tarp the roof, awaiting insurance company response. Tom was a logger but felt that this tree was too dangerous to take down ourselves, and I think he was right.
Oh, I’m sure he was right about that. Now its more of a recovery effort.Maria and I hope the best for you.
Oh no 🙁
Oh yes 🙁
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