The times may have changed, but it still takes a community to build a barn.
That’s what artist Peter Mitchell learned as he spent the winter constructing a barn on the Mulmur property he purchased with his family last year.
After pricing out how much it would cost to have someone build the road and bridge necessary to lead to the construction site, Peter decided to buy a backhoe and do the work himself.
And work he did. For the next four-and-half months, Peter constructed a twin-culvert bridge over Walker’s Creek and 2,400 feet of road leading to the back of the 22-acre lot.
“A bunch of those days were solo days,” said Peter. “It was just me and a backhoe.”
Finally, at the end November, Peter was ready to start building the barn. But temperatures were beginning to fall and he needed to make sure the concrete foundation didn’t freeze within 24 hours of pouring it.
“I took the advice of [local builder] Jamie Korthals and brought in Lorne Grierson of GBI Construction who prescribed extra straw and insulated tarps on the footings, and foundation and heat in the concrete, to help stay ahead of the frost despite an early onset of winter. It was a race to keep frost out from underneath the footings, but I was properly motivated because the family needed a home.”
Although he has no formal training in building, Peter learned a lot from his father and stepfather, who were both builders. Years ago, Peter built a cabin for his family in Algonquin Park. “I also watched a lot of YouTube videos,” he said.
But Peter had no shortage of assistance from members of the community. Creemore resident and builder Josh Dempsey braved January’s plummeting temperatures to help frame and stand up the walls. At the same time, Don Brearey and his staff at Howie Welding made plate steel fasteners for the Douglas Fir trusses from Barrie’s Millar Lumber, while Peter sourced the thick ash flooring from a local Mennonite farmer.
Armed with good advice after a friendly site visit from local timber frame expert John Gordon, Peter assembled the trusses, which he installed in early February. Josh returned to help him strap, sheath and install the steel roofing by the end of the month.
Was getting the roof on a highlight? “More like a lowlight,” laughed Peter. “It was so cold with crazy winds. We didn’t come off the roof until the stars were out.”
Other locals provided support along the way, too. Many hours were spent trying to keep machines operating in the deep cold, so Peter was grateful for Diesel mechanic Willie Quibel’s help fixing the backhoe when it needed repairs. Neighbour Hen Kurvits helped Peter and his family out of a stuck car once, taking his wife, Sara Sniderhan, and children, Jackson, 6, and Isobel, 5, to his cabin to warm up.
“It was a good way to meet people,” Peter said. “We got lots of advice from local builders. People would offer their expertise for backhoe and auto repairs. I’m very thankful for all the local residents whose time and expertise made it possible to build through this crazy winter.”
On a typical day, Peter would stop by Affairs Café for breakfast before heading out to the farm to build. He wouldn’t eat anything more all day until returning when it got dark.
How cold was it? “It was so cold you can’t stop moving,” Peter said, who spent many hours alone on the property in the sole company of CBC Radio’s Jian Ghomeshi, whose voice was pumped into his ears through a pair Peltor headphones covered in ear protectors. On those lonely days, there were also frequent sightings of deer, hawks, bald eagles and rabbits, and coyotes including one with only three legs who ran by.
It was a harrowing experience, but one he is happy to have had. In a short while, the barn will be ready for use as a studio, as well as arable farmland including an apple orchard and, more recently, maple syrup. “Now I’ve built both of our places and it feels comforting to know every detail about the place we have.”