Butternut Ridge Farm, located among the hills of God’s Country.

The Machine Shed

The machine shed is 24’ x 60’, and is the second oldest building on Butternut Ridge Farm after the corn crib. The machine shed's foundation was made using hand-mixed mortar and native limestone. By 2004, the southeast corner had crumbled and had to be replaced with modern concrete. In 2007, the northeast corner was also replaced with concrete. While the foundation work was being done, I took the opportunity to replace some of the worn out siding on the north side.

Like the corn crib, this building was built using heavy timbers held together with wooden pegs. The machine shed was built near the end of the horse-drawn implement era and the beginning of the gasoline tractor age. A building this small is not much use to today's farmers. At most, it can hold only a few wagons and other assorted implements. The low and narrow doors (7’ high and 14’ wide) makes it impossible to house today's larger tractors and equipment.

The machine shed

The door on the left is just large enough to drive a Farmall M tractor through. The other door is too low for the tractor but is wide enough for a four-row planter or 14’ disc harrow.

Northwest corner and back side of the machine shed

The foundation is made of mortar and native limestone, which crumbles easily. I’ve replaced over half of the foundation with modern concrete.