In the News

Minnesota Moments Magazine Features FoMB Barn Contest

"WITH SO MANY BARNS collapsing at an alarming rate, one Minnesota organization has made it their mission “to preserve Minnesota’s rural heritage, mainly barns.” That’s according to Curt Richter, chairman of the Friends of Minnesota Barns and owner of Rustic Innovations based in Scandia."

Minnesota Moments Magazine
Jan/Feb, 2009

"The non-profit FoMB, begun in 2004 and with a membership of 100-plus, is striving to save this traditional symbol of hard work, agriculture and earlier times in Minnesota, Richter said.

FoMB wants to offer an alternative, he said, to the “put a match to it” attitude that some people have toward old barns. So the organization provides networking, ideas, encouragement and examples of preserved barns. Workshops, an annual fall barn tour, a harvest festival, coffee chats and the first-ever Barn of the Year awards are designed to accomplish those goals." Read more of this article

Preservation group urges owners to restore barns

"Friends of Minnesota Barns is offering ideas, testimonials and a contest to persuade people to repair, rather than raze, the historic structures, which are quickly fading from the landscape."

By ALLIE SHAH, Star Tribune, MN
October 15, 2008

"Curt Richter calls it buying time. With a little time, he reasons, maybe he can persuade the owner of an aging barn not to tear it down. Richter, of Scandia, is a leader in a statewide effort to repair and preserve Minnesota's historic barns through education."
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Vermont farms to receive barn preservation grants

Burlington Free Press, VT
July 24, 2009

"Gov. Jim Douglas on Thursday announced $161,000 in historic preservation barn grants for 19 farms to help preserve their barns for future generations.
The grant program, administered by the Vermont Division for Historic Preservation, provides owners of agricultural buildings with matching funding of up to $10,000 for a variety of capital repairs. Eligible projects include repairs to roofs, foundations, walls, sills and overall stabilization."
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New Hampshire "Hampton Historical Society" Receives Preservation Award for Leavitt Barn

By Liz Premo, Atlantic News, VT
Friday, May 15, 2009

"The Hampton Historical Society's c. 1796 Leavitt House Barn is one of 13 projects (and one of two barns) in the state of New Hampshire to be recognized by the NH Preservation Alliance, for outstanding achievement in preservation."

New Hampshire barn

What will become of the legendary barn?

Mille Lacs County Times, MN
June 17, 2004

"Barns conjure up strong images for people - hard work, pride, a sense of home.
But, the big red barns that identify small farms in the United States are quickly diminishing. It ís estimated that Minnesota loses 1,000 barns each year, according to a study by the Minnesota Historical Society.

What can be done to preserve these majestic landmarks?"