For Immediate Release
Contact: Vera Wiltse
989-772-0911 ext. 302
Michigan Barns Seeing Resurgence in Popularity
Preservation Group Marks 15 Years
Michigan’s heritage barns are seeing resurgence in popularity; welcome news to the Michigan Barn Preservation Network (MBPN) which in 2010 is marking 15 years of working to save them. The Network holds its annual conference March 12 with a day-long barn tour in the Grass Lake/Jackson area and March 13 with workshops at Michigan State University’s Kellogg Center. Registrations are now being taken.
“The renewal in interest in saving Michigan’s barns is evident in the many alternative uses they are enjoying as well as continuing use in agriculture,” said Brad Brogren, president of the statewide organization. “This year’s tour will take barn lovers to six barns including a two-story church barn, a beef barn, a farm equipment museum/tennis court barn, and one which has had many different lives and hosted a wedding party.” Tour buses leave from the Kellogg Center at 8:30 a.m. and return at 5 p.m. with lunch hosted by the Tompkins Center Town Hall. Early registration is encouraged due to limited seating.
The 6 p.m. Friday dinner at Kellogg Center will see the presentation of the 2010 Barns of the Year Awards, given by Network to barn owners who have taken care to maintain their heritage barns. Awards will be presented in several categories, including private continued agricultural use, private adaptive reuse, non-profit adaptive reuse, continued agricultural use and commercial adaptive reuse. “Awards have gone to small barns kept in repair by private families as well as to extraordinary multi-level barns open to the
public as museums or shops,” said Tom Nehil, awards chairman, “It is the care in their keeping that we recognize. Heritage barns can never truly be replaced but with wise maintenance can efficiently last for many, many generations.”
Saturday’s conference begins with a keynote by Dr. William Anderson, a retired Extension agent who has roots deeply embedded in agriculture. Anderson recently wrote a book on Michigan’s Victory Township where his family farm is located and will share entertaining reflections on farm life and the importance of preserving our heritage.
A live auction of barn memorabilia highlights the Saturday conference luncheon followed by sessions on barn rehabilitation, determining the age of a barn, choosing the right paint or finish for a barn, organizing a barn tour, creating a barn mural/quilt project, and moving and reconstructing a heritage barn. The popular exhibit hall is open both Friday and Saturday, offering visitors the chance to talk with barn contractors and specialists, purchase barn and rural heritage-related artwork and items, and mingle with kindred spirits.
The cost to attend the entire conference including the tour, workshops and all meals is $80 for members and $110 for non-members with rates varying for just the tour and lunch or just the Saturday events and lunch. Membership in the Network begins at $30.
For more information and to register, www.mibarn.net or call Vera Wiltse, conference chair at 989-772-0911 ext. 302 (daytime only). Early registration is encouraged.
