‘Barndominiums’ an answer to storage, housing needs

Amy Hadachek
Jul 14, 2022
Jul 14, 2022

1 of 2

A red barn with a decorative cupola is easily made into a livestock barn with living quarters.

Submitted photo by Brad Leitner

A set of 40-foot trusses are ready to be delivered to an ag shop in Hebron, Neb., this summer.

Submitted photo by Monica Douglas

Prefer us on Google

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Amy Hadachek

It’s the time of year to tackle those necessary building repairs, renovations and additions on the farm and ranch.

kAmr@?DECF4E:@? 4@>A2?:6D 24C@DD E96 |:5H6DE 2C6 3FDJ 3F:=5:?8 72C> D9@AD[ A@=6 D965D[ 82C286D[ 2?5 6G6? 4@>3:?2E:@? 9@>6\72C> D9@AD]k^Am

kAm“uC@> ?@H ‘E:= H:?E6C[ :E’D 86EE:?8 G6CJ 3FDJ – g_T @7 @FC 3F:=5:?8D 2C6 7@C 28C:4F=EFC6\C6=2E65 AC@;64ED[ 2?5 H6 @776C 2== E96 >2E6C:2=D 7@C 6:E96C 2 H@@5 7C2>6 @C DE66= 7C2>6 3F:=5:?8[ 2D H6== 2D E96 A=2?D 7@C 2 4FDE@>:K65 3F:=5:?8[” D2:5 |:<6 $<:==DE25[ 3F:=5:?8 >2?286C 2E u2C> 2?5 #2?49 qF:=5:?8 $FAA=J :? }@C7@=<[ }63C2D<2]k^Am

kAm%96C6 2C6 46CE2:? D:K6D E92E H@C< H6==[ 3FE :7 D@>6@?6 AC676CD 2 4FDE@>\D:K65 3F:=5:?8 @C DA64:7:4 5@@CD[ |625’D 7@=<D H@C< 7C@> D4C2E49 E@ 4C62E6 :E 9@H6G6C E96 4FDE@>6C H2?ED[ $<:==DE25 D2:5]k^Am

kAm“%9:D J62C 92D 366? 2 4C2KJ J62C H:E9 2== E96 DE@C> 52>286[” $<:==DE25 D2:5] %96J’C6 :? E96 >:5DE @7 3F:=5:?8 2 e_\ 3J `_c\7@@E DECF4EFC6 E@ C6A=246 @?6 2 E@C?25@ 9:E ?62C }:@3C2C2[ }63C2D<2 E9:D DAC:?8]k^Am

kAmx? z2?D2D[ C6BF6DED 7@C 72C> 2?5 C2?49 4@?DECF4E:@? 92G6 :?4C62D65 5C2>2E:42==J E9:D DF>>6C] p ?@CE9 46?EC2= z2?D2D 4@>A2?J 92D 366? 3F:=5:?8 2 D9@A 255:E:@? 25;246?E E@ E96:C @H? DE@C6 H96C6 E96J >2?F724EFC6 ECFDD6D] q6==6G:==6 w@>6E@H? {F>36C :? q6==6G:==6[ z2?D2D 3F:=5D ECFDD6D 7@C A@=6 D965D 2?5 7=@@C DJDE6>D 7@C 9@FD6D]k^Am

Construction in Farming 4.jpeg — This set of 60-foot trusses built at Belleville Hometown Lumber in Kansas is delivered to a Mahaska, Kan., machine shop.
Submitted photo by Monica Douglas

kAm“(6 3F:=E @FC 4FCC6?E ECFDD D9@A Wee’I`cc’X :? a_`h 2?5 2C6 4FCC6?E=J :? E96 >:5DE @7 5@F3=:?8 :ED D:K6j 3J 2EE249:?8 2?@E96C 3F:=5:?8 E@ :E] q6D:56D >@C6 DA246[ E9:D H:== 2==@H FD E@ 255 2 D64@?5 2FE@>2E65 D2H[ 2?@E96C 2DD6>3=J E23=6 2?5 >@C6 DE277 E@ :?4C62D6 AC@5F4E:@?[” 4@\@H?6C |@?:42 s@F8=2D D2:5]k^Am

kAm“q2C?5@>:?:F>D” 2C6 2 ?6H6C EC6?5] %96 32C? @C D965 4@?G6CE65 :?E@ 2 4@?5@>:?:F> @C 9@FD6 :D 2=D@ 42==65 2 “D9@FD6]” %96J’C6 4@?D:56C65 2? 64@?@>:42= H2J @7 3F:=5:?8 9@FD6D E@52J[ 2?5 2C6 6DA64:2==J C6BF6DE65 :? CFC2= D6EE:?8D] %96J’C6 2=D@ 2? @AE:@? 7@C 9@>6@H?6CD H9@ ?665 6IEC2 DE@C286 @C 7@C C6AFCA@D:?8 2 =2C86 82C286[ 4C62E:?8 2 H@C<D9@A @C DE@C:?8 2? #']k^Am

kAm“(6 E2:=@C E@ 6249 A6CD@?’D ?665D] (6 ;FDE 7:?:D965 6C64E:?8 2 32C5@>:?:F> :? ?@CE9H6DE z2?D2D[ 2?5 H92E’D >@DE 2AA62=:?8 :D E96C6’D ?@ >2:?E6?2?46 @? E96 @FED:56 H:E9 E96 >6E2= D:5:?8[” D2:5 qC25 {6:E?6C[ @H?6C @7 {6:E?6C qF:=5:?8D 32D65 :? w2JD[ z2?D2D]k^Am

Construction in Farming 2.jpg — Known as a “barndominium,” this 50 by 88 by 9-foot house with stacked stone wainscoting is an aesthetically pleasing and an economical option for standard construction in house building.
Submitted photo by Brad Leitner

kAm%96 32C?5@>:?:F> E96J ;FDE 3F:=E 92D 7@FC 365C@@>D H:E9 2? 2EE24965 82C286] %96 4FDE@>6C 9@A6D E@ >@G6 :?E@ :E =2E6C E9:D DF>>6C]k^Am

kAm{6:E?6C D2:5 A6@A=6 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 >@C6 277@C523=6 9@>6 5F6 E@ 492?86D :? E96 64@?@>J]k^Am

kAmw:D 4@>A2?J 56D:8?D[ 3F:=5D 2?5 6C64ED 4FDE@> 3F:=5:?8D 24C@DD z2?D2D] %96J 92?5=6 72C> 3F:=5:?8D[ 82C286D[ =:G6DE@4<[ C6D:56?E:2= 2?5 DE@C286 3F:=5:?8D] %96J’C6 G6CJ 3FDJ 3FE E96J’C6 E2<:?8 @C56CD]k^Am

People are also reading…

Longtime dairy farmer leads state dairy organizations
Illinois brothers carry on dairy tradition
Better days for beets
Iowa dairy farm engages visitors while expanding operations
Interseeding outcompetes weeds, has host of other benefits
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
From the ground up: Jade Jandel builds his cattle herd on functionality, longevity
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts
Geopolitical issues influencing soybean market
Cattle-station cookbook helps disaster
Rodeo legacy lives on in Wessington Springs Family
Wisconsin popular destination for turkeys
Long time coming: Cattle to Canada, rain on the ground and remodel progress
Speaking for agriculture: College student finds her calling an ag advocacy
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts

kAm“x? @FC 4@>A2?J :? E96 =2DE `_ J62CD H6’G6 ?6G6C 3F:=E E96 D2>6 3F:=5:?8 EH:46[” {6:E?6C D2JD]k^Am

kAmu2C> 2?5 #2?49 qF:=5:?8 $FAA=J :? }@C7@=< 2=D@ 3F:=5D “D9@FD6D]”k^Am

kAm“$9@FD6D 2C6 G6CJ A@AF=2C =2E6=J[ 3F:=E H:E9 A@DE\7C2>6 3F:=5:?8 AC:?4:A=6D 2?5 2E =62DE A2CE @7 E96 3F:=5:?8 :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 9@FD6] $@>6E:>6D E96 H9@=6 3F:=5:?8 :D 8@:?8 E@ 36 2 9@FD6[” $<:==DE25 D2:5]k^Am

kAm%96J’C6 H@C<:?8 @? 2 e_\3J\gg\7@@E D9@FD6 ?62C !:6C46[ }63C2D<2] %96J 3F:=5 6G6CJE9:?8 7C@> D4C2E49]k^Am

kAm%9C66 H66<D :D 2 4@>>@? E:>6 E@ 3F:=5 7C@> 368:??:?8 E@ 6?5[ 56A6?5:?8 @? =23@C H9:49 92D 366? E96 >@DE 5:77:4F=E A2CE @7 4@?DECF4E:@? =2E6=J[ $<:==DE25 D2:5]k^Am

kAmu@C 72C>6CD[ C2?496CD @C 2?J@?6 =@@<:?8 7@C 2 3F:=5:?8 C625J E@ 8@[ AC6\6?8:?66C65 DE66= 3F:=5:?8D @7 2== D:K6D 2C6 2G2:=23=6 7C@> 2 4@>A2?J ?62C w@I:6[ z2?D2D]k^Am

Construction in Farming 3.jpg — A garage for both a truck and an RV is designed with a barn style.
Submitted photo by Brad Leitner

kAm“p== H6 5@ :D 6C64E AC6\6?8:?66C65 DE66= 3F:=5:?8D[ 2== D:K6D[” D2:5 y2C65 s@H6==[ H9@ @H?D 2?5 @A6C2E6D t=:E6 $E66= x?4]k^Am

kAm%96:C DE2?52C5 3F:=5:?8 :D 86?6C2==J d[___ DBF2C6 766E[ FA E@ `d[___ 766E] |@DE @7 E96:C H@C< :D 7@C :?5:G:5F2= 72C>6CD[ D665 D2=6D A6@A=6[ ?FEC:6?E @C 76CE:=:K6C DFAA=:6CD @C 7665=@E H@C<]k^Am

kAm“(96? x 7:CDE DE2CE65[ g_T @7 @FC 3FD:?6DD H2D 72C> 3F:=5:?8D :? a__g] p =2C86 A6C46?E286 @7 @FC H@C< :D 28 C6=2E65[” s@H6== D2:5]k^Am

kAmt=:E6 $E66= H@C<D 24C@DD z2?D2D[ }63C2D<2 2?5 62DE6C? r@=@C25@[ 2?5 92D :ED 7:CDE |:DD@FC: AC@;64E]k^Am

kAm%JA:42==J[ E96C6 2C6 EH@ AC:>2CJ AFCA@D6D 7@C 72C>6CD’ 3F:=5:?8Di 6:E96C DE@C286 @7 6BF:A>6?E @C 2D 2 H@C<D9@A 2C62 @C 2 4@>3:?2E:@?]k^Am

kAms@H6==’D 4@>A2?J ;FDE 7:?:D965 2 =2C86 3F:=5:?8 7@C 2 4FDE@>6C H9@ AC@G:56D =:BF:5 76CE:=:K6C[ 6?23=:?8 E96> E@ E2<6 3F=< 76CE:=:K6C E2?<D :? 2?5 @FE] %96J’G6 2=D@ 6C64E65 BF:E6 2 76H AC@;64ED 7@C 2 72>:=J :? ?@CE9H6DE6C? z2?D2D 2?5 D@FE9H6DE6C? }63C2D<2 H9@ @H?D D6G6C2= 7665=@ED]k^Am

kAm(96? :E 4@>6D E@ 49@:46 @7 >2E6C:2=D[ DE66= 3F:=5:?8D 2C6 >@C6 64@?@>:42= E@ 3F:=5 E@ E96 96:89E 2?5 H:5E9 E92E 42? 244@>>@52E6 3:886C 6BF:A>6?E 2?5 DE@C286] %96J C6BF:C6 >@C6 4@?4C6E6 DECF4EFC6 E92? H@@5 DECF4EFC6D 2?5 E96J E6?5 E@ “H62E96C” 36EE6C[ s@H6== D2:5]k^Am

kAmp7E6C 96=A:?8 72C>6CD 2?5 C2?496CD 3F:=5 2?5 C6\3F:=5 7@C @G6C c_ J62CD[ E96 4@?DECF4E:@? 3FD:?6DD :D D64@?5 ?2EFC6 E@ $<:==DE25i “x DEF>3=65 :?E@ :E[ 2?5 92G6?’E 366? 23=6 E@ 86E @FE @7 :E]Qk^Am

Reporter Amy Hadachek is a two-time Emmy Award winning meteorologist and a storm chaser who earned her NWA and AMS Broadcast Meteorology Seals of Approval. She and her husband live on a diversified farm in Kansas. Reach her at amy.hadachek@midwestmessenger.com.