Many visitors to Agraria are immediately captivated by its historic barn. While Community Solutions has been unable to accurately date it as yet, the craftsmanship and beauty of the original structure are apparent. The hardwood beams, which have been found structurally sound by inspectors, are joined by mortises and tenons and secured by hardwood pegs. However, some of the more modern additions did not match, and were not as durable.

Since barn restoration and renovation are among our first priorities, property manager Gabby Amrhein and super-volunteer Matthew Lawson recently set about some demolition work. In an amazing 10 days, they managed to completely remove a storage room, the entire steel-beamed loft, and more than half of the particle-board flooring with its somewhat deteriorated underfloor! For those visiting tonight for the potluck, the barn--and the area behind it--are closed during this part of the restoration due to safety concerns. We are posting this so that everyone can see the amazing transformation that is underway; watch our blog for more updates, and thanks for all your support!