Concrete floor in parlor poured today!

Our building crew came early this morning to pour the floors for the parlor. It involved a lot of work by hand, due to the rain from yesterday. The concrete trucks couldn't get up the haul road due to the mud, so they pulled to the front of the barn and used wheel barrels to wheel and place all the concrete. They poured 24 yards of concrete today! The crew today was Merle, Levi, Irving, John, and Doug. I had a great time running back and forth seeing how many pictures I could take. When my children and I arrived this morning at 7:45 A.M., Dad said they were wondering where the camera lady was! After about an hour of taking pictures, the concrete truck driver started making comments about how many pictures I was taking. However, when I went to the far end of the parlor, he jumped up and down, waving his arms for me to take his picture! It was a lot of fun, at least for me, who wasn't doing the manual labor, just taking pictures and writing in the concrete. :-) I am trying to document all parts of the building process. Not every one has the privilege of starting a dairy, most are passed along from generation to generation. We are really taking part in a wonderful adventure! Just hope we remember how wonderful it is when we start feeling overwhelmed!

First picture of today, Dad

My crew

Construction crew waiting on concrete

And concrete arrived.

First wheel barrel

placed here.

Zach helping Grandpa

bailing rain water out of footers for bulk tank.

Pit is all poured!

Working concrete in pit.

Covering the pretty green(heated) floor

Merle finishing concrete, look at it shine!

Final touches in unique maneuver!

Dad and Merle smoothing concrete.

Thought I'd add this picture of preparing ground with screenings.

Future concrete workers??? :-)

First load in office

dumped here.

Finished pit and hall.

And wheel barrel got a flat tire!

Pouring concrete for bulk tank.

Ray and Greg, the concrete drivers

Naughty Dad, tickling Merle while he was hanging on to the barn stretching as far as he could to neaten concrete.

Another unique position finishing concrete! Levi hanging onto edge of wall, he had about 4 inches to walk down!

Picture of the one taking pictures.

Here is the concrete driver, Ray, waving his arms so I'll take his picture!

Merle in pit for bulk tank. He jumped there from the edge, I was too slow to take that picture!

What a wonderful job! Thanks guys!

I messed up a small portion of their work.

Finished bulk tank area.

Finished pit area.

Posted by: Dora