For five years we have sorted, washed, and packaged all our produce for Linn Ranch Gardens under a cramped leaky tent. The tent has often been sweltering during the day, freezing at night, and it threatens to blow away every time there's a thunderstorm. We have dreamed of replacing that tent with a permanent structure that can serve as the center of our operation, and this spring we are ready to make that dream a reality.
Grant Process
In November of 2024 we applied for one-time grant funding available through the US Department of Agriculture as part of the Biden infrastructure bill. We proposed building an open-sided pole barn in the center of the farm to provide shade and protection from the elements for our washing & packing work. We asked for funding to buy equipment for that project: a shipping container, commercial refrigerator, harvest cart, and numerous work tables and shelves.
Our proposal was chosen by the state of Wyoming to receive almost $15k of funding, but the chaos in Washington DC over the past year made it seem highly unlikely that the grant would ever actually materialize. However we did hold out a little hope and then last fall - almost a year later - we finally got word that the funding was coming through after all.
We had one month to get all the equipment purchased in order to fulfill the terms of the grant. With winter on the way we knew that we had to get the shipping container on site first in order to store everything else out of the elements. We were able get everything done just before the December 1st deadline!
Building Plan
The structure will be 24 ft wide on the gable ends, and 27 ft long under the eaves, with a 4:12 pitched roof. The gables will be oriented east-west so that vehicles can drive in and out of both ends and access our driveway and other areas of the farm. Having one eave facing south ensures good shade from the sun in the warmer months of the year.
The shipping container we purchased is 20'x8' and will function as the north wall of the building, with the trusses sitting directly on it. We plan to use the container as indoor space for our greens washing tubs and spinners, along with a cool-storage area that uses a heat pump to stay around 60 degrees. That will help minimize wilting and product degradation during the washing/drying process, and keep all our equipment more sanitary.
The open area will have greenhouse tables and stainless steel work tables that can be quickly configured for a variety of farm tasks, or moved out of the way entirely to make room for a vehicle. The packed gravel pad forms the floor of the space, and provides drainage for waste water after washing veggies. We angled that pad so that runoff will head out to the drainage ditch alongside our road.
The structure supporting the roof will be made up of 6'x6' wooden columns on helical piers, and 6'x8' wooden beams supporting engineered roof trusses. We were able to borrow a friend's sawmill last fall and mill a bunch of trees that have fallen down over the years. We have some beautiful beams ready to go!
Project Progress
So now we have a building to put up this spring! The green shipping container and gravel pad are in place already. We were able to install a new power system for the farm on an h-frame last summer, so we are ready to electrify everything. Now we're just waiting for the ground to thaw enough to dig in our helical piers, and then we'll start putting up columns and beams!
We plan to update this post throughout the building process, so stay tuned for more.
