Our first farmhouse renovation project began by tearing down an old falling smoke house.   We used the salvageable wood and built floors and racks in the chicken house to be used to store all the wood that we would pull out of the old house. Then with crowbar and hammer in hand we began the dirty and dusty job of removing all the interior walls of the farmhouse.  



Each new wall section we started began with some anticipation and excitement.  We learned that Wash and Hattie had stored some of their money in mason jars in the spring house and we kept imaging opening that one plank and finding a jar of old coins or important papers..... Well no such luck.   But what we did find were walls and ceilings completely filled with pack rat crap and household goods from shoes, nuts, leaves, overalls, and buttons to license plates, medicine bottles and marbles.  All great finds that offered plenty of conversation and stirred our imagination. 

After we had all the interior walls and ceiling removed and nothing but studs and the back side of the siding showing, we moved to the back section of the L shaped farmhouse.  Since this section had so much damage and was only one story with attic space,  we decided we would tear it completely off and eventually build it back as a full two story.  


It took some time but fortunately we had some great help from family and friends who donated some blood and sweat. 
Once we had the back section gone we began the process of jacking and leveling the remaining front section.  This involved digging and removing a lot of dirt from under the house and pouring new footers and laying a new block foundation beneath three quarters of the structure.   We spent many evenings and rainy days designing the new section and drew up the first of several dozen versions of a floor plan. We were so excited the day we began laying the block and plates for the new section and could finally rest the shovel and wheel barrel.....
(for awhile anyway).