Wednesday morning, an event took place that most likely will never be seen in these parts by those living today.

Jean Johnson arranged  through numerous entities to move an abandoned barn from the Northern Metals Recycling lot (Xcel Energy) across Hwy. 10 to a plot of donated land just west of the Sherburne History Center. It all commenced around 10 a.m. and the barn was on the intended property in less than an hour.

Fanfare surrounded the move as media members (including KARE 11) and spectators were on hand to witness the 32x24 foot white barn slowly transported by flatbed truck nearly two miles along the shoulder of Hwy. 10, then along Hwy. 10 until crossing to Edgewood Ave., then veering left across a soybean field before settling down at the Cox family lot along 27th Ave. SE.

Johnson plans to use the barn as an agricultural education exhibit for kids. Children will become farm hands at this hands-on exhibit as they experience the agricultural process beginning at the farm and ending at the market. 

Children will learn to help with the farm chores, collect goods to sell at the farmer’s market, and then spend their “earnings” at the grocery store.

This mock agricultural adventure will consist of a series of livestock barns, a grain bin, a tractor dealer, garden plots, an apple orchard, and a farmers market.  The experienced staff  will direct and explain what happens to food from a starting point to the step in the process at the grocery store.

Each station provides hands-on tasks related to planting crops and the tending of animals.  

For example, at the chicken coop, the Farm Friends will feed the chicken grain they “harvested” and then collect the eggs.  At the dairy barn children will milk a cow and at the tractor shed they will drive peddle tractors with wagons to haul the hay for the animals.  

After the children have gone through each of the miniature barns and collected their products they “sell” them at the farmer’s market for “cash” to be used at the retail grocery store where they have the opportunity to “buy” a finished product.

Additional stations will address agricultural related concerns; such as ground water quality and quantity, soil erosion, etc. 

Wednesday’s barn move was conducted by Marcus Building Movers under supervision from Xcel Energy, Great River Energy, Connexus, the City of Becker and Craig Wensmann of Bogart-Pederson. Scott Helberg of NMR was also on-hand to witness the  relocation and the traffic control and escorting was provided by Sherburne County Sheriff’s Dept. and the Becker Police Dept.

After the barn made it to its final destination, it was parked near its foundation and was firmly planted on the footings the following day. Wednesday night from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m., Johnson and her Farm Friend colleagues held a family celebration at the site that featured games and activities for kids, raffles, door prizes, a food truck (Gess What’s Cooking?) and beverages supplied by Lupulin Brewing of Big Lake.

More information on the Farm Friends Barn can  be found at www.farmfriendsbarn.org.