By LuAnne Kozma

It was the coolest corncrib she had ever seen – log walls that slanted downward and a wooden shake roof, in great condition. She took a photo, then focused on the barn. What a great day to be out of doors, photographing beautiful barns.

Experiences like these await 4-H’ers who take part in the Michigan Barn and Farmstead Survey. Historic barns dot the Michigan landscape. Today there are working farms and remnants of historic farmsteads in nearly every Michigan county, but we’re quickly losing this agricultural heritage.

4-H clubs across Michigan are taking action to help document and preserve these beautiful structures. A club can survey its township for historic farmsteads and barns in just a few organized trips. Local historical societies are also linking up with 4-H clubs to complete the survey.

Besides gaining a greater appreciation for the value of agricultural heritage in their area, honing their photography skills, and learning about architecture, 4-H’ers participating in the survey also do a valuable community service project. With the results from the barn survey, community organizers – including youth – can begin to see ways to begin preserving the structures and interpreting their community history.

The barn survey is currently under way in 208 townships in 26 of Michigan’s 83 counties. 4-H’ers and 4-H staff are involved in 15 of the county surveys. For the past few years 4-H’ers have been able to take a session at 4-H Exploration Days to learn barn and farmstead survey methods. Free training is also available for any group signing up for the project by contacting LuAnne Kozma at kozma@msu.edu.

LuAnne Kozma is the 4-H and Extension specialist for Folkpatterns and folk traditions.

The Michigan Barn and Farmstead Survey is a collaborative project of the Michigan 4-H Foundation, Michigan 4-H Youth Development, the Michigan State University Museum and the Michigan Barn Preservation Network, with funding from the Michigan Humanities Council.

To learn more about the Michigan Barn Preservation Network, visit http://www.mibarn.net/