why do farmers keep barns that are falling down? (pole barn, tractor, cost)

[In_Correct]

Originally Posted by tjasse

I grew up in a rural area in Minnesota, and up until this year would drive up there to visit my dad every other weekend.

On my drive there are a number of farms with barns that are collapsing and look almost dangerous.

I've noticed these in other parts of the state, and even in other states on road trips.

I was just wondering why these aren't just knocked down?

Nostalgia? Some sort of tax break? Costs too much to knock it down? Other?

Probably Lazy.

[otowi]

My property taxes have gone down several times. But to the main topic, taking down a barn requires time, effort, equipment, etc. They often just don't have any pressing reason to put all that in to take it down. Plus, take it down and then do what with it? It usually does little harm to leave it alone.

[CSD610]

Originally Posted by tjasse

I grew up in a rural area in Minnesota, and up until this year would drive up there to visit my dad every other weekend.

On my drive there are a number of farms with barns that are collapsing and look almost dangerous.

I've noticed these in other parts of the state, and even in other states on road trips.

I was just wondering why these aren't just knocked down?

Nostalgia? Some sort of tax break? Costs too much to knock it down? Other?

Some of those "old barns" are structurally sound and can be used to store feed, hay, chickens, and smaller equipment.

There are also farmers that just don't want to take the time to tear down the barn because they are too busy running the farm, tending crops, etc and by the time harvest is over it is winter.

Just because you think it "looks" like it is collapsing does not mean it actually is, you never know what is in those old barns.
There are many old barns in tobacco country that have tobacco hanging from the rafters drying.

[Cnynrat]

Because the make for nice photos.

[Lauriedeee]

Some people leave them just in case they want to rebuild them. Where I am you can't build a barn or an outdoor dwelling unless you're so many feet away from the neighbors property.. But, if a barn was there originally it's grandfathered in, and can be rebuilt.

[luzianne]

I like them! I try to imagine what the landscape looked like 100 or so years ago when the barn was built, where the house was in relation to the barn, the people who lived there...

[ABQConvict]

Burning barns is a waste. That's some valuable lumber there.

[PeachSalsa]

Originally Posted by In_Correct

Probably Lazy.

Clearly, you've never met a farmer and do not know the first thing about them.

[RyanR]

Originally Posted by ABQConvict

Burning barns is a waste. That's some valuable lumber there.

Spending $20K to disassemble the barn to recoup $10K of lumber doesn't make financial sense.

For liability reasons and the inherent danger of disassembling an old barn, you can't have amateurs doing it.

[tjasse]

It sounds like the main reason is that taking down a barn is expensive, and also a complicated process.
Thanks for the answers.