May 13, 2008

Potato barns

Ever seen a potato barn? There are quite a few of them close to where we live. I find them utterly charming. They are usually half buried for added insulation which keeps the potatoes from freezing during winter.

This is the one nearest us:
I liked the stone face on this one found here
and the more typical barn roof line of this one.
Seeing them made me think of renovating one to live in (not surprising to those who know me) which reminded me of this woodland home I saw online. It has nothing to do with potatoes, I just like the way it's half buried for insulation. Plus, it looks like something out of a fairy tale!
For more images and information on how this was built, see here.

Might be really fun to rent this potato barn in England...

29 comments:

Anonymous said...

Rather Hobbit-like! I agree, utterly charming!

A Wild Thing said...

I see you are an early bird too...I love the look of the little hobbit homes too, I think that is why I love living in the little pink chateau, it isn't for everyone and it's imperfections endear it to me. When I lived in Colorado, people would always say...'Oh, you lived in Iowa...isn't that where they grow all the potatos?'...DUH...s

SandraRee said...

Interesting. Seems like it would be a cozy dwelling and yes, straight out of a fairy tale!

Rosebud Collection said...

Being born in Long Island, N.Y..many potato farmers..these were quite common..now made into homes. Potato fields are now vineyards..When I visit home, it is like a different land.

LazyTcrochet said...

Haha I was going to say Hobbit-like!

Jezabels Jewels said...

ohmygosh...it's a little hobbit house!

and of course, now i want one ;P

Michelle Engel Bencsko said...

As much as I love big bright windows, I admit, the charm of the Hobbit home is almost too sweet not to fall in love with. I can't say I've ever seen a potato barn in these parts. Maybe they are well concealed.

Sarah McBride said...

Hobbit is what i ws thinking too!!

In kentucky driving along you would see Tobacco huts all over the place, your potato barns remind me of all the Tobacco drying sheds.

Anonymous said...

I instantly thought of Lord of the Rings too! Yes, would be like living a fairytale in them... I think I would want some sort of skylight window though!

Anonymous said...

All hail the lowly potato... How sad that they end up in these clostrophobic caves... can you tell I hate overpasses? Dame Edna called. Her rhinestone glasses are missing... Did you borrow them?

xoxo
k

Anonymous said...

Oh my gosh, that would be SO cool to live in a house like that! And, honestly, I never knew what those buried buildings were all about... now I know! Hehee.

Learn something new every day... *blush*


Janell

Captain Skulduggery Dug said...

I'm so loving the barns! They would be perfect for conversion to a house.

I love Simon's house too. At the moment he is involved in project Lammas... you can check it out on his website.
http://www.simondale.net/house/index.htm

Grizzly Mountain Arts said...

I've wondered what those were! My first thought was, why do people around here have storm shelters? LOL You can tell where I'm from originally! Charmaine, if you like Hobbit homes, check out our local Hobbit neighborhood!

http://www.bendshire.com/

Tess Kincaid said...

Potato barns? Intriguing!! The one with stone is so charming.

Unknown said...

Can you say LOTR? So cutsie! When that movie came out Matt was convinced we should burrow, I am more of an above ground girl myself but then we lived in a basement apartment with no windows & he quickly changed his mind :~D Wonder if it would be warm living in the earth?

BaldyLocks said...

My great grandmother used to have a concrete cellar in the bank a ways from the house. She kept her potatoes in there. I used to go with her because it was strange, mysterious, creepy, dark and cold.

I loved it.

Mrs.French said...

I had seen these before and had no idea what they are. Thanks for clearing that up. I find them so much more charming now.

Ivy & Mae said...

My dad was a potato farmer, and as ood as it is, I love the smell of a potato cellar (or barn) when it is empty and only the cold dirt walls are inside. The ones on my dad's farm looked a bit different, but same style.

How interesting the little hobbit like homes!

Lisa's RetroStyle said...

That "woodland home" is amazing! Thanks for sharing it. Can't wait to show it to my husband.

Victoria said...

We have some root cellars in my area that are a bit similar, but nothing like Potato Farm #4. How very enchanting! I adore it!

Unknown said...

Potato barn? honestly, never seen one until now, tks for sharing...does looks like a fairy tale or home to snow white & 7 dwarfs ? very interesting :)

Hey Harriet said...

I've never seen or heard of potato barns before. We here in Oz don't treat potatoes as well as you guys do. We house ours in stacks of old car tyres. If I'm reborn as a potatoe I sure hope my birthplace is in America!

StaroftheEast said...

Wow these are amazing, never have seen a potato barn before!

Tamara said...

Great blog.

I'm from South Africa and we don't have potato barns like that here. They're awesome ;-)

letitiah said...

i think hobbits must grow potatoes!

Unknown said...

Wow, those are cool! I can see your fascination with them. Reminds me of some homes I saw in a calendar put out by a good friend of mine about sustainable homes.

Anonymous said...

Potato barns, that's what those are!! There's one on the way to Sisters and every time we pass it I think "What is that?!" Thank you for solving one of life's little mysteries for me. :)

Rachel Biel said...

I just saw that house (the hobbit looking one) online recently, too. It's really worth looking at the link to see the photos. Looks much bigger on the inside than one would think and good lighting, too. I would love to live in something like that!

Anonymous said...

Love that hobbit house! Wouldn't that be fun to make one in the oregon woods as a vacation spot? Would need a functionong bathroom, though. I have to draw the eco line somewhere!