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We didn't think far enough ahead when we built the cow shed, and the site we chose ended up being a giant mud hole after each and every rain. In addition to being nearly impassible with boot-sucking mud during feeding time, all the muck isn't very healthy for the cows.

So - we had to move the barn. To accomplish this, we decided to make some skids out of cedar logs, attach them under the posts of the barn and pull the whole kit and caboodle to high ground with the tractor. Although plenty of people scoffed, the plan worked perfectly.

We selected fairly straight logs and got them ready to cut:


















Then we cut an angle on each end to make sled runners, basically:


















It didn't take much of an angle to keep the log from just digging into the ground:


















We trimmed off any knots or high spots. We only needed three skids to go under the six posts on the shed:


















Once we had the posts out to the field, we measured then shaved off flat spots where the posts from the shed would sit. We had cut the posts off at ground level.


















Safety second:






















We also cut a notch in the end of the log so that we could attach the chain:




















With the help of the tractor, we lifted the shed up and slid the skid underneath:

















Some assistance from the jack was also required:


















It took some finagling, but we finally got the skids into place:



















Oops, now we're coming apart at the seams:


















The Nubians were always ready to give us advice:























Applying service patch 1:


















Some time (and cussing) later, all the skids were in place.




















Then we attached chains to each of the skids and then back to the tractor:




















Except for one mudhole that had to be navigated, the actual pull was very uneventful. Randy even had time for some pasture texting:




















The tractor worked wonderfully:




















Finally the shed is on its new, and hopefully less muddy, site:

















We anchored the shed by driving T-posts into the ground by each post and tying the T-posts to the wood posts. Otherwise the shed would have become a giant parasail during any high winds. I don't think the cows would be very fond of parasailing. They're definitely "feet on the ground" kinds of critters.