The old dairy barn on the hill sat idle for years. Weather-worn, the barn could have fallen to the wrecking ball, joining the shadows of others that are but landscape memories. Jim Stahler thought differently. He brought the barn back to life, and it now is the site of receptions, weddings, anniversaries and other events.
"Anybody can tear them down. It's history. Most of them get torn down. I'm really proud of it. I'm a barn guy, just like some guys are on '57 Chevys," said the fourth-generation farmer. His love for barns traces back to his father, Lyle. "My dad was a barn guy. He loved them, and I do, too. When he first bought this farm (in 1970), the first thing he did was paint the barn.
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