"Every place had a barn": the barn as a symbol of the family farm in southern Saskatchewan

Catherwood, Kristin (2015) "Every place had a barn": the barn as a symbol of the family farm in southern Saskatchewan. Masters thesis, Memorial University of Newfoundland.

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Abstract

The barn in southern Saskatchewan is a structure which symbolizes the family farm. By analyzing the barn as a functioning building through to its current marginal status, it is possible to trace the changes in agriculture over the past century, namely: the profound impact of the mechanization of agriculture, continually evolving technologies, especially pertaining to hay production, and the gradual lessening of reliance upon livestock. Such changes rendered the barn nearly obsolete as a working structure and, as such, it has become instead a symbol of the family farm in the cultural landscape of the region. By examining the meaning the barn holds through the lens of critical nostalgia, it is possible to speculate on a potential future for the barn in Saskatchewan. A comparative study with barns in Essex, England will demonstrate, that in the UK, barns have been repurposed. There is potential for a similar undertaking in Saskatchewan on a smaller scale. The success of farmstead surveys in Michigan and Pennsylvania, and barn preservation groups in the United States, present a model for such programmes to be implemented in Saskatchewan.

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