Upcycling of the hot water cylinders.....

During the demolition of The Cowshed and a major renovation at the farmhouse, two hot water cylinders were removed. The exterior skin was cut away to reveal the copper underneath.

The copper cylinders have been taken to a local engineering firm, Avago, to be made up into vanity basins for The Cowshed and the farmhouse ensuite.

Watch this space!!!

Ready to go camping???

A couple of stretchers along with two tents arrived this morning - who's ready to go camping at The Cowshed???

The Vegetable Garden........

The vegetable garden at the Waitekauri Valley Retreat is flourishing.... what's growing this year?

Banana tree

Purple runner beans

Beetroot

Sweetcorn

Grapes

Herbs, Rhubarb and Potatoes

Passionfruit

Kumara

     

Plums

Tomatoes, Spring Onions

Potatoes ready for harvest

Pumpkin

Railway irons

The Cowshed is an original herringbone milking shed. Inside the shed was a milking pit, in which the farmer worked, putting the milking cups on and off the cows. The original pipework to the entrance of this pit sill remains in The Cowshed.

The Cowshed roof was supported by railway irons from the Waihi to Waikino railway. These irons remain, and further railway iron was sourced from the Victoria Battery to complete the kitchen area. We appreciate the support of the Victoria Battery to source and supply this iron.




Much time, grinding and perseverance is starting to bring the iron back to life.....

December 27, 2015

John, with digger

Today John and Gillian arrived with a small digger. It was time to break up and remove all the concrete around one part of The Cowshed. This area was a nightmare - uneven concrete surfaces, concrete drains.... this was a chance to rectify this, level out the area, and form what will be the wheelchair access into the building.

A large deck will be built in this area, with a ramp running along side the pump room and former tack shed.

Everyone pitched in to help remove the concrete - Diane, Emma-Leigh and Sarah, along with Gillian all helped out. What will we do with the broken concrete and large mound of topsoil. Watch this space!!!

December 4, 2015

A fairly slow week at The Cowshed this week - but the long awaited steel work finally arrived today!

The pump Room and Tack Shed walls were removed and the new framing has started to go in.....

The big steel portal was put into place, and the existing railway irons were tied to it. A view of the interior from the kitchen - timber bracing holding things in place until the roof framework and wall framing is complete.

 A view from the driveway.....

November 25, 2015

A concrete pump makes pouring the concrete floor an easier option!

An early start today. Two concrete trucks arrived just after 7am to begin pouring the  new concrete concrete  floor for The Cowshed.

A familiar face - Stu Curd - at work......



The concrete floor poured....... .... in a few days time, the floor will be ground and polished.

At last! A level floor throughout The Cowshed.

There is a step down from the concrete floor to the exiting concrete yard. In the area around the bar and leading to the doors, a deck will be built, so that access to the area will be wheelchair friendly....






A view inside the ablution area. Raising the floor means that there are less steps leading up to the shower area.

Next week, this area will be demolished and the roof raised........