James Lovelace
Challenge – Cover hay bales
Solution – Freestanding Building
Size – 42′ wide x 17′ high x 96′ long
Application – Hay storage
Facing strong winds and rain in Troy, MO, James Lovelace was presented with the challenge of storing his bales of hay in a structure that could withstand the elements. His tin barn was too far away for convenient storage and the wind destroyed his tarps by the end of the season. After searching for a solution, Lovelace decided a ClearSpan™ Freestanding Building was just what he was looking for.
Soon after the building was completed, a tornado hit nearby and produced winds close to 75 mph. Lovelace says, “It was nothing. The building was there as if there had been no wind.” In addition to withstanding the strong winds, the ClearSpan building also kept the hay bales dry. He explains, “I need to keep my big, round bales of hay dry because, to feed two hundred ewes and three hundred lambs, I have to unroll the bale of hay so they can all get to it. If it gets wet and freezes it won’t unroll and stays frozen even when it warms up.”
Lovelace currently has 75 one thousand lb. bales of hay in the building, but he thinks it could hold up to 300 bales. The ClearSpan building also doubles as a storage space for Lovelace’s tractor. He says, “Another thing I like is that I can park my tractor in the ClearSpan building. When I used plastic sheeting to cover the hay there, I left the tractor out in the weather or had to drive it to another barn, so fuel savings and less wear and tear on the old tractor are both a plus.”
Building the structure himself, Lovelace came across an unexpected surprise. He recruited his sons to help with the building efforts and says that he really enjoyed the time they spent building the structure together. “Looking back, it was fun putting up the building and working with my sons. Although at first it seemed like a lot to tackle, it all came together.”
For more information on how ClearSpan helped James Lovelace, call him at 573.384.5398.
