September 29, 2026
Cleaning and Organizing the Equipment Barn on a Rainy Day
Here at my farm, even rainy days can be extremely productive.
Whenever stormy weather keeps my gardeners and outdoor grounds crew from working outside, I encourage them to use the time to take stock of our equipment, clean everything thoroughly, and organize the tools and supplies. My Equipment Barn measures approximately 40 by 120 feet, with plenty of height to house our mowers, blowers, tractors, tools, and other important machinery. Yesterday, as the weekend nor’easter brought a third consecutive day of rain, my team took the opportunity to clear the space, wash the floors and equipment, and carefully inspect each item before returning everything to its designated place. Now, everything is clean, properly stored, and ready for use.
Here are some photos, enjoy.
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- I built this Equipment Barn soon after purchasing the farm. I wanted it to be an attractive structure in an easy-to-access location. This building is just off the carriage road next to my hay barn and vegetable greenhouse. Giant sliding barn doors are at each end.
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- Here is a view of the inside. To clean it thoroughly, everything is brought out, the floor is cleaned and then everything is returned to its proper place. At night, this barn accommodates all our farm vehicles. Above, the space is well lit with these big overhead lamps. I use very utilitarian lighting and fans wherever I can.
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- Phurba uses the power washer to clean the cement floors of any mud and other debris.
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- Here, Phurba uses the STIHL battery-operated blower to direct the water to the drains.
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- Out back, Phurba also power washes each of the mowers and makes sure each piece of equipment is in perfect working order.
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- Once it is cleaned, Phurba parks it back in the barn, in a designated spot, where it can easily be driven out when needed.
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- On one side of the Barn, we keep the entire fleet of STIHL mowers. They are all parked together, faced out, during the summer season when they are used daily.
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- Next, any dirty garden tools are washed.
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- And then hung on sturdy hooks. These hooks store our spades and shovels in all sizes for different jobs.
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- We keep like items together, so we know where to find them and how many we have in supply.
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- These are long handled cultivating forks which are bent at the end in order to turn the soil.
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- Any STIHL trimmers and other long handled tools are also kept in one place.
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- Our blowers are also made by STIHL. We’ve been using STIHL’s backpack blowers for years here at my farm. These blowers are powerful and fuel-efficient. The gasoline-powered engines provide enough rugged power to tackle heavy debris while delivering much lower emissions.
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- Along the wall on sturdy shelves are our Miracle-Gro fertilizers – also ready to grab when necessary.
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- Blowers, tillers, edgers, walk behind mowers, and generators are all parked by type and frequency of use.
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- Ladders of various sizes rest against one wall close to one set of large barn doors.
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- All the Gilmour hoses are gathered, coiled, tied, and ready for winter storage.
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- In another corner, we have this bank of lockers for the crew. Everyone has their own locker where they can store safety equipment, extra shoes, clothing, and other personal items.
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- Meanwhile, the STIHL chainsaws are all sharpened. The teeth are filed, two or three strokes per tooth. This is done for every tooth in one direction and then in the other, all the way around.
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- Nearby, Pasang checks the tires on this Polaris off-road vehicle. He adds air where needed.
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- Here is Phurba washing our trusted Hi-Lo, which is also used every day here at the farm.
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- He also gives our Kubota tractor a good rinse. Regularly washing tractors is essential for safety, equipment longevity, and operational efficiency.
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- Everything is now back in the large holding area ready to use. It is so nice to know all our equipment can fit neatly in this Equipment Barn.
This story originally appeared on Martha Stewart Blog
