Many Options Offered
by Karen Pickering
Dreaming of that special barn? This is the time of year when improvement projects around our farms and ranches start moving from fantasy to reality. For our Barn and Farm issue The Northwest Horse Source interviewed a number of construction companies and asked them questions about their businesses and products.
1) Where are you headquartered? Browns Valley, Minnesota. For those familiar with the map of the United States, on the west side of Minnesota is a “point” into South Dakota, at the tip of the point is Browns Valley. Even though our address is Minnesota, we are actually across the border in South Dakota!
2) What’s your specialty? We specialize in custom designed post frame (pole) building and barn kit packages, delivered to your building site and including complete engineered plans and the instructions for assembly. We take the needs of the client, make recommendations based upon those needs and design a building which best fits the needs, wants, desires and budget of the client.
3) Who’s your typical customer? Anyone who needs a new building, whether it is a loafing shed to protect a single horse from inclement weather or a riding arena with clear spans as great as 100 feet.
4) What makes your company unique? The ability to get a totally custom designed and engineered building without having to pay an absurd premium to get one. The only limitations are budget, imagination, and available space.
5) Price Range? From a few thousand to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
6) What areas do you serve? We have multiple buildings in every state in the United States, so there is an excellent chance there is one nearby you.
1) Where are you headquartered? 1611 Buck Way Mount Vernon, Washington
2) What’s your specialty? Agricultural buildings and equestrian facilities
3) Who’s your typical customer? Horse enthusiasts and farmers
4) What makes your company unique? Longevity (family owned since 1945)
5) Price Range? $500 repair job to million-dollar plus
6) What areas do you serve? Washington State
1) Where are you headquartered? Wayne, Nebraska
2) What’s your specialty? Barns and homes with spectacular interiors.
3) Who’s your typical customer? People who own 45-60 acres.
4) What makes your company unique? Family owned, full service (custom design, pre-manufactured, shipped as kits). We are a nationwide company (barns in 48 states). We produce everything from small garden sheds to event centers and custom homes.
5) Price Range? From $30,000 to $300,000 – We have a wide variety of sizes, styles, and uses!
6) What areas do you serve? Nationwide. We’ve shipped our barn and home kits to 48 states and a few international.
1) Where are you headquartered? We are located in Mt. Vernon, Washington
2) What’s your specialty? Footing, grading, clearing, drainage, and site preparation
3) Who’s your typical customer? Private and commercial equestrians
4) What makes your company unique? We specialize in equestrian properties
6) What areas do you serve? Washington and Oregon
1) Where are you headquartered? Hubbard (outside of Portland), Oregon
2) What’s your specialty? Arenas, barns, garages and shops
3) Who’s your typical customer? We serve agricultural and recreational clients. We construct buildings for livestock, farming, raising crops, as well as storage for RVs cars, ATVs, and boats.
4) What makes your company unique? We have been building pole barns for over 35 years, so we know what it takes to get a project completed. We have a team of people, from estimators to project managers to onsite crews. All ensure the smoothest process for the construction of your structure and will get it done in the optimal amount of time. We can design a structure to fit a client’s needs or we can use a customer’s design.
5) Price Range? Varies widely on the type of building, size, and use.
6) What areas do you serve? Oregon and Washington
1) Where are you headquartered? Ontario, California
2) What’s your specialty? Modular Barns & Buildings
3) Who’s your typical customer? From single horse owners to large facilities like race tracks and show facilities.
4) What makes your company unique? Our unique stalls are chew-proof, kick-proof and have a 0% fire spread rating.
5) Price Range? $10,000 and up depending on customer requirements
6) What areas do you serve? We service worldwide with a large dealer network across the United States
Originally Published March 2017 Issue
Owner/Publisher Karen’s lifelong love of horses began at a very early age when she wore out a couple of rocking horses before convincing her parents to get her the real thing. That ill-tempered bay gelding, Brandy, was a challenge for the young horsewoman, but it drove her ambition to become a horse trainer. After attending Canyonview Equestrian College’s Horsemanship Program, Karen realized she needed work that was a little more lucrative than training, so she took a job with Customs Brokerage to pay the bills. There, she discovered an affinity for computers and a talent for creating informative, entertaining newsletters. The Northwest Horse Source began as such a letter in December 1995, with a distribution of 1000 copies for its 12 black and white pages. Now 25 years later, it’s an online magazine and website with a reach of over 10,000 per month and growing! Not bad for the results of one woman’s dream to work with horses!
Today, Karen remains involved with every aspect of the magazine and treasures the community of thousands who share a common passion. Now excited to start a version of her original magazine in Colorado!