Carl

I love Craigslist, ask anyone who really knows me. It’s helping me make our place what I want it to be; and in the process has brought some pretty remarkable people across my path. Today I answered an ad for some workbenches and met an interesting and wise person.

Carl lives near the county line. He built this home, horse barn, party house, shop etc. with his own hands. A well worn cowboy hat sits perched atop his peppered hair, his dark boyish eyes sparkle as he speaks. His weathered skin, dark eyes and high cheekbones give away his Native American decent; that and the 14’ totem pole in the front yard. My guess is he carved that with his own hands as well. The epitome of a mountain man, I guess him to be in his late 50’s although his life experiences lead me to believe him older.

A free spirit, he has his home up for sale, has purchased a yacht and plans to spend the rest of his days sailing the globe. A former horse trainer, Ferrier and auctioneer, he tells me he is ready for a change. He has spent the last 20 some years taking a blank 10 acre slate and making it into an efficient, well-designed homestead for his family. As he speaks, I find his wisdom innate. It’s natural, instinctive and I can’t seem to get enough of it. I ask questions, trying to unlock the deep-seated expertise he seems to spew so effortlessly at the prompting of a simple question.

He explains in detail how he welded the horse feeders adorning the barn he built and how he put the trusses together to look like an old bridge, as if I were going home to do the same. “Check out my corral and viewing station, when you build one, build it like this…” he quipped as he went on to explain the virtues of his design.. “Come back with a camera and take some pictures; if you need help with your barn design, let me know, I’ve built 24 structures, I can give you some good ideas.” I didn’t plan to build a barn when I awoke this morning, but now I was ready to go home and put my hand to it.

I was there and gone in less than 30 minutes, but I felt I had somehow obtained enough wisdom to go home and actually design and build my entire farm, yet at the same time I felt I had just scratched the surface of what he had to share.

“Keep in touch and come back soon, I’ll clean out my barn and you can have what you want…do you need some corral gates?” You bet I do, I’ll take whatever you have as long as I can pick your brain and get some wisdom along with it. Carl thought he was just getting rid of a couple of well used workbenches worth only a few bucks; I don’t think he realized that what he really gave me was incalculable. I look forward to going back this weekend with Josh to load up on some of Carl’s cast-offs and to pick his brain. I’ll take his advice and bring a camera when I do.