Timberframing

Henry Phillips Barn

Charles Fish Barn
(Visitor Center)

Ox Barn

Sheep Barn

Although horses, and sometimes mules, were the most common source of farm power during the farm's period of interpretation (1890-1910), it is known that in 1900, oxen were kept at the neighbor's farm north on Hunter Road.  The oxen kept here, today, are worked by the farm's interns, who learn how to use animal power for applications in international small farm projects.

The barn measures 20 by 22 feet and its frame once served as a wagon house.  It was taken down and the frame raised on its current location in November 1999.  The raising was done as part of a regional conference of the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums (ALHFAM) with assistance from The New Jersey Barn Company.  The Howell Farm interns, volunteers, and staff finished the project and the oxen moved in on June 8, 2001 in order that work could begin on the restoration of the Henry Phillips Barn where they had been housed up to that time.

In addition to housing the oxen, the barn also contains loose hay in the loft and demonstrations of loading the hay into the loft are given during haying season, as seen below.