American Pickers Dream

An American Pickers Dream!

I wanted to share an amazing experience best described as an American Pickers weekend! 

As I searched the free stuff on Craigslist I found rusty old mattresses great for harvesting bed springs, perfect for an old insulator project I am planning.  I called the guy and secured the free mattresses, as he was explaining the property and where I could locate the mattresses, he mentioned a chicken coop that was soon to be demolished.

Hold the thought .... a chicken coop?  Does the coop still had it's original nesting boxes, something I have been looking for a while ~ perfect for displaying pumpkins and hay in the fall!?  Indeed the nesting boxes were available to anyone who wanted to crow-bar them off the wall!  As the guy continued, he mentioned perhaps that I would be interested in looking around the 'other buildings' on the property.  And that all items needed to be removed within the next few weeks since the buildings would be burned.   

Lucille, my son's girlfriend Emily and I hopped in the car and journeyed to the 'soon to be demolished farm'.  Oh my.... as we drove down the long drive, on this below zero January day, decked out in our finest picking clothes, Lucille exclaimed 'Oh My I forgot my Lipstick'.  We laughed until our belly's hurt ~ in our over-sized boots and overcoats.  Quite a sight.

The buildings held great treasure, although much imagination was needed.  Old wooden troughs chewed by animals over the years with a little varnish these treasures will be perfect as fall table centerpieces, wooden skis to grace an entry door,  paint chipped doors, latticed windows, grain bins, rusty patina tin on the Grainery just begging to be taken off and re-purposed in my Garden Shed ceiling, and a huge piece of farm equipment with rusty old gears, an amazing wooden wheel and the list goes on!!    

A Gold Mine Indeed!!

After my husband returned from his ice-fishing trip, I told him about the Pickers experience and he excitedly suggested that we head to the soon to be demolished farm and start Picking! 

The Grainery

The Chicken Coop

We hopped in our F250 pickup with a trailer behind, crow bar and hammer on the bright afternoon today.  We picked to our hearts content starting in the Grainery where we found lots more treasure under the rubble.  The best find of the day was a 4 foot wrench!  

What more could a girl want?  A 4 ft Wrench!

Farm Equipment with Huge Potential for Gear Salvage 

Rusty Wheel

Wooden Wheel used to Auger Grain into Bins (Still needing to charm my way  with this!)

White and Chippy 

Galvanized Wash Bucket loaded with Cornice

Bucket of Rusty Wheels

Then off to another outbuilding to salvage those bedsprings and wooden troughs.  And finally to the chicken coop.  

Chicken Nesting Boxes & Rusty Bedsprings

As we were picking through the chicken coop a gentleman who rents the property showed up, I explained the property owner knew we were picking and he kindly said he knew about us arriving to pick.  As we talked he explained he was the owner of these fabulous street lights (which were previously 'not for sale') salvaged from a city project in Southern Minnesota.  

Vintage Street Lights - Numbered and Salvaged 

He said he had great plans for the lights, but hadn't gotten to them and explained that his wife did not see there treasure.  So...with my charm suggested a price that he couldn't resist and that we would take these off his hands to boot!  He accepted and then explained that he would drop by the original light poles as well. 

Score!

I have met some of the most amazing people this past few days, and truly appreciate my husband and his willingness to join me on this new venture.  

Enjoy the pictures!!  After we unpack the truck/trailer we head back tomorrow to salvage those chicken coops, Ball Jars & the Patina Tin from the Grainery!  

Trailer of Salvaged Treasure

All in a days work for pickers!!  Lovin' Life!!

- Ruth