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The Indiana Barn Foundation, whose mission is to support the preservation of historic barns, has gained national recognition.

With plans for the foundation’s second annual meeting and conference underway, the organization was approached by leaders of the National Barn Alliance with a request to hold a joint meeting.

“We are thrilled to be joined by the NBA for this meeting. Together we can produce a high-caliber event that will bring experts in barn preservation from all over the U.S.,” says Indiana Barn Foundation founder, Carolyn Rahe.

The annual Meeting and conference will be held at the Normandy Barn of the Indiana State Fairgrounds from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, July 18. From barn enthusiasts to experts, this one-day event will offer options for anyone who appreciates barns and wants to see them remain part of Indiana’s landscape.

Barn owners can learn from a panel of contractors and preservation experts during a Question and Answer session, and will hear about legislative efforts affecting barn owners.

Keynote speaker is architect Chuck Bultman, of Ann Arbor, Mich. Bultman has adapted over 30 barns to new uses, including wedding venues and event spaces and has restored barns “to just be barns.” Bultman is a board member of the NBA and member of several preservation organizations including the Timber Framers Guild.

Attendees will also meet artists and crafters with a passion for artwork that features barns, including painter Gwen Gutwein, photographer Marsha Williamson-Mohr, and Indiana Artisan Dorrell Harris. Indiana Barn Foundation’s plans for a Bicentennial Barn Quilt will also be revealed.

Other highlights of the day will be a screening of “The Resurrection of a Barn” by IBF member and filmmaker Freddi Stevens-Jacobi, a catered lunch served family style and accompanied by live music, and a close-up look at how barns are constructed with the raising of a scale model wooden barn and also a computer-generated barn model. At 3 p.m. the conference will move to Zionsville and conclude with a tour of the farm and historic barns of Traders Point Creamery.

Those who wish are welcome to join IBF and NBA members for an evening meal at Traders Point Creamery in The Loft Restaurant. Dinner is not included in the registration fee, and reservations are recommended.

Thanks to a generous grant from the National Barn Alliance, the registration cost for the entire day will include lunch and barn tour and will be just $40 per person ($30 for IBF or NBA members).

Online registration is available on the Indiana Barn Foundation web site at www.indianabarns.org, under Events. Membership forms can also be found on the website. Call (574) 342-3812 or email [email protected] for more information.