photo: Mike & Barb

We have an ongoing tally when we travel of the number of red barns to white barns. Our recent trip to Michigan, through the Upper Peninsula and south on the west side of Lake Michigan was no different.

I knew that on the way out, I’d be losing to white barns because Iowa is full of white barns, almost 3 to 1 on the interstate. So, coming into Michigan I was behind. But, coming through Michigan

Photo: Susan & Chris

and into the UP, things began to swing to the red barns.

Down through Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and the Sandhills of Nebraska, I caught up to where we are almost even. I am a firm believer that barns should be red. I’m not sure what happened in Iowa to make so many of them white.

If anyone knows anything about the history of barn painting, I’d love to hear your theory.