Red barns have become a symbol of the farming heritage and a reminder of the practical and resourceful nature of early ...

So they needed a cheap way to protect the barns' wood. They mixed skimmed milk, lime, and red iron oxide to make a red, plastic-like coating. The coating protected the wood and kept barns warmer ...

The iron in the rust was believed to prevent fungus ... Apps said some farmers left the barn wood to weather to natural shades of gray, but most chose to paint their new barn.