Minnesota
Central Minnesota woman turns old barnwood into works of art
Fall harvest means barns across the Midwest are a busy place — but for a central Minnesota woman, they aren’t just farm buildings, they’re works of art.
“Most of my barns are 100 to 120 years old,” said Heather Coleman.
While home buyers go house hunting, Coleman goes barn hunting across central Minnesota. The more beat up the building is, the better.
“This was a windstorm this summer that took this beautiful thing down,” Coleman said while visiting a barn in Kandiyohi County.
The barnwood she gathers ends up in her shop near the town of Pennock — that’s where it finds a new purpose.
“All these dilapidated barns out in the country either get bulldozed or just sit there and I’m all about refurbishing anything,” Coleman said.
She’s refurbishing while combining her love for farm life with her love for lake life. Coleman has always been good with a saw, so, years ago, when someone asked her if she could carve the shape of their lake out of her barnwood, she didn’t hesitate.
“I said, ‘I’ll give it a try. I’ll try anything once.’ And that’s where it started,” Coleman said.
The first lake turned out so well that word spread. Coleman now does about 50 Minnesota lakes a year. She uses maps from both the Department of Natural Resources and Google to get the shape and then traces them. Then it’s all about getting the cuts just right.
Because no two lakes are the same, every cove and every corner is important.
After the artwork takes shape, 1-inch strips of barnwood are applied. Some light sanding is the final touch.
“Some are intense. Eagle Lake, maybe a half hour. Lake Superior could take a couple hours because starting from the beginning, then cutting and then sanding, and I’m very particular, so it could take quite a while,” Coleman said.
A quick look around her shop shows Coleman is also known for repurposing water skis, hockey sticks and even beer cans — but her heart is in the heartland.
There’s no shortage of barnwood, so there’s no shortage of ideas. She plans to continue to combine her love for barns with her love for lakes. After all, there are 10,000 in the state, which means she isn’t planning on leaving her shop anytime soon.
“My grandma always said if you enjoy doing what you do, it’s never a job. And I love being in my garage and doing this,” Coleman said.
Coleman gives a state of Minnesota barnwood piece to every farmer who donates barnwood to her project.
Coleman shares her work on Facebook.
See how the bald eagle’s story shows its enduring symbolism
As the U.S. celebrates 250 years, the bald eagle endures as North America’s native sea eagle and national bird.
The common loon, Minnesota’s state bird, is more closely related to a penguin than a duck.
Despite loons predominantly living in the northern hemisphere and penguins mostly living in the southern hemisphere, researchers consider them to be genetic cousins. Taxonomic analyses placed them in an evolutionary cluster tracing back 40 million to 50 million years ago, along with herons and pelicans.
While loons and ducks share habitat on Minnesota lakes, they aren’t close relatives. Ducks are closer cousins to geese and swans.
After sharing a common ancestor, penguins and loons developed distinct characteristics. Loons can fly, but struggle to move on land; penguins can’t fly, but waddle on land. Penguins use flipper-like wings to swim; loons use webbed feet for underwater propulsion.
They have some similar features, however, including dense bones to help dive underwater and their tuxedo coloring.
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Fires in the past burned more frequently in western Canada, but recent years have seen that trend migrate eastward, with large fires now burning in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic provinces, Prof Chasmer said, leading to more noticeable smoke in densely populated cities like Toronto and New York.
Minnesota United, the Liberia Lone Star National Football Team and SARX today announced that the international friendly against the Liberia National Team, scheduled for July 26, 2026, has been canceled.
While we were looking forward to welcoming the Liberia National Team and celebrating the strong ties between Minnesota’s Liberian community and our club, circumstances outside of our control have made it necessary to cancel the match. We appreciate the understanding of our supporters and wish the Liberia National Team all the best.
Fans who purchased tickets to the match will be refunded within approximately 3-10 business days.
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