Earlier this year, Save the Farm, efforts were announced and more than $10,000 has been raised for restoration work on the 100-year-old Leet/Hassler Farmstead in Manning. The farmstead is a part of the Heritage Hausbarn Park along state Highway 141 on the east side of town, and is featured on the National Register of Historical Places. Work actually began on the barn in mid-March, with Kerkhoff Kraftsmen of Carroll, who have added electricity to the hay loft, repaired the floor and stabilized a wall. They will continue with the addition of new steps to the hayloft which will open the space for dances, weddings and photo opportunities. The estimated cost of this phase is $16,000. Save the Farm organizers, LeRoy Dammann and Dr. Rexanne Struve, DVM, will be working at collecting additional funds to repair the foundation on the scale house, the roof on the Craftsman-style home and to repair and maintain other buildings on the site. On May 13, Heritage Hausbarn Park will celebrate its 100th birthday for the farmstead with free admission from 9 a.m. to noon. There will be a breakfast served from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for a free will offering and family-oriented activities with a nod to the past, such as horse-drawn wagon rides and old-fashioned games, will be held for everyone to enjoy.
