As part of every episode of Barnwood builders Mark Bowe always likes to show off other skilled craftsman or tradesman who do things the old-fashioned way. So when producers from the show discovered that Tom was a farrier,they were thrilled to add his skills to their show. To film his farrier skills we needed a willing client and a farm to work at. We were able to contact Sue Ann Spiker, also from Jane Lew, and include her and her farm in the last portion of the filming of this episode.
Barnwood Builders promotional photo. right to left is Tim, Sherman, Bryan, Mark,Johnny, Graham
If you have been following along with my last couple of posts about our house remodel these are the guys who invited us to join in the fun of their T.V. show and help us get barn wood for our family room. I have already shared the barn at Home remodel #1 and showed off the set and my house in Home remodel #2. But the last part of our day of filming really was about my husband Tom and his client Sue Ann Spiker and her farm.
Tom has worked for Sue Ann for years and when Tom was in middle school she was his Art teacher. When setting up this portion of the show Tom and I needed to find a horse and farm family willing to have a film crew on the farm. Tom thought of Sue Ann’s horse and farm right away. Sue Ann and her husband John, have historical buildings on their farm. This also excited the show producers and we ended up not only shooting Tom with Sue Ann holding her horse but getting a guided tour of their Guest House, Barn and 1700’s cabin. A real treat for everyone that was on set that day.
Actor Mark Bowe talking with the Director of Barnwood builders
Sue Ann has spent about 5 years or more restoring and decorating the buildings on her farm. The Guest House is a lovely two-story house built-in 1862. The family rents out house, cabin and barn for family gatherings and weddings. More information is on the families website at Sunny Pointe Guest House. com. The main excitement for the show is the little one room cabin or as The Spiker family informed us is the “Loom House” where linens were woven for the farm family 1700’s. The cabin is now set up as a bedroom with a lovely fire-place to keep couples warm at night.
Sunny Pointe Guest House side yard view old cabin in shadows
Cellar steps into the basement to Sunny Pointe Guest House
back of 1700’s at Spiker Farm
Sue Ann Spiker at the front of her 1700’s cabin
bed inside cabin at Spiker Farm
Christopher walking in front of fire-place in cabin at Spiker farm
Front door of cabin with photo of Gen. Thomas “Stone Wall” Jackson
One of the secrets of the cabin revels it’s self around this door… the builder and his family will be forever remembered.
door jamb of old cabin with fathers initials and 8 of the twelve children that lived and used the cabin
Cabin door jamb with more initials carved into the frame
After the tour it was time to get Tom working on Sue Ann’s horse and here he is getting his microphone.
Tom getting ready to shoe. sound engineer hooks up his microphone
Sue Ann also getting ready to talk about the farm and her horse.
Sue Ann Spiker with sound engineer getting her microphone
I can only tell you that the portion where Tom puts a shoe on the front of Sue Ann’s horse went fine. I was with them, holding on to the horse’s tail so that the camera man would not get kicked in the face. He was so low and close to the horse that we all just were a little worried about his safety. So, sadly I was not able to get photos of that portion of the filming. In the end, I was glad I was at the rear of the horse. She was a little wiggly and it took a while for her to get comfortable with all the attention. So the photos I have are of Katie the producer getting some time with “Miss Lee” the Tennessee Walking Horse before everyone got busy working with her feet.
Katie Rolnick the producer with Miss Lee the Walking horse, Bruno the donkey is in the back ground
The shooting ended with Tom letting Mark Bowe try his hand at nailing on a shoe and talking to everyone at the end of a very long day. The sun was setting, Tom, Christopher and I climbed into the truck to head home. The day was perfect and we learned more than we ever expected to from this experience and we still had one more day of filming to go. The view of the rolling hills and green grass of the Spiker farm were hard to leave behind but after 9 hours of filming and a couple of hours of driving and unloading lumber. I was ready for my home and bed.
Rolling pasture of Spiker Farm
The following day was time to film my house and to take the film crew around our local area to find beautiful scenic and rural images for cut-ins during the show. This ended up being my favorite part of the filming. I was not on camera but got to spend the day with this wonderful people and get my only photo taken. I got this photo of me in a e-mail a few days after the team left never even knowing Katie had taken it of me while in my kitchen.
Jolynn Powers holding television camera from the Barnwood builders crew
The remaining portion of the story is more about demolishing my house and the actual rebuilding process and that will take a while to do and write about. In the future I will share more photos and stories about the mess we make. In the mean time,I though you might like to see the lumber from the barn. It is beautiful and we have plenty to do our walls and some other projects.
10 pounds of nails came from the lumber
West Virginia Mountain Mama 
Sounds like a fascinating day. I’m so glad this turned into much more than just a remodel job. This is a series of events you will all remember forever. Thank you so much for bringing us behind the scenes with you.
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thanks Dan I am sure that we will post some thing between now and the end of july when they will come back to film the finished product.Then some time in November I will get a copy of the show to view and in April of next year we will get to see the show on TV
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Wow, what a process. I hope it’s on the air here next April.
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The DIY network will have it and The GAC network will also have it… I don’t get either so in the future to see it I have to get a better package for my dish
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I’ll find some way to see it – I wouldn’t miss this 🙂
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If for some reason you do miss it… I will see what I can do, I will have a link for the ruff draft as some point and make sure you see it
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What an exciting year this is turning into for you and your family, JoLynn!
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Thank you for sharing the story! The picture of the initials in the door jam and the the date on the cellar steps are particularly touching because they are a reminder of the family history that goes into each house.
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I am so in love with this place. I wish you’d check the census for 1860/1870 and find the names of the people who lived there and carved their names on the door frame. My ancestor, the Reverend James H. Jennings, moved from NY to Tomahawk Springs, Virginia (now West Virginia) and married a local girl, Elizabeth Robinson. Her mother was a Wigle/Weigle and I’m hoping to go out next summer and do more research. This beautiful home is less than 200 miles away and will definitely be a stop on the trip. It will be the perfect place to get some quiet, remember the past, and get some writing done. Thank you so much for this beautiful renovation and saving this wonderful piece of history. I’m just in awe!
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If you are able to visit Sue Ann knows the family history and all the names and actually lived with a descendant of the builder and bought the farm from them… she would love to share their story and hers if you are ever in the area.
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@jolynnpowers – I just read that you don’t get DIY or GAC. I’d go into withdrawal without them. I’m a DIY junkie.
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Yes at this point my dish-network package do not include either…. So I have been watching some free monthly feeds… Yes one day I will get them but not sure when.
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I have thoroughly enjoyed reading your story. Thanks for sharing and I can’t wait to see it on tv. I love the show and they all seem like great people that truly love what they do. I have been doing geneaology research on my family and just love the history and stories you uncover. So, the initials you show on the wood was so special when I saw them. I would love to visit your area as I have a love for barns!! Thanks again!
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Mark. I have a friend who has 2 old barns that he wants removed. One is 1800’s Post and Beam Biggggg..other is 1900’s and smaller. Both are in Coudersport PA Area….Call me 717-777-1739. I watch your show and i think you would be interested…..Jack
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Hello Jack,
Just wanted to let you know that I got your message but I am not in part of the Barnwood Builders or their production company. I am a blogger who had the opportunity to work with them on a project and write about it. If you go to their facebook page you can call and leave a message or instant messenger the show their to give them this information thanks for commenting. JoLynn
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