It Takes a Village: Barn Raising at The Magnolia Company

At The Magnolia Company, We’re Building Something More

Family, if you’ve been with us for a minute, you know The Magnolia Company revolves around 3 core values: nature, generosity, and community. 

And if you’ve really been with us for a minute, you know we put our money where our mouth is in all 3 of those values. 

From investing in sustainable farming infrastructure, to giving back to nature, to creating fellowship spaces where everyone – new or experienced – can thrive in their love of nature’s bounty, The Magnolia Company represents far more than just a business.   

It’s no secret that the world is more divided than ever right now.  You didn’t come here to read about politics, and we’re not about to get into that hullabaloo.  That’s what the news is for. 

Instead, we’re offering you an announcement worth celebrating.

Something that brings folks together in a neighborly backyard barbeque spirit.

Something that refocusses our hearts and our perspectives on what really counts.

And we’re doing it with a good ol’ southern tradition!

The Real Truth About Southern Traditions

When you think of “The South,” what comes to mind?

If you’re anything like us, “food” is at the top of your list… marshmallow salads (and all manner of “atypical” salads really), the best desserts you ever did taste, fried everything… no one does a summertime picnic quite like southerners do. 

You might also think of farms, tractors, guns, hunting, fishing, cowboy boots and line dancing, accents dripping in drawls, funny little “-isms” and idioms for everything, minding your “yes ma’am,” “no ma’am,” “yessir,” and “nossir’s,” or the word “y’all”…

For some folks, “The South” has a very specific look and feel to it.  It’s even become a bit of an aesthetic or trend these days.

Sometimes, like the true meaning of Christmas, the true spirit of the South gets a bit lost in all of the trappings and decor.  While everyone else is trying to look like they grew up in a Southern Living magazine, it’s easy to forget why “being southern” is so darn popular to begin with.

“Being Southern” and the traditions that come with it aren’t distillable into a magazine spread or commercial.  Like all the worthwhile things in life, it’s what’s inside that counts.

You take such good care to decorate your doorstep every autumn because you want to make sure all who come your way feel right at home from the start.  The entrance to your home says “lay down your burdens and rest.”

You make enough to feed an army at every meal because no one in your home ever goes hungry – and yes, we can always squeeze one more chair around the table.

You’ve got more casserole dishes than you know what to do with because when you feed your neighbor, you’re okay with them keeping the dish and passing along the good deed to the next person who needs a little love. 

Southern tradition isn’t just hospitality and accents; it’s “love your neighbor” in action, not just in thoughts and prayers.

The Tradition of Barn Raising

Back when barns weren’t just a place you rented for your wedding venue, they were a critical part of ensuring a community’s ability to thrive.  Farmers feed their neighbors, their towns, their states, and beyond.  It makes sense that in the 18th and 19th centuries (prior to the industrial revolution), building a barn was quite a to-do. 

Barns are massive wooden structures that house livestock, resources, and precious equipment that farmers rely on, which means the community as a whole has a vested interest in ensuring farmers have the barn or barns they need to work.

Building a barn was a massive expense, both in terms of labor and materials.  If a farmer suffered the loss of a barn to fire, natural disaster, or collapse, it would take him years to save up for the materials alone.  The construction work was arduous and difficult, often exceeding the capabilities of just the farmer and his family.

The tradition of barn raising became the answer to this conundrum.

A barn raising day would call on the help of able bodied folks from all around town to knock out the project in a day or matter of days.  Everyone volunteered to pitch in their time, their talents, and yes, even resources to build the barn, too.  While the men built, the women kept everyone fed and children functioned as runners for parts and tools. 

It became a cultural and communal understanding that the spirit of this effort was reciprocity.  If your barn burned down some years after you helped your neighbor raise their barn, you knew you could call on them to help you in your time of need.

While hard work, barn raising was also a cause for celebration – a reason to come together.  Sunset meant the tools were laid to rest while the building of spirits continued with much festivity.  A completed barn became a venue for an afterparty of sorts, full of music, dancing, games, and storytelling.  It’s never just about the barn.  It’s about the bonds and love of a community in fellowship.

Raising a Barn at The Magnolia Company

So what does all of this talk of values, traditions, and barn raising have to do with a company that makes home decor?

Everything!

For the last few years, we’ve been working diligently behind the scenes on creating a space for our community to call home.  We’ve written a bit about it before: The Magnolia Mile. 

In addition to the scenic nature walk we’re crafting within our groves, we’re also raising our own barn.  Instead of livestock, this barn will be an interactive space for local gardeners to come and learn together, a place for creating arts and crafts with nature, and an educational hub for kids to be hands-on with nature’s finest!

We can’t wait to unveil our barn!  And, in the truest spirit of southern tradition, we’ll have a celebration at its opening – music, dancing, games, and yes, even storytelling. 

To our beloved Magnolia Family, won’t you join us?

Keep a sharp eye on your email and our social media to stay up to date with this project and to catch the invite to our barn-raising celebration!