[Lee Stewart]

Why Are Barns Always Painted Red?

According to the *Farmers' Almanac*, hundreds of years ago, farmers created a homemade sealant to protect the wood of their barns. Since paint and sealant weren't readily available, they concocted a mixture of linseed oil, milk, lime, and rust to coat their barns. The rust was effective at keeping moss and fungi at bay and ultimately turned the mixture red. Now, farmers can seal and paint their barns whatever color they like, but red remains the most popular, keeping the lineage and tradition of red barns alive.