Schleich Barn #42028: A Passion Project

So I got into this hobby by my parents buying me farm animals, and by and large that was my favorite game as a young child; to set up my farm toys. I remember seeing this barn in a catalog as a child and I wanted it so badly but was also too expensive so I never got one. Several years ago I found this one at a garage sale and bought it for 20$. It was missing a few parts and the wood components (the roof and hayloft) were painted in a thick glossy teal monstrosity. (Unfortunately I don't have before photos...) this paint took HOURS to sand off and in some places there are traces of it still.... but I got the roof and loft restained and now I have a functional barn for my ooooold friends. :)
The barn itself
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The loft
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And my mini play session The grass is a bit long but you get the idea (nearly all of these were the toys I played this game with so long ago... it actually felt good to relive those days).
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A popsicle stick "stall/shed" I made many years ago
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My pony's name was Banana.
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Suprise!
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And one of my helpers (Flynn) enjoying a good grass rub
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With 20 dollars and a lot of patience you recovered good memories, a childhood wish and the result is surely a joy for you. It looks all amazing and it is again a special episode being told on forum.

Absolutely wonderful, it really is a special sort of happiness to tap in so directly to those old, happy childhood moments, and to finally fulfill those little wishes that were so important at the time! I love that you have all your old friends to connect the past and the present and to relive a little of that "play" that's so hard to find as an adult. Great work getting that barn to look so good, too!

Banana is a fantastic name, too, he would have fit in perfect with how I named all my little horses.

What a wonderful idea to have fulfilled this wish and taken a lovely trip back to childhood! You have restored the barn so well and the animals seem so happy to be back on the farm! I love how you have positioned the dogs- especially that cheeky mixed breed in the trailer and Border Collie peeping out of the car!
And complete with your fabulous friend Flynn (he's gorgeous!), the perfect way to spend time!
I've also been looking back and remembering earlier memories and sometimes wishing I could be a child again... as a teenager these days it seems that there aren't many who still 'play'. But it's something I still love to do and don't think I'll ever grow out of right through to old age!

Nice looking barn! I love the 3rd photo, looks so comfy!!

Thank you everyone! It really has been a fun experience to complete and something I have put off for years so it feels good to be done. I think as adults it is so hard to find that childlike joy and wonder, and this finished product is really truly like a time capsule. I can't say enough how fun it was/is/will be. Thanks everyone.

This is really wonderful Paige !
For sure it was a fun project and the result is beautiful.
And I love your photos !

Fantastic that you managed to find what you didn't manage to get as a child. It's like a doll's house for farm animals. I love the donkey with cart. Is the cart hand-made?

Thank you Kosta and Roger! I got the cart second hand, but it is made of balsa type wood (very light weight) so I suspect that it is handmade. Some day I am going to find something to put in it for my donkeys to pull.