Grant From Merck Gives Ryerss A New Roof!

On February 18, 2013, the new roof which was given to Ryess Farm in the form of a grant from Merck, began construction!  It was a cold but sunny day and the crew of workers from GP Martini Roofing Company arrived bright and early.  They started the job of removing the 25 year old roof from our sixty stall main barn as several of us watched the progress!  During the following days they removed the old shingles, cleaned and replaced any rotted plywood on the exposed roof deck, put down new underlayment and, finally, new GAF timberline lifetime architectural shingles. In addition they also replaced gutters and which were in very poor condition after many years of use.  The project took all week to complete but by Friday afternoon we had a beautiful new roof and gutters which will keep our horses dry and sheltered for many years to come.  Many thanks to the staff at GP Martini for their hard work and excellent service!

One of the equine residents in our main barn is Jack, who once worked as a pharmaceutical horse at Merck, helping to create black widow spider anti-venom.  Jack is a chestnut draft mix who retired to Ryerss Farm in 2004.  He is now 35 years old but loves to greet visitors  and enjoys the treats of carrots and apples they bring!  The acquisition of our new roof is due to the kind generosity of Merck who was pleased to support Ryerss in this important project.  Please see photos below (including Jack).