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BANCROFT - When he looks out at the barn across his yard in central Kossuth County, Russell Richter can personally account for a lot of hard work and effort spent under its roof.

He remembers early morning milking, hauling bales to the loft and tending to the chickens, horses and other livestock that sheltered there through three generations of family farming.

But as he surveys the towering, nearly three-story centerpiece of his family farm he can't help but wonder about the work required to build such a structure.

''To build something that high in those days they had to carry everything up by hand,'' Richter said as he considered the enduring craftsmanship of the 1912 constructors. ''When you look up at those rafters, you really wonder how it was all done.''

Richter is the third generation of his family to live and work the century farm in northern Kossuth County. The barn came almost 10 years after the establishment of the original homestead but is fondly remembered as the farm's center of the life.

Some kind of livestock - horses, beef cattle, chickens and others were always kept in the lower portion while supplies of feed and bedding where kept stored above.

Richter said grew up on a separate farm a few miles away, but he always admired his uncle's farm and when the opportunity came he bought the property in the early 1970s.

''I never thought I'd have a chance to own this farm,'' Richter said. ''But I told my uncle what my thoughts were and he was receptive to the idea so we worked a deal where I could take over.''

Under Richter's ownership the lower level of the barn was rearranged for use as a milking facility. The dairy usually kept around 28 milk cows and operated until the early 2000s.

With the end of the milking business the barn became less used, but Richter remained determined to keep it as part of the farm's legacy. The building's block lower level had become less sturdy with age and other maintenance was beginning to be needed.

In 2007 Richter started a large project to bring the barn back up to spec. The block base was carefully removed and replaced with a poured concrete lower story. The barn's siding and roof were also replaced with durable steel.

To further dress up the building Richter and his sister, who also lives on the farmstead, began accenting the lower windows with hanging planters of brightly colored flowers.

Today the barn is mostly empty, with its dairy equipment still inside, but stands ready for whatever use might come in the future.

Though the buildings rejuvenation came at some expense, Richter, who completed similar updates to a barn he owns on another property, said he enjoys knowing that the buildings have been cared for.

''When you go in there and you see the way it was built you hate to let it go to hell,'' Richter said. ''I just feel like a farm should have a barn on it.''

Contact Kevin Stillman by e-mail at stillman.kw@gmail.com.