Red barns dot our countryside, like red poppies in a field.This red barn looks beautiful, decorated for the upcoming holiday season with wreaths, snow coverings, and a Green Squared Pinwheel Block.The deep red color is actually an American tradition originating in the 1700s.Farmers, in an attempt to protect their wooden barns from fungi, moss and mold, would mix rust with milk and lime, and paint their barns.This rust mixture would seal the wood, protecting the barn for decades.Nowadays, we just buy red paint, but the tradition still continues!