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, DVDs, books, and even an old self-playing piano<em>. </em>The wares aren’t limited to the barn’s interior; outside you’ll find bikes, lawn furniture, textiles, and so much more.</p>
<p>All of it was bound for the landfill—and not because it was beyond salvaging.</p>
<p>“A lot of people come because they’re either moving or someone passed away,” explained Pam Hendrick.</p>
<p>After 17-years as recycling coordinator, Hendrick now supervises the whole operation. Her job is to keep as much stuff from ending up in the landfill as possible. Opening a thrift store is one strategy she’s employed. </p>
<p>“We modeled the barn after a couple of other places in Northern California,” Hendrick told <em>The Dirt</em>. “One is down in Monterey, it’s called the Last Chance Mercantile, and there’s another one in Sonoma.”</p>
<p>With some elbow grease, the staff converted an old equipment shed into its present-day form. So far, it has diverted an estimated 600 tons of material from being landfilled.</p>
<p>Beyond that, Big Blue Barn saves money for those looking to use the landfill. Customers must pay by weight to dispose of items at the landfill. If they donate those items to the thrift store, however, it’s free.</p>
<p>“The more they donate, the less they have to pay. They do a big loop, get rid of the free stuff first, and then hopefully get rid of as little as they can in the landfill,” Hendrick explained.</p>
<p>So far, this method has saved customers more than $100-thousand in disposal costs, Hendrick said. </p>
<p>Beyond the thrift store, the facility accepts various metals for recycling: scrap metals, rigid plastics, mattresses, cardboard, and e-waste. They even maintain a special shed for commonplace household chemicals like paint or cleaning supplies. </p>
<p>“If we get paint or even cleaning products that are still in the original container, and it’s full or half full… we put good stuff in that shed and people can go in and shop for free,” Hendrick shares enthusiastically, adding that she hasn’t had to buy cleaning products since starting her job.</p>
<p>The success of the Big Blue Barn relies on its dedicated staff as well as a handful of volunteers. During our tour, we met Bonnie, a volunteer busy putting Christmas decorations into storage.</p>
<p>“I can’t tell you the appreciation that I get,” Bonnie shared warmly, adding with a laugh, “Make sure you mention that volunteers get hugs!”</p>
<p><em>The Big Blue Barn is open every Thursday from 9 am to 3 pm, as well as every third Saturday of the month for a half-off sale. It’s located at 44090 Co. Rd. 28H in Woodland.</em></p>
<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img alt="" class="wp-image-97582" height="402" src="https://thedirt.online/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Screenshot-2025-03-08-at-4.25.49 PM-600x402.png" width="600" /></figure>
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