In 1997 Jon Ahrendsen & myself (David Kusel) visited Germany to research our family genealogy.
During our visit we saw many wonderfully preserved buildings.
We knew Manning was going to receive a farm house & barn as a gift from Offenseth, Germany.
We saw many thatched buildings all over northern Germany and noted that many roofs were covered with a living moss.

I learned some distinctions with the names of the different buildings in Germany.
A house on a farm that has a barn attached to it is called a Bauernhaus.
A house on a farm that is separate from the barn is called a Herrenhaus.
The Plattdeutsches word used in Manning for a House and Barn is Hausbarn.

Bauernhaus museum in Germany.

Below: A living thatched roof in Germany with moss growing on top.

This thatched German home also has moss growing on top.