Cows rescued following partial barn collapse in Boscawen

A crew from Highway View Farm in Boscawen brings in a lift and a dump truck with a swing-arm loader to remove debris after the roof of one barn at the farm collapsed from the heavy snow on Friday evening, February 21, 2025

A crew from Highway View Farm in Boscawen brings in a lift and a dump truck with a swing-arm loader to remove debris after the roof of one barn at the farm collapsed from the heavy snow on Friday evening, February 21, 2025 GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

A crew from Highway View Farm in Boscawen brings in a lift and a dump truck with a swing-arm loader to remove debris after the roof of one barn at the farm collapsed from the heavy snow on Friday evening, February 21, 2025

A crew from Highway View Farm in Boscawen brings in a lift and a dump truck with a swing-arm loader to remove debris after the roof of one barn at the farm collapsed from the heavy snow on Friday evening, February 21, 2025 GEOFF FORESTER—Monitor staff

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals.

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals. JAY HEATH—For the Monitor

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals.

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals. JAY HEATH—For the Monitor

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals.

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals. JAY HEATH—For the Monitor

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals.

Boscawen and Concord Fire Departments were dispatched to the Highway View Farm on River Road for sections of the roof that had collapsed trapping some of the cows. Mutual aid was brought in from Concord, Epsom, Penacook Rescue and Bow fire departments. A prolonged rescue operation was in progress to assist the farm in attempting to retrieve the trapped animals. JAY HEATH—For the Monitor

By JEREMY MARGOLIS

Monitor staff

Published: 02-21-2025 11:26 PM

Modified: 02-22-2025 7:03 AM

Emergency crews freed six trapped cows during a three-hour rescue operation Friday evening after a barn at the landmark Highway View Farm in Boscawen partially collapsed.

After being freed, the cows walked off under their own power and escaped with only minor injuries, farm co-owner Adam Crete said.

The collapse occurred at around 5 p.m. and was caused by snow, according to Boscawen Fire Chief Tim Kenney. Rescue crews from Boscawen, Concord, and Epsom worked cautiously to extract the trapped cows without causing further damage to the fragile structure.

“The firefighters had to brace the roof as they went, so it wouldn’t collapse any more on them or the cows as they cut through the lumber, kind of building a tunnel to get to the cow,” Kenney said. 

About a quarter of the approximately 100-yard barn collapsed. The structure, which sits prominently on River Road right past the intersection of Routes 3 and 4, held about 130 dairy cows in it, Crete said.

Rescuers and other volunteers moved nearly all of the animals to a secondary barn on the property and then began to dismantle the collapsed part of the roof with bulldozers. That process was still underway as of 9:30 p.m.

Crete said he was hoping the standing portion of the structure would be cleaned up enough to move the cows back by the end of the night. He plans to rebuild the rest of the barn starting next week.

Crete, 40, co-owns the dairy farm with his mother, Martha, and sister, Sarah. Highway View, which Crete’s grandfather bought in 1958, is a Boscawen institution, renowned for its sweet corn, which has been voted among the best in the state.

Article continues after...

Yesterday's Most Read Articles

New Hampshire farmers believed USDA grants were secure bets. Then, federal funding halted.
Merrimack Valley schools to eliminate 21 positions, lay off up to 3 employees
Bow residents unhappy with school board’s recording policy, demand more transparency
‘Supposed to protect me’: For kids in state custody, NH’s foster care system can lead to placements thousands of miles from home
A partial solar eclipse will be visible Saturday at sunrise
Concord’s John Fabrizio named New Hampshire’s special education administrator of the year
Your Daily Puzzles

Cross|Word

Flipart

Typeshift

SpellTower

Really Bad Chess

Crete said he was heartened by the many friends, family, and other members of the farming community who came from as far away as Dover to assist in the rescue operation.

“Just appreciation for everyone to come out,” he said.

The portion of the barn that collapsed was the original structure, Crete said. Some of the roof that stayed standing was rebuilt in 1990s.

He said he had been concerned about the weight of the snow following the recent snow storms and had hoped the warmer weather forecast this weekend would melt some of it. 

Unfortunately, the roof couldn’t last that long.

Crete said the cows were “stressed” as they crowded in the smaller barn. A few cows left in the structure moo-ed loudly as a host of tractors scooped up parts from the broken roof.

“We should be able to get back to milking cows” soon, Crete said.

Jeremy Margolis can be contacted at jmargolis@cmonitor.com.