Jay said this over on another tread, I'll respond here to keep the topic of that thread from wondering off, since it's an important subject.
DL, there are never any "dumb farmer" as those that are, aren't farmers for long. I can also tell you that even though farmers may have assisted and played a large role in that barn in your picture, one or several of them had been "apprenticed Barnwrights."
I am neutral on the "apprenticing" topic, but must say that having apprenticed with Old Order Amish from 14 to 23 (on and off) laid a foundation of knowledge and respect for craft that is still very much in me today. I would also note that weather here, Japan, or anywhere else learning under multiple teachers is much more beneficial than what you just teach yourself. I believe we would all be better served if there was a requirement to be "certified or accredited" as Timberwrights to even practice timber framing. It would weed out the "ill fit," and promote the craft, yet that is easily said, but hard to do without governmental support.
Jay,
I know about the reality of farmers, and how they are not dumb, that's why I put it in quotation marks. It was a reflection of common thought, not of reality -irony. Im a farmer. the Bähler family has been farmers literally for thousands of years, so I know a thing or two about farming culture.
As to that barn, there were no 'apprenticed' carpenters as such likely invloved in the project. You'd be able to tell right away in the picture, as in Switzerland at the time any apprentice would have worn the distinctive clothes marking his connection to a guild, and any journeyman or master would have proudly worn that status, especially for something as rare and important as photograph, and definitely during the
'Aufrichtefest' which is what is here pictured.
The master may have built such a structure before,, as might a few of the others -there may have even been one or two itinerant carpenters in the mix -but if so, none of them were a part of any formal program. They learned by tradition. By trade, they were probably farmers. This is around the time period in Switzerland where the concept of a professional carpentry shop would have just begun to rise in the villages. And where this picture was taken is from a particularly isolated (geographically) region.
As for the Amish,
There is no formal training there. At all. Never. And there never will be. In the Amish culture, they (we, actually,) look down on those who have formal training because they tend to think they are better than those who don't.
If you would require certification, I would tell you 90% of the people I know would be right out of the business.
Now I understand you have some experience with these people, but I'll just be plain and say I have more. About 500 years more. That's my heritage. I'm Amish-Mennonite, I have deep connections with the Old Order, and I know how they do things. So i can't support mandatory certifications or training systems, because it would destroy my own culture.