Karl Townsend wrote:

Get a Harbor freight cable hoist and make a suitable basket for it to
lift. A hoist with a hook isn't an elevator nor is a cargo basket to be
picked up by that hook. Lift the basket above the second floor deck
height and pull it in with a hook-pole as you lower it back to the deck.

I've had a cable hoist dumb waiter to raise firewood from the basement to
the living room fireplace for 17 years. Work well. inexpensive and easy to
constuct. capacity here is 500 lbs.

a step up. I've used a chain hoist to lower apple bins into the packing line
for 22 years. capacity here is 1000 lbs. You can easily get an even larger
unit.

Karl

Harbor Freight has useable AC powered cable hoists quite cheap and
frequently on sale.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44006

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...temnumber=2954

They also have a swing arm for the smaller hoist which would be perfect
for the barn application.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=46980

~$135 + tax / shipping, and whatever small cost for a load basket.