Sunday, February 26, 2017

A Missing Barn

Driving around the countryside ten days ago, when it was still winter here, I was surprised to find a barn I had photographed a year or two ago was totally missing.  I completely missed its demolition.

I didn't set out to photograph barns.  I was just looking for some long views over fields to show more of what winter's like here.  

Turning the angle of the camera only slightly I got this view, and somehow it looked familiar.  Compare it carefully to the one below, taken from about 10 feet to the left, but capturing the same big spruce tree.
 
We've been having a number of farm purchases nearby that are followed by bulldozing of everything in sight, both the buildings and the old fencerows, trying to create one huge field for cash cropping with big equipment.  Nice to keep the land in active agriculture, but it disturbs me.

There's actually the space left by another missing barn in this picture, in between those two silos.  But this one was taken out by a tornado several years ago.  Ten days later almost all this snow is gone.

Just a couple of other barns I saw on that drive.  One still very well maintined and actively used, one long gone.

Linking to 

The Barn Collective

20 comments:

  1. Sad to know the old barn is gone.
    The red barn with the green roof is pretty - a beautiful snowy scene!

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  2. Very interesting to see the barn and then no longer see it. Great photos.

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  3. It is sad to see them gone. Our state taxes farm buildings which encourages non-farmes to tear them down. My home farm barn rotted away because the owners decided not to fix shingles. You do have expansive views and things like barns would help to make it more effective. The lone standing silo tells a story.

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  4. Oh my goodness how terrible. Gone and I hope not forgotten. Sad it is.
    MB

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  5. Modernisation has penalties, barns we assume will live on forever, fields with fences, and so much more. Love those snow scenes.

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  6. I really think they should have consulted you first, FG. What is going on?! I must confess that the tower in the lat picture reminds me of concrete gun emplacements built by the Germans in WW2.

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  7. I feel sad at the sight of abandoned farms too. There was an article here recently about young couples buying the old farmsteads and starting out small, growing for themselves. Maybe there is hope.

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  8. It's sad to see the barns go. I know friends of ours bought a property with a bank barn still on it, although they weren't going to use the barn. Insurance was through the roof with a vacant barn on the property, so they had it removed (which also cost a huge bundle). Nice winter shots, but glad to hear the snow is departing even up your way.
    Wendy

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  9. It's sad to see these buildings razed, never to return. I am surprised to learn that it is happening in your valley as well as south of your border in the US, where I live. Nice blue skies, though.

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  10. Missing barns...an interesting viewpoint. It was unexpected to you, and sad somehow, I am sure.

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  11. it's always so sad to see the landscape change!! i saw and photographed a few barns yesterday, i thought of you!!!

    pretty captures, i like seeing the before and afters!!!!

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  12. How interesting to see the before and after. I wonder if someone is re-using that old barn wood. Nice snowy scenes. Visiting from Tom's Barn Collective.

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  13. The last shot, with that old silo, strikes my eye the most.

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  14. Shame about the barn being gone now. At least there will still be fields and not a bunch of houses!!
    Like the red barn in the snow.

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  15. It's a shame to see the barns disappearing isn't it? Makes me wish I had taken photos of them years ago. I'm in south eastern Ontario by Belleville. How lucky you were to spot the snowy owls and get some photos of them. I'm still looking.

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  16. Amazing how quickly landscapes can change.

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  17. Sad to see the barns disappear, they go fast once the roof starts to leak -- even faster if the demolition crew arrives. It's even more sad to see the fencerows go because then the wildlife goes too, not much can live in the middle of a corn or soybean field.

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  18. It is sad when they go. But as long as the land stays rural, be grateful.

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  19. I have noticed around here that what few fence rows were left, have now disappeared in a lot of places. I cannot help but think of the Dust Bowl and wonder could it happen again.

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