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Tuesday, December 2, 2014
December Landscape - Barns
Just like the fields and fencerows of yesterday, barns are a big part of the rural landscape around here. Too many for my liking are disappearing, others are being restored (often by non-farm residents), but many others are still in use, most commonly for small-scale beef operations. Here's a few from yesterday's drive.
This seems to be the typical style of old barn around here, and most are about the same size. But as soon as I see a few boards missing, I start worrying that maybe this barn is just sitting empty and its days are numbered. But I like the red door, and take that as an encouraging sign!
Another larger barn, basically two barns similar to the above, built as a 'T', but this one does look like it's in need of some care - you can see right through it. I fear that some of these will end up being 'before' pictures in 2 or 3 years, for barns that are gone.
On the other hand, this barn is still in use, and being kept up - two nice horses and a cow looked at me from the feeding bale. It's the same style barn again, but with a lean-to extension on one side.
This one looked a little lonely, down it's long lane, with no evidence of a house remaining; there are numerous farms like this, often without the barn either!
As you can see, it's the same style barn again.
This is a more encouraging barn, having had some major repair work done, even though I suspect it's not being used for farming - that window suggests non-farm use. But with a little maintenance every so often, these barns last a long time - most of them are 100 - 150 years old already!
This is a different story - a missing barn. Three years ago, there was another similar barn sitting at the end of this lane. The farm sold, the barn was bulldozed, and all the fencerows bulldozed too, so it's now one giant field except for this house sitting in a corner - and the house has been vacant for 3 years.
And just for interest, since John commented on it in yesterday's comments, here's that freshly manured hayfield, today being ploughed to work the manure into the ground. I suspect that this field will be cash crops next year rather than hay.
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Quite a good selection of barns. The first one reminds me a bit of my cousin's barn.
ReplyDeleteLove your barns that have "life experiences." Very special. Tom The Backroads Traveller
ReplyDeleteI love old barns and really don't like to see them falling down or being torn down. It's a shame that old farmhouse is sitting empty and I'm sure it's falling into disrepair too. I enjoyed seeing your photos today.
ReplyDeleteI'll be the aroma there by the field is lovely today. Anyway great pictures of the barns.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful shots, one and all. I especially enjoyed the one's with roads/paths leading up to or by the barns. You've given me some inspiration for future shots of my own :)
ReplyDeleteThe first photo just leaps out at me. Must be that wonderful red door.
ReplyDeleteThe path images suggested to me of taking the roads less traveled. What a neat adventure taking photographs of barns.
ReplyDeleteJM, Illinois
really enjoyed this post today. Beautiful photos and a one of my favorite subjects.
ReplyDeleteI love the old barns. I think I might do a series one day of the ones around here, too. Thanks for the idea! :-)
ReplyDeleteNice barn photos!
ReplyDeleteWonderful collection! Love the winding road leading to the barn. Thanks for linking this week!
ReplyDeleteWoW...barns with so much charm. I live in the suburbs but I belong in the country!!!
ReplyDeleteThe history of these wonderful old barns is something I wish we could hold onto! They are often so beautiful. It's sad to see them go. Love the red door! Love the lonely one at the end of the lane. beautiful photos!
ReplyDeleteExcellent photos -- the barns here are also going fast, too expensive for many owners to maintain and not really suited to modern dairy production for the few dairy farmers we have left. Sad reminders of a way of life that's also fading fast.
ReplyDeleteFor me, the saddest thing one can see is one of these wonderful old barns falling into disrepair.Sadly I see it more and more frequently. And this kind of structure will never be built again. They are being replaced with quansett huts and those other frames with canvas covers. No doubt from a utilitarian standpoint they are efficient and cost-effective but they do nothing to add to the aesthetic of the rural landscape.
ReplyDeleteLove all the old barns as I think we all do. : )
ReplyDeleteWonderful old barns - I hate to see them get so rundown and then fall. I try and take pictures of all the old barns that I can - simply because most of them will be gone soon and I want them to be remembered. It is interesting how most areas have their own style of barn - here we have a lot of very tall barns with partly rounded roofs instead of the regular straight slanted roof.
ReplyDeleteI love seeing old barns.along the countryside! Their weathered grey colored wood is so beautiful. I think the one in your second photos was my favorite as it was still being used. It is sad to see an abandoned barn and farm.
ReplyDeleteThe third one is very like the barn on the farm where I grew up. Most old barns had simple gable roofs like that.
ReplyDeleteGreat old barn.... I love places like this...
ReplyDeleteMollyxxx