Agriculture – Page 117 – Dan Routh Photography

Old Chevy Heavy Farm Truck

Agriculture, Automobile, Farm, Randolph County

My community, Grays Chapel, was traditionally a farming community until just a few years ago. Development has spread into the area and it has become more and more a bedroom community for Greensboro and the Triad. There is still a lot of rural space left, however, and there are many old farms, and with these old operations, there is a world of old farm equipment and vehicles. Time has produced a patina on many of them and they take on the effect of historical sculpture. This old Chevrolet heavy farm truck sits sleeping in my neighbor’s barnyard.

Old Farm Outbuildings

Agriculture, Family, Farm, Randolph County

The most interesting things sometimes on old North Carolina farm homeplaces are the many outbuildings. At my Grandfather’s homeplace in Grays Chapel (Randolph County,south of Greensboro) there are several; a smokehouse, a washhouse, a chicken coop, pack house and grainery, besides the regular barn. Each had it’s specific use and each still has it’s own personality.

Organic Gardening

Agriculture, Farm, Portraits, Randolph County

Gardener Lindsey works in my neighbor’s organic garden near Grays Chapel, south of Greensboro. The area is becoming a center of local sustainable agriculture and locally grown food.

Still Life Product Photography

Agriculture, Food

For those of you who have followed this blog, you have probably noticed that I spend a lot of time hanging around the Goat Lady Dairy in Grays Chapel. There are a couple of reasons. I live about a half mile from their operation, so they are neighbors and friends. I also really like the product they make. Recently, I have been working on shooting photography around the dairy for a website redesign they are working on. The image above shows one of the many types of goat cheese they produce weekly. The dairy is located about 18 miles south of Greensboro.

North Carolina Farmer Portrait

Agriculture, Farm, Portraits, Randolph County

Portrait of my neighbor and Randolph County farmer Jack Fagg. Jack is a semi-retired farmer who raises grain, hay and straw near Grays Chapel in central North Carolina. If you live near the area and need some straw, Jack is sitting on about 4000 bales of good clean wheat straw from last year’s crop.

Raising Vegetables

Agriculture, Farm, Portraits, Randolph County

My father’s cousin Thomas Routh and his wife Lula Mae live just down the road from us in Grays Chapel. In their late eighties, Thomas and Lula Mae grow a large vegetable garden each year from which they sell fresh produce at the local farmer’s market in Asheboro. Doing all the work themselves, they grow plants in their greenhouse from seed, prepare their ground, plant their plants, do all the harvesting, and sell the fresh vegetables at the market. I caught them Saturday morning as they were finishing up planting tomatoes. This year, they have about 750 tomato plants. That’s a lot of tomatoes. Of course, they also will have squash, cucumbers, potatoes, lettuce, cabbage, corn, plants and canned goods too. Lula Mae said last year she kept track of the green beans they picked, and the total came to 2300 lbs.

Scottish Highland Cattle, "Beasts"

Agriculture, Animals, Cattle, Farm, Greensboro, Scotland

A herd of highland cattle grazes just outside of Greensboro. Though I believe these particular cows are kept as pets, the Scottish breed is prized for it’s lean meat. The shaggy hair acts as insulation against the cold, a necessity in the cool, damp Highlands of Scotland, so the animals have less fat than standard beef cattle. Smaller in stature than regular beef cows, they have a presence nonetheless.

And yes, both the males and the females have horns.

(photographs copyright by Dan Routh)

Early Planting

Agriculture, Portraits

I stopped by my neighbors, Goat Lady Dairy, south of Greensboro yesterday to chat and pick up some goat cheese, and photographed Steve and Lee Tate as they were planting early vegetables before the rain set in. The Tates use their garden to produce fresh organic vegetables for the farm brunches and dinners they put on at their dairy. In addition to the cheese I picked up, Steve let me try some of their fresh goat milk yogurt and it is definitely a winner. Steve an Lee are both wonderful people and are advocates of locally grown food, and they possess a world of knowledge on sustainable agriculture. They are leaders in the local slow food movement. You can find out more by visiting http://www.goatladydairy.com/

Father and Son Dairy Men

Agriculture, Farm, Portraits

Farmers are always busy, especially dairy farmers. Every day of the year there is something that needs and has to be done. Cows have to be milked, stock fed, equipment serviced and crops brought in. But I have found that they all will take the opportunity to pause and talk to you for a few minutes about farming, the price of milk and cattle, or just the weather. Third and fourth generation dairy farmers Rick and Michael Williams take a short break before milking time on their dairy operation, Williams Dairy, south of Greensboro, North Carolina.

Friday from the Backyard

Agriculture, Farm

This is the view from my deck in the afternoons; young calves we raised for the feeder market. IE, we raise calves that we sell at about 400-500 pounds to other farmers to finish raising. Basically, our farm is a big cow nursery. Unfortunately, my wife likes to name all the cattle. Makes it harder to see them go.

And of course nearby are Marco Polo the rooster and Speckles the hen.