Farm – Page 138 – Dan Routh Photography

In the Greenhouse

Cousin Thomas Routh works in his greenhouse on a warm afternoon last week in Grays Chapel, North Carolina. Thomas and his wife Lula Mae raise a large tract of vegetables they sell at the local farmer’s market. This year they are branching out into hanging flower baskets as well.

Afternoon at Rising Meadow Farm

Agriculture, Farm, Sheep

Seems like all it takes on a farm is a little warm weather and things start to get active. I stopped by my neighbors, Rising Meadow Farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina on such a warm afternoon this week and found the sheep curious, a couple of early lambs about and farm owner Ron Fay out in the pasture doing a little dog training. I plan on going back next week for the annual shearing.

Pig Picking

Farm, Food

Neighbor Tommy Routh works on a 360 pound pig he and his son-in-law Bobby cooked all night, last week in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

In The Snow

Farm, Snow

Winter view of the smokehouse across the road at my Grandpa’s.

Mending Fences

Family, Farm

While the holidays are a time for many families to mend fences figuratively, in ours we do it literally. We moved some cows into winter pasture yesterday, but before we could do it, a couple of places in the fence had to be fixed, and sons Tristan (above) and Devin (below) jumped in to provide the labor.

Saturday Afternoon and Dressed for the Weather

Agriculture, Farm, Portraits

It’s a Saturday afternoon and there is a light rain/sleet falling. Most of us are either out shopping at the mall or sitting in a warm place watching football or basketball. At Williams Dairy in Grays Chapel, North Carolina, for Greg, Rick and Michael Williams, Saturday means cleaning up the cow lot and getting things ready for milking a herd of Holsteins no matter what the weather.

Feed Bin

Farm

The early winter sun produces patterns on a neighbor’s feed bins near my home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Agriculture

Agriculture, Animals, Farm

In continuing with where I’ve been, I grew up on a dairy farm. My Dad taught school and farmed for 18 years. After we sold the dairy cows, we switched to raising beef cattle, which we still do today. I live in my great-grandfather’s farm house which was built around 1878 on the 150 acre family farm. I enjoy shooting agriculture; I guess it’s in my blood.

For about 15 years, I worked on contract for a large agrichemical company. I crawled through corn fields in the midwest, walked through wheat in the Dakotas, picked cotton and waded through rice fields in the South. Also had the opportunity to ride and operate some really big equipment.

Sheep Pen

Animals, Farm, Sheep

Detail from Rising Meadow Farm, Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Apple Butter at Goat Lady Dairy

Farm

My son Tristan and I were invited over to Goat Lady Dairy by our neighbors Steve and Lee Tate on Sunday for their annual CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) picnic. Steve and Lee set up and made a pot of apple butter, an old family tradition of theirs, assisted by the members of the CSA. We took our cider mill with us and made a few gallons of apple cider for the picnic. It was an enjoyable afternoon; food, music, great company and a little work.