Traditionally, when most folks think of barn colors, they think red. In Randolph County, North Carolina, most of the older barns are unpainted. There are a few red ones, however, like this classic dairy barn just east of Ramseur.
Red Barn Study
Category: Farm
Kevin Ford, Master Blade Shearer
Thursday and Friday of last week I spent several hours at Rising Meadow Farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina, watching sheep being sheared during the farm’s annual shearing weekend. It was a new experience for me, for while I was raised on a cattle farm and I am familiar with pigs and goats as well, I have never been around sheep and had never actually witnessed one being sheared. What made the experience even more fascinating was the folks doing the shearing were doing it with hand powered shears or “blade shearing”. To top it off, the lead shearer was Kevin Ford, from Charlemont, Massachusetts, arguably the most experienced blade shearer in the United States and one of the top shearers in the world. Kevin has written “the” book on blade shearing, he gives workshops, and he competes in shearing contests in this country and internationally. He also shears commercially, traveling from Massachusetts south to North Carolina every year shearing flocks along the way.
Blade shearing is slower than shearing with electrical clippers, but it easier on the sheep and leaves a little more wool on the sheep for protection. There seems to be more control and finesse involved with hand blades, and it was fascinating watching Kevin work with a sheep. The control he had over the blade and the sheep was amazing. I felt very lucky to be able to watch a master at his profession work the first time I was witness to it and I am appreciative of Kevin and the folks at Rising Meadow Farm for letting me get close to the action and to answer all my questions.
(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
Shearing
This weekend was the annual shearing time at Rising Meadow Farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina. I spent several hours on Thursday and Friday watching the sheep being sheared, a unfamilar but fascinating experience for me. I grew up around southern livestock, cows, pigs, horses and the occasional goat. Sheep are new to me, so I enjoyed watching the master blade shearers work, and, I must have asked a thousand questions. I hope to post several images this week, so please check back.
(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
Wooden Silo
An old wooden silo stands sentinel near Julian, North Carolina. These farm structures were once relatively plentiful, but this particular one may be the very last standing in our community.
(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
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.
(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
Afternoon at Rising Meadow Farm
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.
(Photographs copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
Pig Picking
(Photograph copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
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
(Photograph copyright 2011 by Dan Routh)
Winter view of the smokehouse across the road at my Grandpa’s.
Mending Fences
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.
(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)
Saturday Afternoon and Dressed for the Weather
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.
(Photographs copyright 2010 by Dan Routh)
Dan Routh Photography 