Category: Randolph County

Combining Corn

Agriculture, Farm, Randolph County



Yesterday, neighbor Earl York, Jr. was combining corn at Melancthon near Liberty, North Carolina. The York family runs a seed, fertilizer and farm supply business as well as growing corn, soybeans and small grains. This particular field of corn was yielding close to 130 bushels per acre, which is not anything close to a record, but really good for a year of partial drought. I’ve shot farmers and agriculture all over the country (one of my most favorite subjects) and although all farmers are busy and under all kinds of pressure to get things done, I have never met one that would not stop their machinery, get off and come over to shake your hand and talk briefly about their crop. Earl was no exception.








(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Changing Tires

Portraits, Randolph County


I stopped by Routh Oil Co in Lineberry, North Carolina, south of Greensboro on Saturday morning and Eric and Justin were hard at work installing a new set of tires on a neighbor’s car. Justin pulled the old tires off and installed the new ones, while Eric put the new tires on the rims and balanced them. Working together, they weren’t exactly like a NASCAR team on a 30 second pit stop, but they got the job done nevertheless.





(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Seagrove Hardware

Randolph County


I am a little late in posting today, but I just got home after a 20 hour train journey (I will post about that next week). Today’s photographs are from a trip to Seagrove Hardware in Seagrove, North Carolina. It is a real small town local hardware with genuine stuff and genuine service. Where else can you still pick up canning supplies, seed, and a few horseshoes when you need them; and take them home in a paper bag.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

Figs

Cat, Farm, Randolph County


The figs are starting to ripen on the south side of one of our barns. Succulent golden fruits that make wonderful preserves but are even better eaten fresh from the tree (or bush as it were). I picked a bowl for my wife the other day, and as as oft happens on our farm, I had help, this time from one of our farm cats, Tiger.

(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

(Posted from Hanover, New Hampshire after a 20 hour train journey. More to come on that next week.)

Magnolia

Flowers, Randolph County

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

My Great-Grandmother’s 100 year old magnolia tree is in full bloom now in our front yard in Grays Chapel, North Carolina. We are fortunate to have several original plants and trees from when our house was built around 1880. This particular magnolia is huge and measures about 60 feet in height. It is the perfect climbing tree as 3 generations of kids will attest. Now it’s the perfect spot for our chickens to scratch for bugs.

Old Chevy Heavy Farm Truck

Agriculture, Automobile, Farm, Randolph County

(photograph copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

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.

2009 Tour de Lions Photos

Cycling, Randolph County, Sports


On Saturday morning, almost 400 bicycle riders from all over the state of North Carolina took part in the 10th annual Grays Chapel Lions Club’s Tour de Lions bike ride. The ride is a 75 mile tour through Randolph and Chatham counties in central NC. Money raised through the ride helps support the local club’s programs for the visually impaired. Weather for the event was gorgeous. Though it’s not officially a race, the event attracts serious riders who put on quite a show with pelethons and breakaways, as well as those who are just out for a nice spring morning ride through beautiful countryside. I try to cover the tour each year because my late Father was a life-long member of the Grays Chapel club. For more info on the ride, go to http://www.tourdelions.org/. (There should be a gallery of more images posted soon on the Tour website.)







(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)

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.


(photographs copyright 2009 by Dan Routh)