BACKBONES OF THE MIDWEST

Anyone who knows me knows that I. Love. Old. Barns.  My biography would be titled, "Barn Seeker", and my native name would be "She-Who-Prowls-After-Old-Barns-in-Remote-Places."

Everywhere we went, no matter our destination, there were countless barns.  Duh.  This, after-all, is part of the original Breadbasket of the USA. So, not only did I love the individual barns, but I honored them as part of our patriotic heritage. I was in heaven!

This one is hardly visible, but I love that these now immense trees were probably planted at each of the 4 corners while the siding was newly-planed: 

Pat, I am sure, was mortified at my modus operendus, which is to leap out of the car and simply go up to the front door of the farmhouse and knock.  I like approaching the folks to compliment them on their barns and ask permission to photograph.

Never have I met with a negative response; people are open and kind, and I usually get added historical information from the owners.

No one was home at this farm, so I wandered about the Sobanski farm, calling out as I photographed:

Yes, I love the barns, but I love the ambiance and even the bucolic aroma too:

I love what the time of day did to color and shadow these old planks and windows:

It wasn't long at all before Pat enjoyed the "approach" effect, and it was usually the two of us who got Up Close and Personal with the farm Personnel.

This was a large complex of barn and outbuildings, and the owner was happy to talk to us; even walked around with us, and showed us his wife's bottled jams she takes to the local market.  We would have purchased some of her lovely cherry jam if we weren't traveling by plane.

Barns with field-stone foundations became our favorites.  They  are stalwart representatives of the brawny determination of the original builders who scrabbled the stones from their own earth, then used a softer sense of art to place each one "just so". 

Jim explained how local Amish came 'round to help him re-stabilize this foundation:  

This is the same barn, different side  Many times I will take more photos of "barn vignettes" than I do of the barn itself, and here I love the color of the casually-placed boat oars: 

Speaking of "vignette", here is part of a different barn:

Okay, yes, most of these have metal roofs, and I have declared before that a barn is nearly disqualified as photograph-able if it has a (gag) metal roof.  Of course, I know the purpose is to lengthen the life of the barn, and in the case of these more-than-a-century-old ones, I am grateful they have been preserved.  

The flip side that brings these barns back into favor with me is that Midwest farms are TIDY! I kept exclaiming that I doubt even a piece of lint could be found around any farm.

Try to find a scrap of anything here:

This same barn at a different time of day.  

Imagine the thrill of being able to put this distinctive window in place a hundred years ago!

The farmer at this place actually left his work to talk to us. We learned sad news, that this barn will most likely deteriorate in its time.  It was built in 1892, but the expense is too much to bring it up to the code the historical society wants before they step in to help.

His very sociable horse came out to see us too.  He is a retired Amish horse whose work name was Bart and who is now called "Bullet".

This metal roof is quite acceptable because of the farmer's eye to design.

I love the trimmed windows!

 MANY more barns will follow.