A Farm in Winter
A Farm in Winter
There is something about a farm in winter that feels like a deep sleep. Having always lived on or near a farm, I became aware of the cycle of the farm’s year quite early. This image shows a large farm in the Annapolis Valley, and I just couldn’t resist the bright reds of the barns and silos against the bright blue of the sky, and the white of the new snow. That snow, which will provide moisture for the soil, is important, and something that I also appreciate more than many who have no connection with what lies underneath.
The farm’s fields sleep during winter, but of course the animals still need care, and the planning for the coming season means that the farmer is still quite busy. This farmer was hauling fuel behind his tractor to be stored and used as needed, and the sound of the tractor brought me back to my childhood and the excitement of driving the tractor. As I was making the image, I heard the large barn door squeak open, and saw a woman, the farmer’s wife perhaps, coming out to greet the tractor and they both stopped what they were doing and went into the house. Farming used to be a family business like this, but now a days unfortunately more and more operations are owned by the large corporations. That’s not necessarily a good thing as it puts our food production in the hands of fewer and fewer people.
Here’s hoping that sights like this continue, and that farming, for at least some, remains a family way to make a living and to make a valued contribution to the planet we all share.
