Converse Road - Part 2

I was driving on Converse Road in the tiny hamlet of Fort Jackson, New York (see also Part 1, posted yesterday). I came to this old barn, abandoned since I moved to the area. I was surprised to see it fenced off and with Herefords grazing by the side of the road. That square, wooden silo is typical around here:

I stopped one more time at the other end of the barn:

And then continued on along Converse Road, most of which is wooded and beautiful this time of year:

This historic home is the only brick home I know of in the area:

More colorful woodlands:

A barn and concrete silo:

The road was lined with the remnants of old stone walls and with brilliantly colored trees:

A farm house, all decorated for Halloween:

This maple lined section of Converse Road turns solid gold late in the fall, but it was still green when I took this drive:

Almost at the end of Converse Road is a farm with Red Angus cattle. I thought at first that this must be a cattle barn, but decided that like most beef cattle, their Angus stayed outdoors and were fed from the grain bin by the overhead door:

I turned around at this beautiful hay field, and my driving tour of Converse Road came to a close:

County Route 56 - Part 1

I turned onto County Route 56 from Connor Road in Parishville (see previous post) at this old, unoccupied log cabin:

This home had firewood but the driveway wasn't plowed. Perhaps it was someone's weekend retreat:

A large, old farm house, built of Potsdam Red Sandstone. It was unoccupied, though the farm was active:

The farm attached to the above home was active, though I couldn't tell where the family lived:

As I drove farther, I saw this wood furnace in a shed attached to the gray building. Perhaps that was the home:

I passed this old barn, now almost a pile of rubble:

And another old barn, still standing but showing its age:

A small herd of what are commonly referred to as "Black Baldies." They are popular up here and usually a cross between Black Angus and Hereford:

An interesting outbuilding with a smokestack:

And another farm house built of Potsdam Red Sandstone, this one up on a hill:

An old silo whose barn fell down or burned down long ago. But there was more to see on County Route 56, and I'll post Part 2 tomorrow:

Needham Road, Town Of Stockholm New York - Part 1

I was coming home from Potsdam when I decided to turn onto Needham Road for a quick tour and a few photos. I started with this placid, friendly looking Hereford, who watched me from its home among the birch trees:

And right next to the Hereford, these three horses lounged comfortably:

I'd stopped at Martin's Market before, but there wasn't much going on this time of year in spite of the unseasonable weather. Nonetheless, I turned in for a better look:

This market is a sort of gigantic roadside vegetable stand in season:

And in the field right behind Martin's Market, the ground was still covered with squash of various kinds:

I continued on Needham Road, coming to Goodwin's Orchard:

There was an impressive stone wall, old maple trees, a small greenhouse and several outbuildings beside the farm house:

And on the other side of the house and barn were the apple trees, all fenced in to protect them from deer:


The next farm on Needham Road was Burkum & Son Holsteins. Behind the sign was an outdoor wood furnace and lots of firewood. I don't suppose they'd used much yet since our winter had (so far) been so warm:

There were barns, silos and, of course, Holsteins:

And farm fields all around, bordered by barbed wire and woodlands. There was lots more to see on Needham Road, which I'll post tomorrow:

Farm Update For July 23

The season's first two baby fantail pigeons had grown up and their parents produced one new baby:

A couple of days later, its eyes were open and it was growing rapidly. Alas, I found it dead a couple days after that. Such are the sorrows of keeping and breeding animals:

The Elderberries which grow in the old silo base were severely damaged by the snow last winter, but they rebounded in fine form, bursting into bloom:

The pear tree began showing off its miniature pears, many of them even turning prematurely red:

The apple trees also sported pint-sized fruit with a bit of rosy color. I expect to have enough fruit to keep the cattle happy this year:

The fantail pigeons enjoyed the freedom to come and go as they pleased during days with nice weather. They, like the chickens, are locked up safely at night. That's the chickens' door on the right:

The yellow and orange Asiatic Lilies bloomed beautifully:

The neighbors, across the road, have six Hereford cross heifers, all of which began having babies this summer:

Bred to an Angus bull, their calves are mostly the color popularly called "Black Baldy:"

I lost a couple of hens, probably to predators, but otherwise they are all healthy and happy:

Our brutal winter and spring drought damaged the hay crop this year. In fact, it looked so bad and was so full of inedible weeds, that I used the bush hog to mow it all down. I was in the main field when I had to stop because my cows saw no reason to get out of my way. It was a good opportunity to snap a photo:

When I was done bush hogging, the chickens rushed over to pick through the grass clippings which were piled atop the mower. It's been a busy summer so far, enough so that a quiet winter with hardly anything to do all day is beginning to sound appealing:

Over The River And Through The Woods - Part 2

 I was driving to the little village of Brasher Falls, but taking the long way so I could enjoy the wintry rural scenery - like this old, red barn:

And this log home:

There were woodlands everywhere along the way:

I passed through the village of North Lawrence, where I saw this lovely white church in the snow:

And a red brick church:

I passed through some forests with bigger trees and guessed that I was in the Brasher State Forest, though I didn't see any signs to that effect:

And then I arrived in the little village of Brasher Falls, where I crossed over the St. Regis River on that bridge. The grocery store, my destination, was just across that bridge:

And right on the banks of the St. Regis River stood the ruins of what clearly had once been a large, stone building. I could only guess that it had once been a mill of some kind:

On my way home, I passed by this herd of mostly Angus cattle:

And the farm where I'd purchased my bedding hay for the year:

I stopped briefly for a photo of my neighbors' Herefords:

And their three horses. But I was home, and that was the end of my journey. Even a short trip to the grocery store can be an opportunity for great beauty when one is willing to see it: