The Barn Series - Day 3 - Bluegrass Scenic Byway

Day 3 and I decided it was high time to switch gears. I know modern day horse barns will not satisfy the vintage barn lovers that follow here. Believe it or not, we are still in the Bluegrass Region in central Kentucky with this post where thoroughbreds and horse farms reign supreme.

Kentucky's heritage is famed for many things. The most famous of those are horses, bourbon and tobacco. Half way between Midway and Lexington sits this barn close enough to the road to get a fairly decent photograph. It's Fall and lucky me the tobacco and been put up and the windows were open to allow the air to help cure it. Every trip I made to this region, I would drive down this particular road where this barn sits, specifically to check in to see if anything was going on with it. Some barns just do that to you. They draw you in. This one did that to me.

On this visit I was happy to find the tobacco hanging in the barn and stopped to take several photos. It's nice to know this old barn still had some use. Tobacco is less and less of a money crop on farms throughout Kentucky today as smoking becomes less and less popular. But there's something about seeing tobacco hanging in an old barn that makes me happy. It takes me back to my youth when smoking was the trend.

All around this beautiful old barn stands horse barns and fields where thoroughbreds graze. I'm never quite sure why to this day tobacco is still put up here. I have photographed many, many barns over the years in my travels. Yet, I never really elaborated on the why and where of it with most of the images. I just felt compelled to do so now. Until tomorrow. ENJOY!

Vintage Barn, Lebanon

A drive out to the countryside is always special when you happen upon one of these iconic 'Mail Pouch' barns as I did Saturday outside Lebanon, Tennessee. With the weather warm and a bit of sunshine before the clouds and rain moved in from the South, I decided a drive was in order. Lebanon is a small town just east of Nashville. I happened upon this barn as I was making my way back to the main road. These logo'd barns are numerous especially throughout Kentucky and Tennessee.

By the way, did you know this is a 'monitor' barn meaning the roof is raised in the center. I wasn't sure what style it was so I looked it up. There's quite a few styles of barns which I am sure we all realize in our travels.

I don't know about you, but I am eagerly awaiting the first sprouts of Spring. I envision Daffodils or "Daffys" as some folks call them, and Crocus and Dogwood blooms, and Tulips in bright orange and purple and pink. And even better, Easter is in a few weeks too. Are you getting your "bunny" on? ENJOY!

Linking to The Barn Collective and Good Fences

Tobacco Barn

The old black tobacco barn that sits along the Bluegrass Scenic Byway near Midway, Kentucky was filled to the brim with tobacco yesterday. It was difficult to get a decent image of this barn with the exception of this one vantage point. I liked the leaves in the image as it adds to the Fall charm but it does make it difficult to see the barn. I love the old barn windows wide open so you can see the tobacco curing inside.

My parents had a cousin who owned a farm right down the road from the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky. Dot and Elmer raised beef cows and planted tobacco fields. Both of my parents are gone, as are their cousins who owned the farm down in Kentucky, but I'll always remember standing in the doorway of their old barn at the farm and watching the older kids and the adults putting up tobacco one Fall. I never had to help and was very happy about that. At the time I was too young. It's a very rainy day Monday and perhaps will carry over into Tuesday. Hope your week is off to a good start. ENJOY!