The Four Seasons at Firestone Farm

Over the course of a year I worked on a photographic project by depicting the four calendar seasons of southeastern lower Michigan.  And what better place to show our ever-changing year than on a farm?  Though Michigan is known as being part of the  'rust belt,'  it's actually more agricultural;  there are more farms here than anyone can imagine.  According to the State of Michigan website,  we have approximately 56,000 farms covering over ten million acres of farmland!
So I chose to do this little project at the historic  (1880's)  Firestone Farm in Greenfield Village for a number of reasons,  first off being that it's,  well, historical!  Plus I don't believe private owners would appreciate me traipsing out to their property every month to take photographs of their land.
Finally,  it gave me a reason to visit Greenfield Village more often - - as if I really need an excuse to do that!
Of all the pictures shown here in this post,  there are only two that I did not take,  and they are the first two photos.  Both were taken by friends of mine who work for the Henry Ford.   Greenfield Village is closed from January until mid-April and therefore I have no access to the farm or anywhere else there during that time;  I sent them copies of the photos I had previously taken as a guide - which were matched up wonderfully!
Anyhow,  I hope you enjoy my year-long project.

WINTER - January: 
chopping wood,  collecting manure, caring for the livestock - 
all winter chores.
(Lee Cagle took this pic - thank you!)

WINTER into SPRING:  March 12:
Tools are repaired and sharpened,  fences will be mended,  and the planning for the upcoming planting season commences.
(Thank you to Tom Kemper for this wonderful March photograph!)

SPRING - mid-April: plowing takes place. 
This is where the corn will be planted.

SPRING - May: 
The corn is just beginning to peak out of the ground.

Late Spring-Early Summer - mid-June: 
Everything is looking fresh and coming up  "rosey".

SUMMER - July: 
the corn is looking good.

LATE SUMMER - early September: 
the corn is ready for harvesting

Early Fall - Late September: 
Harvest time

FALL - mid-October: 
the corn shocks are now standing, curing.

LATE FALL - The fields of November: 
all the leaves are brown and the sky is gray.

This was perhaps the longest it ever took me to write a post!
But it was fun - -
Anyhow,  thanks for stopping in - - -

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