The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • The Animals Are Just Chilling

    While the world goes crazy around them, the animals of rural Pennsylvania seem to be doing just fine …

    This cow couldn’t care less.
    A horse taking Sunday off.
    This looks like a great spot to relax.
    Laying down on the job.
    A little snack in the sunshine.

  • May Has Had a Split Personality

    This month has certainly seen some wild changes in the weather. We recently went from sunny and low eighties to low thirties within a 24 hour period. It is a relief to get outdoors whenever one can. I took some time to go in search of a trumpeter swan on Octoraro Lake. I didn’t see the swan, but the farms around this area are some of my favorite to photograph.

    On my travels, I’ve noticed a lot of fallow fields and newly plowed fields in mid-May. This seems late to me for planting. Is it the weather, or something else?

    Here is a sampling of the photographs.

    There seems to be one picture perfect farm after another.
    A peek down an Amish driveway.
    A really nice, rustic bank barn. I’m seeing barns of this style all over the place now I know what they are.
    Well, hello there.
    Here’s a look at the whole barn.
    A vert cozy looking farm.
    I love the gray grasses in the foreground.
    White really seems to be the color of choice for barns around here.
    A few more …
    for good measure.

  • The Groundhog Sticks Her Head Out of the Her Hole

    It shouldn’t come as a surprise, that due the corona virus lock down, I haven’t been out much doing photography. I did manage to drive around my local community getting some photos of the spring flowers and flowering trees. I also checked up on two of my local state parks, which were well attended by people glad to get out of the house while maintaining a safe distance from others.

    The local; cherry trees are in bloom.
    Tulips are always lovely.
    This pony at Ridley Creek State Park finds things greener on the other side of the fence.
    These horses aren’t bothered by Covid 19.
    I love this barn at Hope Springs Farm at Marsh Creek State Park.
    It has a great silo.
    The horses were enjoying a day in the pasture.
    Down at the West Launch a kayaker is getting ready to shove off.
    Someone else has a faster way to get around.

    Socially distant dispersed outdoor recreational fun was had by all.

  • Just a Little Snow

    I took a drive through Berks County recently after a recent snowstorm. The snowfall turned out to be lighter than expected, so by the time I arrived the next day, not much was left. This is a pretty part of Pennsylvania, and I will have to return sometime this year to take some more photos.

    A farm near Plowville.
    I really loved the look of this red barn.
    The obsession with Christmas tree farms continues at Plow Farms.

    We’ve been a little light on snow this Winter. I count this as mostly a good thing. Snow does make for pretty photographs, though.

  • Good News about Milk

    It is well recognized that milk is a great source of protein, calcium, and Vitamin D, potassium and other essential nutrients that can aid in bone growth, heart health, building muscle and warding off cancer. Recent research highlights some additional benefits of milk you may not be aware of.

    In a recent paper published by researchers at Scotland’s Saint Andrews University, skim milk topped a list of common beverages when it came to providing oral hydration. Milk beat out water, sports drinks and oral rehydration solutions like Pedialyte. Electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, contribute to better hydration. Calories in beverages result in slower gastric emptying and, therefore, slower release of urination, resulting in better hydration. The thirteen beverages tested, listed in order of hydration, were skim milk, oral rehydration solutions (like Pedialyte), full fat milk, orange juice, cola, diet cola, cold tea, tea, sports drinks, still water, sparkling water, lager and coffee.  While coffee ranks lowest for hydration, adding milk to the coffee may counter some of coffee’s diuretic effects.

    The reason why milk is so effective compared to water is because of its combination of sugar lactose, protein, and tiny fat percentage. These substances slow down the rate at which fluids are emptied from the stomach which provides longer-lasting hydration. Moreover, milk contains electrolytes like sodium and potassium which helps your body retain the fluids in your bloodstream for a longer period of time rather than quickly processing it into urine.

    This information may be especially important for individuals who dehydrate rapidly, such as athletes and those doing strenuous labor. The body relies on hydration to fight infections, carry nutrients throughout the body and lubricate joints. It appears hydration should be added to the list of the superpowers of milk.

    Chocolate milk also received a special notice for its role in helping high school athletes outperform peers who did not drink chocolate milk in a study done by the University of Texas at Austin. Researchers in that study highlighted chocolate milk’s carbohydrate to protein ratio compared to beverages such as sports drinks. The research was conducted in 2018 and published in the 2019 Journal of the International Society of Sports Nutrition. It showed that, in strength tests, high school athletes drinking chocolate milk lifted 3.5% more than before the study while the adolescents drinking a commercial sports drink lifted 3.2% less than before.

    Drinking chocolate milk within 30 minutes after a workout rehydrates, repairs and replenishes the body. The naturally occurring electrolytes and 90% water content rehydrate, while the 8 grams of protein helps repair muscles. The carbohydrate to protein ratio in chocolate milk was shown to be more beneficial than carbohydrate only sports drinks in improving athlete performance as part of a strength and speed training at a high school level. Previous studies all looked at adults, but never at before at high school athlete for whom nutrition is especially critical.

    Chocolate milk contains carbohydrates, proteins, and fat, as well as water and electrolytes, which may be ideal for post-exercise recovery. The evidence regarding the efficacy of chocolate milk compared to either water or other “sport drinks” on post-exercise recovery markers was also reviewed by researchers in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition who conducted an analysis of twelve different studies on it effects. They concluded that “chocolate milk provides either similar or superior results when compared to placebo or other recovery drinks. Overall, the evidence is limited and high-quality clinical trials with more well-controlled methodology and larger sample sizes are warranted.”

    So it seems we have even more reason to drink up.

  • The Historic Pawling Farm

    The Pawling Farm is part of Valley Forge National Historical Park and sits on the Perkiomen Peninsula, which is created by a bend in the Schuylkill River near its confluence with the Perkiomen Creek. This area played a critical role in the winter encampment of George Washington’s troops in 1777-78. It was a strategically important avenue of approach from the north to the encampment on the south side of the river and also served as the site of a commissary function that saved the troops from starvation. The National Park Service brochure on the area can be found here.

    Currently the property’s main buildings include an old barn, a small home (which currently appears to be in use), a privy building, and the remains of the old mansion. The mansion was lost to fire in 1967 and is now a ruin. There are hiking trails which connect to the rest of the Valley Forge system and a mix of habitats including meadow, forest, wetlands, and vernal ponds.

    The old barn is an impressive structure.
    A view of the house and barn. You can see here that the barn is a bank barn like the one in Sugartown in my previous post.
    The house that remains on the property, apparently the only building still in use.
    The area immediately around the buildings is meadow which is cut for hay.
    More hay bales, just because I like hay bales.
    According to my research, this building was used as a privy.
    The privy with the remains of another building behind it.

    Here are some overview shots and other views of the farm.

  • Autumn Visit to Historic Sugartown

    I recently took advantage of the guided tours offered to visit historic Sugartown, a preserved 19th century community located in Chester County. Sugartown is an historic crossroads community dating to 1800. It features several interesting structures such as a general store, barn, book bindery, carriage museum and period homes. The website for Historic Sugartown can be found here.

    Tours run from May to November on Saturday and Sunday, and there is a fee. You are welcome to browse the grounds for free. The fee is well worth it to see the interior of the general store, the carriage museum and many vintage tools inside the barn.

    I’ve included some interior photographs here that are not great but give one a sense of what these historic properties look like. The interior lighting was very dark, and I was shooting handheld without much time to adjust exposure.

    The tour begins with arrival to the rear of the Sharpless Worrall house, a mid 19th century home.

    Lovely walk to the rear porch of the Sharpless Worrall House and General Store.
    Roses blooming in November.
    The rear porch decorated for Autumn.
    An old well found on the property during renovation. It is 40 feet deep.

    Currently attached to the Sharpless Worrall House is the General Store. The store building was first constructed in c. 1805 by Joseph Waterman when he built his home and Saddle Shop next door.  This building also served as a post office for area in the early 1800s.

    A view inside the General Store.
    I loved this Autumn American Flag display in the window.

    We then proceeded outside to check out the Carriage Museum. This building was once in ruins, but was it was built on by the Malvern Fire Company to create a satellite station before becoming a museum. Collection highlights include a c. 1800 Conestoga wagon used to haul freight from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh, and a hearse used by undertaker George L. Moore of Guthriesville in the 1870s.

    Some pieces from the collection.
    Yes, sleighs are real and don’t just exist in Christmas carols.
    The Hearse. I’ve never seen one of these before.

    Tucked into the back of the Carriage Museum is a really cool dollhouse.

    Across the street are several more buildings. First up is a Book Bindery, where you can sign up to take classes in the craft. The building was built in 2001 to house a world-class collection of bookbinding tools and equipment once owned by the late master bookbinder Fred Shihadeh. Today, local bookbinder, Ramon Townsend, of ColonialBindery.com, teaches a variety of workshops in the Book Bindery. 

    A class in session.
    Entering the Book Bindery.

    The William Garrett House was constructed on 1805 and relocated to its current position in 2001 to save it from demolition. It is an excellent example of a modified “Quaker Plan” or three-room plan so often used in homes among the Quaker community. 

    View of a large, old beech tree through this window.

    Nearby is the Bank Barn. Typical for Chester County, this 19th century Pennsylvania barn was constructed so that hay wagons could enter the upper level from a bank. Today, the barn preserves a rich agricultural heritage through an agricultural tool exhibit on its upper floor.

    The site also features the Hannah Cheever House, dating from 1835. This property was bought and restored by Historic Sugartown to save it and the surrounding property from development.

    The rear of the Cheever House from the porch of the William Garrett House.
    The Cheever House and the Book Bindery.

    Historic Sugartown is well worth the visit and is especially lovely in the Spring and Fall.

  • The Remains of Ardrossan Farms

    Adrossan Farms and the Ardrossan Estate were once part of a 800 plus acre estate in Radnor Township, Delaware County. The estate was built by banker Robert Leaming Montgomery and features 50 room Georgian revival mansion designed by architect Horace Trombauer in 1911. Parts of Ardrossan have been subdivided over the years, and now the bulk of the estate is in the process of succumbing to this fate. The play and film The Philadelphia Story was inspired by the stories of the Montgomerys.

    Part of the estate was, and still is for now, a working farm with cattle and hay and corn fields. The farm was also was set this section of Radnor Township apart from surrounding suburbia. It made travel along Darby Paoli Road a treat, rather than a chore.

    One of the barns on the property.
    Still harvesting hay.
    “Progress”
    Afternoon light on harvested hay.
    A woodpile left to dry.
    A pair of redtail hawks enjoys the view.
    A small shed nestled against the woods.
    Very traditional looking farm equipment.
    Corn not yet harvested in November.
    Cattle call along Darby Paoli Road.
    Grazing peacefully.
    Sunset glow on the cattle.
    This is a beautiful little pond.

  • People and Animals

    Here are some outtakes of my recent photography tour of Chenoa Manor in Avondale, Pennsylvania.

    I really love the relationship between the woman and goat here.
    Now, hold that pose.
    This donkey is quite the cheeky little girl. Hoping for mints, perhaps?
    That does not look comfortable.
    I think this one is self explanatory.

  • What a Black Vulture Infestation Looks Like

    Black vultures have been making their way north in recent years and appear to be here to stay in Pennsylvania. Primarily a resident of the American south and parts of the southwest down into South America, they have been slowly extending their range north. Similar to the larger turkey vulture, they have a black, rather than red, head, and distinctive white patches at the tips of their wings.

    They are a species of concern because they are more aggressive than the turkey vulture. They eat carrion, but they will also attack young or infirm live animals. They also can be quite destructive, pulling the seals off of car windows, for example. I witnessed this behavior at the Conowingo Dam Fisherman’s Park a few years ago. A hapless SUV parked off by itself was never going to be the same.

    Southerners have learned to adapt and live with this bird, so expect we can too. I would hate to see the turkey vulture displaced, as they are now such a common sight, especially in rural areas. A flock of black vultures can also drive the native turkey vulture off carrion. The vultures photographed here were in southern Chester County.

    Here’s the gang lined up in a row. Black vultures are gregarious, at least with each other.
    Keeping an “eagle” eye out.
    This cow looks more quizzical than concerned.
    It’s not Santa trying to get down the chimney.
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