The (Not so) Rural Pennsylvanian

  • A Few Quick Stops

    I had previously travelled through this area in Union and Clinton Counties but did not have the opportunity to visit all of the state parks. I routed myself through this area on my way to western Pennsylvania. My first stop was Sand Bridge State Park, the smallest state park, which occupies three acres. It is used for picnicking and fishing.

    I next made a quick stop at the lake and dam overlook at Raymond B. Winter State Park on my way to McCalls Dam State Park. I had previously been to RB Winter and hope to return to do some camping. This park has a wide variety of activities including hiking, fishing, swimming, camping and mountain biking.

    The nearby McCalls Dam State Park is also one of the state’s smallest, consisting of a picnic area along with access to hiking, hunting and fishing in Bald Eagle State Forest. I first stopped at a scenic overlook on McCalls Dam Road on my way to the park. Note that even the state can’t decide if there is an “s” in the name of this park or not.

    The last stop in this cluster of parks was Ravensburg State Park. It lies in a narrow gorge carved by Rauchtown Run. It was a popular spot with local Amish couples out for a drive on this Sunday afternoon. This lovely spot provides camping, picnicking, hiking, hunting and fishing opportunities. I managed to miss the entrance into a section of the park, but this is a location which will be easy for me to get back to.

  • Lancaster County Spring

    Before we head to western Pennsylvania, let’s take a look at some shots from a nice Spring day in Lancaster County. It was a good day for photography, the sun was shining and the cows seemed happy.

    This shot and following one are the same farm.

  • Go West, Not So Young Blogger

    A few weeks ago, I took a long awaited trip to areas of Western Pennsylvania that I have not been to in quite a while. Blog posts from this trip should be online in upcoming weeks.

    Here is a teaser video.

  • Evansburg in Black and White

    As part of my recent experimentation of getting back into film photography, I took out my Canon A2E for the first time to shoot some black and white at Evansburg State Park. Here are some of the results.

  • Celebrating the Lancaster County Buggy

    A day out in the rural areas of Lancaster County will provide many encounters with horse drawn buggies, whether in motion or stationery. Sundays tend to be particularly busy, with people going to church or visiting neighbors.

    A small child looks on …
    Traffic Gap with a miniature of the Clock Tower (full size below).
    People who drive buggies need to shop too. Stores in the area often have hitches, or even simple open sheds, for horse parking.

  • A Little Experiment

    I have been working on doing a little more film photography these days, which is something I haven’t done much of in over 20 years. The experiment started with a Lomography 120 film camera which is a little more than a toy. I have never used 120 film before, so I didn’t know what to expect. The results weren’t too awful – kind of arty in a good way, including some interesting double exposures. These are views around Tredyffin Township, Chester County. Better pictures will return soon. LOL

    A bit of a double exposure here.

  • A Very Grassy Land

    Below are a few photographs of a favorite corner of northwestern Chester County. I go here in hopes of finding some grassland species of birds that sometimes frequent farmers fields. So far I have just found horned larks, but there have been snow buntings, eastern meadowlarks and others spotted in the area, so you never know ….

    I have better luck with ponies and goats.
    One of the many beautiful farms.
    I love the trees around this farmstead.
    A subject you may have seen here before …
    and another view.
    Another impressive farm.

  • Rambling Along

    There are lots of sights to behold on a drive through southern Chester County.

    Cattle quietly grazing on the tall grass.
    Sadly, a sight sometimes seen in Pennsylvania.
    A barn with a great weathered look.
    This scene could be almost anywhere in the state.
    Trains to nowhere. A bet a lot of people will recognize where this is.

  • A Preserved Farm … and a Park

    Springton Manor Farm is a county park located in Glenmoore, Chester County. Within the farm’s historic landscape of fenced fields, stone walls and misty morning vistas is a preserved patchwork of colonial plantation, Industrial Revolution era scientific farm, Victorian tenant farm, and gentleman’s country estate. The Manor House and Carriage House overlook 300 acres of centuries-old sugar maples, open pastures and stately Penn Oaks, which grace the lower pond. The Manor House is not open to the general public.

    Initially part of a William Penn Manor, Springton Manor has been in agricultural use since the early 1700’s. On this demonstration farm, you can meet the animals and learn about Chester County’s farming history. The barn complex consists of the Great Barn, sheep shed, goat shed, a roost and equipment shed. You may see horses, donkeys, rabbits, calves, pigs, sheep, goats, chickens and peacocks. The Family Farm Museum, located within the Great Barn, contains seasonal tools and apparatus used on Chester County farms from the 1700’s to the 1900’s.

    The Manor House
    A view to the Great Barn
    Additional buildings near the Great Barn
    Interesting structure. Not sure what it is …
    Can you see the house finch? They were nesting in crevices in the stone walls.
    Another building with a star …

  • A Unique Ecosystem

    Nestled in southwest Chester County near the Maryland line are several patches of a unique ecosystem called serpentine barrens. One example is found at Nottingham County Park. Dedicated in September 1963, Nottingham Park was the first Chester County park. The 731-acre park sits atop an outcropping of serpentine stone greater than one square mile in size – one of the largest serpentine barrens on the East Coast. It features former feldspar and serpentine quarries, and numerous former chromite ore mines. The National Park Service recognized Nottingham Park as a National Natural Landmark in 2008.

    Nottingham Park offers nine pavilions, an 18-station fitness trail, and three modern, handicapped accessible playgrounds. To experience the serpentine barrens, one must wander around some of the trails in the park.

    Serpentine, a geological outcrop of rare, light-green rock found only in three small geographic areas in all of North America, has soil so low in essential nutrients and so high in some metals that most ordinary plants will not grow. The barrens have their own community of plants, some of them globally-rare, with practically no species in common with the surrounding forests and fields. Typically, serpentine barrens contain scrub oak, pine, cedar and unique wildflowers. Some areas dominated by grasses are known as true prairies. Some areas with scattered trees are known as a savannah, which can survive and prosper with occasional fires.

    Here are some views looking towards the serpentine barrens.
    Adorable mini covered bridge next to a pond.
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