The rain is keeping the dust low this spring, but last September, this corn harvester created quite a lot of dust. And the wind was blowing toward our house!
Dated, but still working. These old farm machines were being demonstrated at the Rose Hill Fall Festival in Frederick last October. Rose Hill Manor and Farm Museum maintains a tie to the history of farming and culture in this part of Maryland. The lumber being cut was going to be used on the owner's farm.
Yesterday, I heard multiple sirens off in the distance, looked out to see where they were going, and spotted flames in the distance. A barn was fully engulfed in flames as the fire trucks were arriving. Local paper reported that the barn and contents were a total loss and two people suffer minor injuries. The barn is over a half-mile from us and normally hidden by trees. These images were taken form inside, with rain anf fog outside. The third image has been cropped and the fourth shows additional equipment lining the road (fire is off the left side of fourth image).
On our drives to Greenbrier State Park and its lake, we pass a sign for "Ostertag Vistas". The name has piqued our interest in the past and on our recent visit to the lake, we followed the sign and drove along the side of South Mountain until we found Ostertag Vistas nestled in a valley. What we found was an old farm with a sign that said "visitors welcome" so we stopped. A lady appeared from the barn and began to tell us about the place. Soon her husband drove up and continued the story of Ostertag Vistas.
View across the meadow towards South Mountain
Original log cabin
Back of the barn and patio area
View from near the barn
Newer houses
Marianne and I went to Frederick's Oktoberfest. We also wandered through the downtown streets where halloween was the theme for the city's First Saturday celebration. On Sunday I visited the Rose Hill Fall Festival. Next weekend Thurmont holds its Colorfest, with hundreds of artists and craftsmen exhibiting (and selling) their work. Other posts of these events: Oktoberfest in frederick.
Downtown was decorated for halloween on First Saturday and we had a delightful dinner by Carroll Creek as the sun set. 
Activities for kids and demonstrations of old farm equipment at Rose Hill.
Last Friday I drove into Pennsylvania to buy some corn and cantaloupe from a farm near Waynesboro. A friend gave us some corn from this farm last year. It was very good and we asked her to buy us some more, so we ended up with 5 dozen ears of corn in the freezer for the winter. Waynesboro is about 30 miles through the hills of Maryland and Pennsylvania in the valley formed by Catoctin and South Mountains. It was a very pleasant drive along country roads. (And the corn and cantaloupe are delicious!)
Frantz Whitehall Farm
Dr. Henry harbaugh childhood home
Pennsylvania farmland
These two shots are near Sabillisville, MD
I spotted these colorful circles and radii on an old tractor and manure spreader.
Spring planting has come to the field behind our house the past three weeks. First there was a little barn cleaning and application of natural fertilizer. Then the earth was tilled and seeds were planted. Finally, the weather cooperated this weekend and dropped some nice rain (along with a little night light show with acoustics!). 
There is a lot of no till farming in this area, but I spotted this freshly plowed field Friday in my travels.
Most of the Holstein dairy cattle on this farm near us have large spotches of black and white. This trio included one with black spots. 
This old farm house goes with the barn I posted for My World. Below are close-ups of the front windows on the left and right side. 
From granary to farm, there is a large amount of bulk feed moved around Frederick County. 
