Barns

The Alexander Steam Show will have another classic piece of farm equipment to display this year. The Hegge family, which has farmed on Dodgeson Road since about 1930, is donating a 1950s era combine built by Massey-Harris.

Above, Matt Meyers operates a Massy-Harris tractor owned by his father, Vinnie Meyers, as the combine is turned over for the first time since sometime in the 1970s.

Rob Hegge is making the donation, but his son Lee was on hand Saturday to help the Meyers get the combine out of storage.

I stopped on Dodgeson Road to take a picture of the Hegge barn and the group noticed me out by the road and we talked a bit, so I went over and introduced myself, which is how I came across these two classic, Batavia-built, examples grand old farm equipment.

Lee let me wander around a bit and take a few more pictures.

When I got my new camera, one of the first barns I went out and photographed was on Griswold Road in Stafford.  

I was actually never really satisfied with the results, so I've been looking for a chance to try it again. Yesterday, with clouds in the sky and bales of hay on the ground, it seemed like a good time to give it another try. These two pictures are the result.

And after the jump, two other previously photographed subjects.

You know, if I'm driving out in Genesee County somewhere, I'm looking for barns and other interesting photographic opportunities.

The barn above is on Randall Road in Morgansville.

This flower (Anybody know what it's called?) was in the field across from the barn.

More pictures after the jump:

Another flower in need of identification.

A rusting Pontiac off Selden Road, Le Roy.

It's views like these, I think, that help you appreciate just how sublimely beautiful Genesee County really is. This was taken on Selden Road, Le Roy.

After completing some business in Byron, I wanted to take advantage of the great clouds in the sky and see what I could find to photograph. The barn and silo above was at the intersection of Bridge and Transit roads. Below, a barn in the village getting a new roof.

I was out on a story that didn't pan out this morning, but being out and about a little earlier than usual, I was struck how great the sky looked to the east, so I decided to drive out that way in search of photo opportunities. The better light was probably 30 or 45 minutes earlier before I got to any place worth taking pictures, but here are three photos from my short drive.

Above a group of barns on Britt Road near Warner Road.

I was struck by these two bare trees in an emerging cornfield.

Douglas Lake on Route 237.

I've passed this barn many times thinking I need to get a picture.  Today, I did.  It's at the junction of Route 63 and Bethany Center Road -- either in Bethany or Batavia, not sure which town.

The location I found to get a shot of the State Police on the Thruway was at the end of Westbrook Road, which is where I also found this small, but nice old barn.

A barn behind a field of dandelions on Judge Road in Alabama.

Take a look at more WNY photos at my blog at www.darrickcoleman.com!

You know if I'm out in the towns, I'm going to be looking for barn pictures.  This one I found on Bethany Center Road.

After the jump are more pictures I took today as I drove between Batavia and Genesee County Park.

This yellow barn is on a piece of property next to the Stafford Fire Hall.

On a story quest that didn't quite work out, I was down in the Bethany area.

The barn above is at Putnam and Sheppard roads. Below is a barn on Transit Road and a barn on Silver Road.

Today, I spotted this old well in front of a barn on Dodgeson Road, Alexander.

Amish construction workers have been on the Cleveland family farm for the past two days re-roofing an old barn. The farm, off Cleveland Road in Pembroke, is now owned by John Cleveland and his wife, Melissa. The farm has been in the family since the 1830s, according to Mike Cleveland, assessor for the Town of Batavia. John and Melissa's daughter, who is 3, is the eigtht consecutive generation of Clevelands to live on the farm.

I was in Oakfield this evening chasing what turned out to be a story that didn't pan out, but I figured so long as I was out that way and the sun was setting, I should try to find a barn to photograph at sunset. This is what I came up with. It's on Macomber Road near Galloway.

Slow news day. That's not entirely bad, because it gives me a chance to catch up on other work, especially the work related to revenue. Though, I'm sure on any given day, you would rather have the stories.

After all day in the office doing business stuff, I went out and searched around for something to take a picture of, hoping, really, for a good sunset shot. None was forthcoming, so these are the two pictures I did get.

Top barn is on Sprague Road, and bottom is on Upton Road. I think both are still in the Town of Batavia.

When I'm out and about in the county, I usually try to find roads I've never driven down before. In coming back from the two accidents this morning, I came across three photo opportunities.

Above, the Magadore Hillton and Pembroke Hotel, at the intersection of North Pembroke and Beckwith roads. The spelling on the sign is "Hillton." That's not  a typo. The proprietor, according to the sign, is Linda Smith. It's hard to tell if this is an active business. There is a sign next to the building that advertises fish fry and beef on weck, but it also looked like it might be vacant, except for a possible residence on the side.

UPDATE: We just got this e-mail:

"Hi, my name is Linda Smith I have owned the bar for 30 years. It was built in 1850 and has been a working bar for a very long time. I have a little restaurant that serves fish frys every friday. We are open 6 days a week."

Below is what looks like an old hunter's cabin along Stegman Road, across from the Tonawanda Creek. 

The last picture is of a yellow barn -- don't see too many of those. It was on Powers Road.

These two old barns and silo are along Route 98, probably in the Town of Batavia, near Elba.

Did you like the sun today? There's supposed to be more of that where that came from. In fact, the weekend should be quite nice, with highs in 40s and more sun.

Not to put a damper on things, but Weather.com is predicting snow overnight in a week.

But in the meantime, pre-spring weather with highs in the 40s and sun, or partly cloudy, seems to be in our immediate future.

Pictures: From this evening, a barn on Lear Road. Below a tractor and old garage on Wilkenson Road.

It's snowing lightly right now, and the light snow is expected to continue into tonight and tomorrow morning.

It should taper off to flurries by Friday, but there's some bit of snow in the forecast through Monday.

And some wind, up to 20 mph at times.

And cold -- below 30 degrees until Saturday, when the temperature might reach a blistering 31 degrees.

Photo: Another barn shot. This one on Route 63 heading out toward Oakfield, but still in the Town of Batavia, I beleive.