Thursday, April 9, 2009

So many Midwest farmhouses are disappearing with the passage of time...replaced by brick homes, satellite dishes, paved driveways and manicured lawns. I can't say I blame the families of today for modernizing but I do fear that an important part of our history is being lost. I think that the change is being provoked as well by the disappearing family farm. ...replaced by corporate owned conglomerates. Partly out of greed but also necessity with the growing world population to feed.

There is an interesting PBS documentary about this phenomenon : "The Death of the Dream"
http://www.pbs.org/ktca/farmhouses/index.html
Once on the site, you will see a link to "the virtual farmhouse" and it will take you inside with commentary on a farmhouse very similar to the one pictured. Progress is good, without progress, I would not be able to blog! But with this progress, we also have a responsibility to remember our roots.

10 comments:

Heather said...

Wow - what a hauntingly beautiful photograph. I love old farmhouses. I would love to live in one - so much history. I'm going to check out that virtual farmhouse now. Thanks for sharing!

Dan Felstead said...

Heather,
I know that in the south you must have many of the same memories of old homesteads such as this. Thanks for your comment.

Dan

boneman said...

not sure I can go along with the 'without progress, no blogging' part, as a couple of my blogging buddies are in way technology starved villages.
Ah well. It's nice to be able to turn on a computer and see the world, sometimes, and I guess I couldn't do that without at least one line running to the house.

shabby girl said...

I agree with you. It's sad to see that part of our history go. I've never lived in an area with farmhouses or barns, but the pictures definitely spark my curiosity.
BTW, I would be honored for you to put my writing on the back of your beautiful photo!

Dan Felstead said...

Boneman,
With the right setup, you can blog just about anywhere. There was recently a woman who rowed across the Pacific in a small boat. She blogged each day along with video...even in the middle of the ocean!

Dan

Dan Felstead said...

Thank you shabby girl,
I'm honored! Each part of the country probably has it's version of "farmhouses"...maybe out in your area...old Indian settlements?

Dan

Dani said...

Congrats on your coffeehouse picture being used on ppp by the way!

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Dani...It was fun to see the different interpretations and so many very interesting stories!

Dan

TheChicGeek said...

Beautiful. You take the most amazing pictures!

Dan Felstead said...

Thanks Chic Geek...and thanks for stopping by and commenting. Have a great Holiday.

Dan