Saddles on the Wall

Saddles line the wall in the tack room of Routh Ranch in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Farmer with Hat

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Portrait. Denton, North Carolina.

Ladder and Light

(Photograph copyright 2012 by dan Routh)

Feed bin ladder near my home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Logger (cont.)

Logger, Randolph County, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Young Kid

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Another view of Goat Lady Dairy's first kid of the year,

Calvin the Bull

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Calvin the dun colored Dexter bull stares me down in my neighbor Mac Whatley's pasture in Franklinville, North Carolina. The Dexter breed is the smallest European cattle breed and was developed in Ireland. They were used for milk, meat and as oxen for work.

Work Portrait

Logger, Randolph County, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

New Kid in Town

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

First kid of the year with mom at Goat Lady Dairy in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Seeds in the Greenhouse

Though it's still cold, it's getting that time of year to start thinking about gardens. Last week my 90 year old cousin Thomas Routh and his wife Lula Mae were out in their greenhouses planting and transplanting tomatos and other vegetable plants. Thomas and Lula Mae sell plants, but they also grow a large garden and sell produce through the summer at the farmer's market in Asheboro.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Pair of Turkeys

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Pair of turkeys in black and white from my avian portrait series.

Eggs in the Stable

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

We have a chicken coop in our back yard in Grays Chapel, North Carolina, and we have nesting boxes for our chickens to lay in. But, we let them free range most of the time and they occasionally decide to use other spots. When we were short of eggs for a couple of days, I looked around and found a dozen in the corner of a stable in the barn.

Shearing Week 2012 at Rising Meadow

Every year, mid February at Ron and Ann Fay's Rising Meadow Farm in Grays Chapel, North Carolina means sheep shearing, and this was the week. Ann and Ron are fortunate to have master blade shearer Kevin Ford come in to do the job. Kevin is world class (he's a member of the US Blade Shearing Team that competes in the World championships in New Zealand) and it is amazing and fascinating to watch him work. Blade shearing is done with hand powered shears, no electricity here. Sharp blades, care and finesse is the order of the day. Kevin was assisted this year by local shearer Joy Moore. While Kevin and Joy worked the sheep, Ann with the help of friends and neighbors, inspected, cleaned and weighed the fleeces which will be on sale this Saturday.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

"Little White Church in the Dell"

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Melancthon Lutheran Church, Randolph County, North Carolina.

Rope and Spurs

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Still life photograph of western spurs and a rope.

Logger

Logger, Randolph County, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Old Farm Truck Series Continued

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Old ford pickup in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Garlic Drying

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Garlic dries on the back porch of our home in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Skidder Operator

Skidder operator, Randolph County, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Old Texaco Pumps

Old Texaco gas pumps in Randolph County, North Carolina.

(Photographs copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Ladies Windbreaker

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Commercial product photography. How I make my living.

Keys to My Grandpa's House

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Still-life of old keys.

Running Sheep

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Sheep running in a pasture. Grays Chapel, North Carolina.

Resting on the Wood Pile

(Photograph copyright 2012 by Dan Routh)

Neighbor Gary McMasters takes a break at his wood pile one afternoon last week in Grays Chapel, North Carolina.