VERNACULAR ABSTRACT FARM ART

Farmer John King's tool garage has inadvertently become an abstract modern art palette.  Located on the entrance side it creates tension by reflecting old against new, color against no-color, metal against wood and probably others that you might see. Love how abstracts can evolve without the maker knowing what he has done. I would call this facade a vernacular abstract. 

FARMER KING GROWING AN INDEPENDENT FARM

John King standing with some of his family. 

Left to right: Jack, John (grandson) and  farmer John King

Recently, I wrote a post about the original homestead that John King bought in his early twenties. Now in his seventies, Mr King has spent his adult life as an independent farmer. He can point out his achievements of growing a farm by the buildings that stand on his farm. Prior to his moving onto the farm these buildings were  not there. 

Corn crib

John King is a friendly man as are other members of his family that I met on the day when I talked with him about his farm. Jack, his cousin, was at the farm picking up some tobacco sticks from John for a project he was working on just down the road. John Sr, had been a tobacco farmer until the government had a buyout for Kentucky farmers. John, his grandson, had just come home from some classes at the college he was attending. 

Second large barn that John King built on his farm

Mr King runs a hands-on farm. Every building except for the two homestead buildings has been built by him. Now he didn't go to the lumber company and purchase his building supplies. Rather he went to the woods on his property and felled trees for each building he was to build over the fifty or so years he has lived on his farm. He would take his felled trees to small sawmills located near his farm where the mill hands would cut the wood into the dimensions that Mr King wanted. Then he would haul it back to his farm via tractor with wagon or horse and wagon. Then construction would begin.

First large barn that John King built on his farm

Over time John built three good sized barns, a storage garage, a small utility shed, a corn crib and a tractor shed. All from the trees on his property. All his buildings have been kept in excellent shape. 

Utility shed

Growing a farm is quite an accomplishment. I took several photos to show what one person can do when he has the will and the way to make things work. 

Tractor shed

Oh, and part of his life on the farm changed when he stopped raising tobacco. He took an off farm job for a while telling me that it was almost impossible to make enough money as a small independent farmer anymore unless one worked both on the farm and an outside job too.

The Kings, according to grandson John, grow all of their food for year-round consumption as well as raising cattle for beef. 

Small farms, according to 2009 statistics, have grown by 4%.  Mostly attributable to demand for local and organic food. Most of this growth is found in small farms under 50 acres. 

JOHN KING'S ORIGINAL HOMESTEAD

JOHN KING, KENTUCKY

John King is a man that has successfully made a farming life for himself and family. He bought a large parcel of land in his early twenties that was to provide the type of lifestyle that he was familiar with and wanted to pursue during his lifetime. Now in his seventies he can reflect back and say it has been a full life filled with hard work and a love of family. He mentions that, "full time farming has become a thing of the past, one needs an outside job to keep the bills paid."

HOMESTEAD HOUSE
BEE HIVES STORED ON PORCH

When John bought the parcel of land it came with  a handsome barn and a sturdy wood house. He and his wife made their home in the above cozy house for a few years and then built their own roomier house. The homestead house remains in its original state and still  sits on a slight incline toward the back of their farm. Now sitting gracefully alone on its hill, it can almost whisper to the leaves that surround it,  "its been a good ride."  

HOMESTEAD BARN
STILL IN USE

Built before John King occupied the land, the homestead barn  still stands solidly erect. Still in use for farm machinery, it  appears to have many good years before it. Located near the original homestead house, together they formed a team  before John bought the land. They are the only two structures left on the farm from the previous owners.

Somewhere in the land's history a tannery was located here, long before John's tenure. It was near Clear Water creek which runs through his property.  He said the tannery provided employees with adjacent small tenant houses. Now he tells me that only one steel post remains of the once large operation. 

John was very amenable to letting me stroll around his farm and ask many, many questions. His farm was a reminder to me of the many farms I have known -- that they contain our rural histories and the predictability of the survival of independent farmers. Each independent farm comes with a  different story yet they have a common denominator of values that includes discipline, planning,  physical work,   family, community, and sharing. 

More about John King's farm and its evolution -- soon . . . . .