I've always loved this farm with it's well maintained barns and outbuildings. A couple years ago the farm was permanently marooned by approaching development. It stood at the intersection of two roads, one of which ran parallel to the rail line. The commuter train was scheduled to extend further west, making the railroad crossing very dangerous.
The roadbed was raised to allow the train to run underneath, and the auto traffic now rises up and over. But in the process the farm was marooned with the farmhouse tucked into a blind corner. It can still be reached by a small access road but it's only a matter of time until this block of land becomes a subdivision or ....dread of dreads - more shopping.
4 comments:
Near where I live in Kansas City there is a similar farm that is getting marooned by roads and development. For some reason, though, the house and many buildings have been left standing.
I've thought that the city ought to buy the farm and restore it, as a sort of local heritage site. Everyone might think it is foolish right now, but fifty years from now the decision will be seen as visionary.
It's always sad to see something like that happen. One of these days, if not already, we'll all regret things like that.
There are some farms in the UK that are similarly marooned by highways passing either side of them, but they seem to survive like a green oasis.
Hope this one does too
Hi,
I love your pictures, love your site. I also miss the beautiful farming areas of North Central Illinois as they get gobbled up by progress. That is what it is really happening, this is a truly blessed time, the yield of crops per acre, which has increased thru the intelligent work of bright women and men, has "caused" the loss of the farm lands.
“Modern farming has dramatically reduced the cropland necessary to meet demand — by an area equal to the entire land mass of Western Europe.”
http://www.theglobalist.com/DBWeb/StoryId.aspx?StoryId=3708
Thanks again for your wonderful Blog!
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