Joel Dinda's photos with the keyword: eatoncounty

This was one of the few local farms which specialized in raising cattle, rather than grain. It was also the only local farm sporting an elaborate system of windbreaks. I always figured the two were related. They're now growing corn/beans/wheat, like most of their neighbors. But the windbreaks remain. I miss the steers.

Same farm as yesterday's windbreak , on Billwood Highway in rural Eaton County, Michigan. This is about a half-mile from my workplace; I pass by every morning and evening. It used to be more attractive. Four years or so back a tornado touched these trees, bounced over my office building, and wiped out an auto parts business and the chiller at the power plant down the road from our complex. Quite frightening to the night shift. Fortunately, no injuries.

Same barn as this morning; another view....

Needmore Highway, Eaton County, Michigan. Shot from my bike. Most barns were originally built for specific purposes, then repurposed and rebuilt over the years as the farmer's needs changed. I like the way this one shows that evolution.

Over the past fifteen years, this yard's been shedding barns. There were a couple large structures directly beside these which remain, and a couple smaller barns nearer the road. One of the big surprises of my cycling life was passing this place as they destroyed one of the smaller barns--they wrapped a chain around the building, attached both ends to a tractor, and just pulled the place down. Kinda brutal, but it got the job done. The house has lovely porches, too. I've always admired that. Took this photo from my bicycle last weekend. Gosh, it's good to be riding again.

Better large! I've shown this farmyard a couple times before, but never with these details. That brick building/shed/whatever is really quite splendid. Got out on my bike a couple times this weekend. It wasn't the first ride of the winter, or the year, or the month, or even the week, but yesterday's ride was the first ride that seemed like a new season. (My heart monitor thought so, too; it claims I've never gotten so much exercise from a short ride. Mostly that was the stiff wind; it was kinda brutal.) Took this picture during that ride.

Another small-but-sprawling Eaton County barn. This one's on our usual route home from work.

The thing about barns is that there's nothing standard about them. Some are big, others small; some are well-maintained, others are collapsing; some are attractive, others are simply ugly.

One of several barn photographs I took one lunch hour. Not sure exactly where; somewhere in Eaton County, Michigan. Camera: Minolta SR-T 101