This is the barn on the Calverton farm that is up for sale. Time and the weather has taken its toll, but she still stands. Many farmers here on Long Island can not afford to farm any longer. Taxes, the economy, the cost of labor and the anti-migrant worker climate have all aided the decline of the farming industry in Suffolk County.
The five eastern towns of Long Island through the Peconic Land Trust, set up a program where they purchase the development rights from farm families. Farmers get cash, but agree not to sell their farms to developers. Many continue to farm their acreage, some let them become open space. The local program gets the money to purchase the farm land by adding a 2% land transfer tax on property sold in the five eastern towns. This tax is set to expire in 2020.
It's important to preserve both open space and this way of life.
This is another HDR image processed with Photomatix Pro.
Because we don't think about future generations, they will never forget us.
Henrik Tikkanen
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5 comments:
I cried when they took down my grandparent's old barn. Some things are just meant to endure!
What a fantastic collection of textures...
So much is destroyed in the name of progress ... the property I live on was homesteaded in 1896 and I enjoy the openness a great deal.
A heart-sickeningly true quote.
I love photography old farms buildings when possible...to try and capture a fleeting way of life.
As a photo professional, how did you get a job in the field? Are you self taught or do you have formal photography schooling? I've been starting to do photo shoots for people, I'd love to make enough to help support the habit! It makes me interested in knowing how others got started.
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