March 2003 Trip to the Farms

My family has a fair amount of land in western Kentucky that's been in the family for generations. We call it "The Farms," but it's not a farm in the sense you might think of it; much of it is forested. We own a few head of cattle and lease some of it out for cropping, but the best money comes from timber and government conservation programs.

It's important to learn how to manage the land, and as part of that task, how to determine what your land is. Although that sounds like a simple task, with large acreage and ill-defined boundaries, it's not always an easy task. Add to that the general "informality" of matters in western Kentucky, and it's pretty important to get to know your land by walking the lines. So that's what my sister and I did over a short trip this Spring Break: we walked some of our property lines. I brought my camera, and I got some good pictures.

Mom drove all the way there and all the way home

Maryalice ridin' shotgun

Jake chillin in the backseat of the Jeep

Leaving on Friday, we drove about 4 hours south to Paducah, KY, just south of the Illinois border. We stayed at the Drury Inn Suites, which everyone liked, and stuffed our faces at T.G.I. Friday's. I watched Gonzaga take Arizona to Double OT, but it just wasn't to be. Then we returned to the hotel and went swimming, where Zoya was very annoyed by some skittish 16 year-old girls. I found that amusing. I stayed up far too late watching coverage of the war. I was engrossed by live video of a battle -- it was unfolding right before my eyes, complete with commentary from military people on the news channels. That we can view war in such a fashion is both fascinating and a bit horrifying, I think. I guess I finally fell asleep around 3:00 a.m.

Sunset on the drive to Paducah	"Hummingbird House" (as named by Zoya), where we stayed during our time in KY	The driveway to "Hummingbird House" with Devon, Maryalice, and Zoya out front
The backyard: pasture	Two cows check out the geek with the camera

After settling in at "Hummingbird House" on arriving at The Farms on Saturday, we headed over to "Sock Bend" to walk part of the property lines. Sock Bend is a big piece of land shaped like a sock. It's in a valley and is often quite wet. It's a fairly tough hike. Western Kentucky, if you didn't know, is fairly hilly.

Ma, with the valley of Sock Bend behind her	The view of the dirt trail leading down into Sock Bend	Walking down the trail. You can see the evidence of erosion
Zoya arrives at the field of Sock Bend with Jake	Jake blends into the grasses	Examining the map of Sock Bend at the other side of the field

When we got down to the base level of Sock Bend, we had to take plenty of detours to avoid big puddles and marshy land. We also had some interesting experiences crossing creeks (i.e. getting a sneaker full of water).

Devon climbs down from a deer stand

Anne, Mom, and Maryalice cross a creek (crick?)

The still reflection of the creek

After the hike down the road and picking across Sock Bend over to the Love Farm (half owned by me), we stopped for a while by a creek and took a rest.

Taking a rest

Devon became quite enamoured of tossing rocks in the water

Zoya digging through her backpack

After resting up, we crossed the creek and followed the line up a hill toward the back. We didn't actually get to the back of the line, though, because no one could remember where the back line was -- we didn't know whether it was marked by a fence or not. Memory is very important -- some information exists only in the minds of those who have lived on the land for a long time.

Devon and Ma pose for the camera	Devon acts bashful	Devon and I on an interestingly shaped tree
Checking out the map and trying to determine the lines	Keep on outta there	An interesting "Y" made by a fallen tree
Closeup of some fungi	Another close-up of a branch	The heater in Hummingbird House

Our walk around Sock Bend and the Love Farm was quite a hike and took us about 4 hours. Everyone was worn out, and we were glad to get back to the house for dinner. I watched a little bit of basketball that night, but I didn't stay up too late, because it's just natural to go to bed earlier. It's something about the way time works down there.

The next day, my sister and I, along with Ann (who manages our land), walked the Koch and Hurley Hill farms. These are closer to the river but not as low as Sock Bend. We spent about 3 hours walking, and it was another long but satisfying day. Even Jake, my dog, was worn out. We got to see the most beautiful part of the Farms, the waterfall area on the edge of the Hurley Hill farm, which is part-owned by my sister.

Following the barbed wire fence marking the line of the Hurley Hill farm	Jake wriggles under a log	Antique barbed wire (1800s?) on the Smith farm
Maryalice on the rocks	A wider view	The water was too high to get to the towhead

We also stopped off at the farmhouse, which is leased to hunters who use our land. They call themselves "the Ridge Boys." They've decorated the place with deer heads, and the style suits it pretty well.

The farmhouse on the main road

The barns adjacent to the farmhouse

With another long day complete, Maryalice and I came back to a great dinner prepared by Mom. Mashed potatoes, barbequed chicken, and green beans with bacon really hit the spot after 3 hours of hiking in the woods. The next day, we packed up and drove straight through to Champaign. It was a nice trip, punctuated by minimal family fighting.

Packing the car to go back home

An overview of the terrain down to the river from atop someone else's property