American Classic.

The American castle.

If you have ever traveled to Europe or the United Kingdom on the agenda may have been a tour of a castle whether in ruins or functioning. In Asia we find glorious temples and in Italy tremendous architecture and amphitheaters. Throughout the continents we can see rich history in structures that are centuries old. Can we hold a candle to these on our American soil?

Certainly we do have buildings and monuments that are iconic such as the Empire State or the Lady Liberty ready to greet so many visitors from lands afar. One piece of Americana that would certainly be considered a constant of our landscape is the farm. More specifically the barns, silos and out buildings on the farmland. From Maine to Montana our barns, whether current and functional or sitting in ruins, are a rich part of American history. Farms that are abandoned seem to have a story to tell taking on an artistic role as they grow more interesting with age. I imagine that is why we have many great paintings, photographs or homes decorated with artifacts from the farm life. Perhaps not everyone would consider a farm the American version of a European castle or the farmland the kingdom, but arguably a rich part of our landscape.

I for one am fascinated when I discover and old barn or silo at the side of the road, perhaps in part this is due to the fact that my fathers family were farmers. I think many of us can find farmers in the family tree. Often we take pieces of the farm setting and decorate our yards, homes and gardens with them. A wagon wheel becomes an accent piece, a split rail fence line, old barrels as flower pots, a tractor tire on it’s side quickly becomes a garden, the list goes on. Bails of  straw and cornstalks are a staple decor in the fall. Sometimes actual farm equipment such as an old tractor or horse drawn plow is the centerpiece of a front yard or business.

In future posts we will explore some ideas of how to bring the rural farm life into our castles in the suburbs. Until that time, don’t forget to browse our website for flags that feature the farm and country life.