Alan Mays' photos with the keyword: agriculture

The skin of a large eastern diamondback rattlesnake hangs from the side of a barn in this detail from a real photo postcard .

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of a barn, farmhouse, or any variety of agricultural building . This is a real photo postcard of a bank barn with a gambrel roof and roof-ridge ventilators . Next to the barn is a sturdy stone silo . There's no name, address, postmark, or stamp box on the other side to indicate where or when the photo was taken. There is, however, a handwritten note that says, "Skin of a diamond rattler from Florida." I had to take a closer look to spot it, but that's apparently the skin of a large eastern diamondback rattlesnake hanging on the gable-end side of the barn.

Signs: "Blossom Hill Peaches." A vintage photo showing a man at a roadside fruit stand selling peaches from Blossom Hill Fruit Farm. The farm was located a few miles north of the city of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and the area around it had so many orchards at one time that it was known as Fruitville. Today there are housing developments where peaches and apples once grew, but some of the road names--Blossom Hill Drive and the Fruitville Pike--reflect the earlier uses of the land.

"Ontario Drill Company, East Rochester, N.Y. Eventually you will sell 'Ontario,' why not start now. Hoe or disc. H. Gamse & Bro., Lith., Balto., Md." An advertising ink blotter for the Ontario Drill Company, which manufactured grain drills and other agricultural equipment.

A 1909 real photo tall-tale postcard by William H. Martin. For a similar postcard with an automobile and oversized apples, see Apples–How We Do Things at Fearnot, Pa. :

"Wishing You a Happy New Year, J. P. Baker, Trav. Ag't, Harrisburg, Pa. Buckeye. 1895. 1896. Buckeye. J. H. Trezise, 1125-27 N. Third St., H'b'g." This is a unique photographic New Year greeting that depicts Father Time--carrying an old-fashioned scythe and designated as "1895"--worriedly running away from an overdressed gent who's uttering the word "Buckeye" as he tips his hat and rides atop a newfangled "1896" mechanical reaping machine pulled by a bevy of Cupid-like putti . The inset to the right of this imaginative scene is a photo of "J. P. Baker," who's identified as a traveling agent (salesman) from Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Dressed in a hat, cravat, vest, and suit coat, Baker appears to be the model for the gussied-up guy riding the reaper. Although I haven't uncovered any specific information regarding J. P. Baker, I suspect that he may have worked for Aultman, Miller & Co., manufacturer of Buckeye Harvesting Machinery, which had an office at 625 Walnut Street in Harrisburg, according to Boyd's Directory of Harrisburg and Steelton for 1895. The company sold a variety of agricultural equipment for mowing, reaping, threshing, and other tasks (to see a fascinating early silent film clip of a Buckeye machine in operation in Australia, take a look at Wheat Harvesting with Reaper and Binder -1899 ). J. P. Baker evidently used this photograph to wish a happy New Year to his friends and business associates and to promote himself and his Buckeye machines to customers.

A photo of fields, crops, pastures for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Handwritten note on the back of the photo: "Here is a picture, and it does not look as if Nebraska was a tee-total failure in 1926. But 50% was a failure on the corn crop for 1926. Mr. H. G. Bolz." Rubberstamped on back: "Van Doran Photo Shop, 1406 O St., Lincoln, Neb." Prohibition was in effect and alcoholic beverages were banned in the U.S. when this photo was taken in 1926, so perhaps teetotalism was on the writer's mind when he said that the corn crop wasn't a "tee-total" failure.

"The Land of Big Corn. Copyright 1909 by Martin Post Card Co."

"Emmett Williamson, 1, 2, 5, 10, 25, 50 quart(s), not transferable." Seasonal agricultural workers who harvested fruits and vegetables received "pickers' chits" like these, which they could later redeem for cash. I haven't been able to determine what crop these chits were issued for or ascertain whether "Emmett Williamson" was the name of a farmer or a company. For information regarding the use of pickers' chits in Missouri, see Strawberry Tokens and Chits a Reminder of Bygone Era . For examples of other chits, see below:

A real photo postcard. "Bringing in the sheaves. A common scene on a Kans. farm. Copyrighted photograph, 1908, W. H. Martin."