Most iconic images of a farm?

August 13, 2009 6:24 AM

What do you think the most iconic images of a farm are the twenty first century?
posted by tnygard to society & culture (22 comments total)

Factory farm or family farm? What country? Are you looking for actual images or just an idea in general?

In the U.S., in general, the iconic image for a family farm is a red barn.
posted by amyms at 6:33 AM on August 13

You might want to tweak your phraseology a bit before we can answer.
posted by BostonTerrier at 6:33 AM on August 13

I am thinking of farming as a whole in the US today. Both large scale and small scale. But mostly the Midwestern farms that grow wheat and corn. Any thoughts?? Thanks in advance.
posted by tnygard at 6:37 AM on August 13

Not an image of a farm, but related and certainly iconic: Migrant Mother by Dorothea Lange
http://www.loc.gov/rr/print/list/128_migm.html
posted by blaneyphoto at 6:46 AM on August 13

the recent dan rather reports was about hydroponic farm on a barge, rooftop gardening and communty gardens that contribute to food banks. and vertical gardening. I would say one of those images would be most iconic. other than a picture of twenty chickens crammed into a small cage.
posted by cda at 6:54 AM on August 13

wind turbine (but I would say that).
posted by scruss at 6:56 AM on August 13

one of those wheeled irrigation devices seen on farm fields once, as well as the circle of pivot systems, as seen from airplanes.
posted by lester at 6:56 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

John Deere tractor.
posted by jschu at 7:04 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

But mostly the Midwestern farms that grow wheat and corn.

A strand of patented DNA.
posted by Miko at 7:07 AM on August 13 [3 favorites]

Facinating question. Contrast the images used on the websites of the National Corn Growers Association (big, midwestern commodity farmers) with the National Corn Refiners Association (people who turn the corn into food ingredients).
posted by Fiery Jack at 7:36 AM on August 13

The Monsanto logo.
posted by ijsbrand at 7:40 AM on August 13

A clean shaven man seated in an air-conditioned tractor cockpit applying petrochemical fertilizers to a field of delicious golden MON863, to be harvested and turned into fuel for tractors.

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posted by General Tonic at 7:46 AM on August 13 [1 favorite]

This image immediately came to mind.
It might not be what you're looking for but it is what I think of when I hear "20th century farm."
posted by vincele at 7:50 AM on August 13

To be honest, the same as for the twentieth century farm.
posted by smackfu at 7:52 AM on August 13

For a twenty-first century farm, I see combines.
posted by Mountain Goatse at 7:54 AM on August 13

Wow, a lot of sarcasm on this thread. At least, I think it's sarcasm. My filter may be misaligned.

For iconic, nothing beats the red barn.
But for 21st century I think you need something that shows a larger scale and include an element of mechanization. I like the idea of the pivoting irrigation system that lester posted.


This flickr site has an interesting collection of barns and silos, some modern, some quite a bit older: farm pictures
posted by SLC Mom at 8:01 AM on August 13

Definitely a combine. (Even General Tonic linked to a picture of one when talking about a tractor.)

If you were asking about Finland, I'd say White plastic silage bales.
posted by Authorized User at 8:59 AM on August 13

I agree with SLC mom. The iconic image of a farm in the United States is a barn and silo. Just like this. Or these.

Combine harvester is a close second.
posted by goingonit at 9:04 AM on August 13

I live in Central Illinois right now, so I see a lot of Midwestern farming on a day-to-day basis. The most emblematic thing I can think of are signs like this. Almost every field around here has a sign saying which corporation their seeds come from. And almost every farmer has GPS in their tractor, to aid in things like planting their fields and applying fertilizer. It's the only way that you can get such detailed and precise corn mazes.
posted by MsMolly at 9:11 AM on August 13

I live on a farm in the upper midwest and am very familiar with the regional farm culture.

The number one change we're seeing in this century from the last is the size of the equipment. Where farmers used to farm four to 12 rows at a time, they are now able to do much, much more. I can't say for sure what the top width is, but I'm sure that the only restriction is the size of the roads they have to travel on. Tractors have doubled in size. We now have BIG, BIG tractors, usually John Deere, complete with GPS, satellite radio, a/c and more computerization and automation than any of us ever would have thought was needed. Also, huge combines. Crops are no longer hauled in small, traditional wagons. Grain is now moved in massive wagon behemoths or grain semi-trucks. These kinds of resources are usually shared among 2-4 farm families or partners, because of costs. This is also new. In the past, most farmers would have owned their own equipment and would only have had sharing agreements with close family.

The iconic barn and silo are now obsolete, although many remain. Now every farm will have a Morton or Lester building on it. Some of these have to be absolutely huge to fit the new huge equipment in them. Most farms also now have their own maintenance shop as well. To store grain, the standard grain bins are being surpassed by massive grain storage and moving systems.

Farmers no longer ride horses, they ride ATVs and drive rugged pickup trucks. Most of us still tend to live fairly simply, so you still see smaller houses...often the original farmhouse. That said, most people assume that we don't have access to even the most basic modern conveniences. I live in the country, but I have fiber internet that goes right into my house. The only difference I have noticed between my situation and those who live in the city is that no one will deliver a pizza to my house.

Most farms have some animals (ours doesn't). This will tend to be cattle or hogs. Maybe some hobby horses. A farm with a variety of animals (pigs, chickens, horses, goats, sheep, ducks, etc.) like you see in kids' books would be a novelty around here. Most farms will have a dog and a few cats running around.

There are large cattle and hog operations in the area. Dairies are mostly done on the large-scale now. There are very few family farmers still milking. Sheep are raised, but aren't necessarily mainstream. Chickens and turkeys are raised in large-scale operations.

Wind turbines are definitely iconic in our area. I've even seen toy farm sets that come with them now. The seed corn signs that MsMolly mentioned are certainly around, although I can't say I even notice them much less think of them as iconic. As for other icons, I can't think of any, but I am sure that I am just so used to being around certain things that I would never have thought of them. Feel free to MeMail me if you have any further questions!
posted by bristolcat at 10:19 AM on August 13 [3 favorites]

I don't have any images to recommend but I do have some suggestion for what should be in them based on my experience.

I would say an abandoned farm house or empty farm yard(the great hollowing out of America). The biggest thing I notice traveling through farm country now that I remember from childhood is that there isn't any people in the countryside. So images showing Center Pivot irrigation-this has greatly reduced the need for someone to take care of the farm so no more need to have a family live on every half or full section. A big combine or tractor-Increasing size and power of farm equipment also greatly increases the amount of land a single family can farm. If the images has any people in it probably someone old since the average age of a farmer in the US is also somthing like 55 or older. The life down on the farm ain't want it used to be.

Of course on a different note small traditional farms are manageing to hold on in parts of the country with access to urban areas with farmers markets and an affluent population to afford their labor intensive, but much tastier, food. So perhaps also images of farmers market and/or 'truck' gardens for contrast with the large industrialized farms. And if present trends continue the backyard garden is making a comeback.

In perhaps a final ironic twist to farming in the 21st century I moved to Oregons Willamette Valley to be a civil engineer while I am the first generation not to be a farmer at all in my family since well there has been a family name.
posted by bartonlong at 10:25 AM on August 13

bristolcat: fantastic photo reportage. Thanks.
posted by bru at 11:39 AM on August 13