April 30, 2014: Rounding the Loop

A coal train doubles back on itself as it climbs the west side of Stampede Pass.

April 29, 2014: Lunch

Lunch in the field.

April 28, 2014: Father and Son

Farming has long been a family oriented business.

April 27, 2014: Check This Out!

A dairy farmer and his milker try out a few of the gadgets in his new milking parlor.

April 26, 2014; Equality

The barn boots, the jeans, the pick-up loaded down with fencing gear, this is a farm wife.  She lives equality in the workplace.

April 25, 2014: Veteran Tractor Driver

Cigarette dangling from his mouth, keeping a close watch on what he's doing, this man's spent a few years driving tractors.

April 24, 2014; The Field Boss

Ask any grower, a good field boss is worth his weight in gold.  He knows his people, he knows the complex laws that come with a crew.  We're lucky, we have a good one.

April 23, 2014: Another Day, Another Smashed Thumb

Probably should wear gloves......

April 22, 2014: Earth Day

When you farm, everyday is Earth Day.

April 21, 2014: POP! POP! POP!

Plow Day has the sound of two cylinder Johnny Poppers filling the air.

April 20, 2014: Calvary's Cross

The cross, snow shed ruins, Stevens Pass

April 19, 2014: Before Lowes and Home Depot

Homemade door latches, machine shed, Montana

April 18, 2014; Square Nails in Round Logs

Detail, log barn, abandoned homestead, Montana

April 17, 2014: Forgotten Rarity

A horse drawn Oliver two-way single bottom plow, a rarity in this day and age, sits forlorn and forgotten in the tall grass of an abandoned farmstead.

April 16, 2014: Scraping the Prairie Sky

Montana wheat king

April 15, 2014: The Greasy Grass

"U.S. Soldier 7th Calvary Fell Here June 25, 1876"
Charles Kuralt referred to these grass covered hills as "the saddest place I know."  I believe he was correct.

April 14, 2014: Winners and Losers

A BNSF grain hopper rolling beneath the long abandoned Milwaukee Road trestle at Lombard, Montana nicely illustrates the winner and the loser of northern transcontinental railroading.

April 13, 2014; Right of Way to Nowhere

An abandoned railroad right of way stretches across the emptiness of Montana.

April 12, 2014: Head-end and Helpers

The lower horseshoe curve at Austin, Montana allows for a shot of the lead engine and the mid-train helpers in the same frame.

April 11, 2014: Midnight Meet

With streaks of light and a lot of noise, two trains meet on the Great Divide late one night.  Blossburg, Montana

April 10, 2014: Shoving Through the Narrows

A 5-set helper shoves on the rear of a train climbing the west flank of Montana's Bozeman Pass.

April 9, 2014: Blades

Now replaced, these dwarf semaphore signals once guarded train movements at St. Regis, Montana.

April 8, 2014: Pipeline on Wheels

Almost there, a train of North Dakota crude rolls west towards the refineries at March Point near Anacortes, WA.

April 7, 2014: Onboard Meet

A hard working westbound loaded grain train passes an eastbound lite helper at Austin, MT

April 6, 2014; Paper Shuffling

The old saying used to be farming was nothing more than 40 acres and a mule.  These days it seems you can't turn a furrow unless you have ample paperwork.

April 5, 2014; A Dying Breed

The hat, the slacks, the leather boots, drawing out something in the dirt with an FFA advisor looking over his shoulder, little doubt this is a county agent.  Sadly, the county extension agent is a piece of history in most places, replaced by the internet.

April 4, 2014; Pile Driver

In typical farmer style, the bucket of a tractor and a willing wife makes for a handy post driver.

April 3, 2014: The Last Pick-up

April 3 a few years ago marked the last day of business for a local dairyman and his family.  The bulk milk truck driver noted the event as he pumped out the last shipment of milk, wishing the farmer and his wife, good luck.

April 2, 2014: On Top of the World

From high atop Conway Feed, a southbound freight stretches across the Skagit Flats.

April 1, 2014: Spring Showers

What's that old saying about April showers?  Bright sunshine lights up a farmstead after being drenched in rain not 5 minutes earlier.