Day 76 - Kiparoo Farms near Middletown

Yarns by the bucketful.

Kiparoo Farm

Another fantastic day!  My friend Norma accompanied me on the Valley Craft Network Studio Tour.  This tour featured nine different studios of local artisans, ranging from pottery to woodworking to painting to fiber arts.  It is an annual event, and tomorrow is the last day.

We started at Catoctin Pottery, owned by my friend Susan Hanson, and then went to Kiparoo Farms.  I have done one of my photo walks at Catoctin Pottery before, so today I told Norma that we would do our walk at Kiparoo.  What a great place!

Framed by trees

Down for a rest

First, we went into the farmhouse to see the fabulous yarns that Annie, the owner, has spun and dyed from the wool of her own sheep.  She has patterns and knitted samples and piles and piles of gorgeous yarns, all artfully displayed.  After our purchases were made, we walked the farm.

The farm has a long lane, with cows on one side and sheep on the other.  We discovered that as we approached sheep near the fence, they would quickly trot away from us.  The cows, on the other hand, were settled in for a cud-chewing session.

Grazing on the farm

The rolling hills and valleys on the farm, lined with old, crumbling outbuildings and barns, were a photographer's paradise, at least for photographers like me who like the weathered wood and old stone look.  We walked all over the lane that took us to various outbuildings, ending at a rather large barn that houses bales of hay in the upper story and has a sheep holding pen in the lower area.

Hoping for a snack

When we approached the sheep holding pen, they must have assumed that we were there to feed them, because they certainly were not wary of us.  However, once they discovered we were only there to take their pictures, they grew more cautious.

After leaving Kiparoo, we visited a few more studios, then found an awesome farm lane ablaze with red maples.  Even though the farm lane shot is not from the walk, I just had to share it.

Maple Lane

November in Central Maryland is almost as good as October was, with great weather, clear skies, and late fall color.  Thanksgiving is next week, and I am thankful that I live in such a beautiful place.




Hurricane Sandy Relief:  Donate to the Red Cross, and I will mail you a 5 x 7 print from any of the photos I have posted on my blog OR any photo on my website.

Forward to me via email a receipt for donating to the Red Cross.  Tell me whether the photo is from the blog or the website, and Include its title along with a mailing address.  The name on the receipt to the Red Cross must match the name of the mailing recipient.  Send the receipt and the photo request to camscamerashots@gmail.com.

Click on any photo to enlarge it.

*************************************************

Visit my web site: camscamerashots.zenfolio.com
Follow me on Twitter:  @camscamerashots

Cam's rules for the Daily Photo Walk:

1. walk every day
2. the walk must be in addition to any other planned activity for the day
3. post a photo every day
4. use my Nikon P7100 (it is a very convenient size and weight)
5. no weather excuses
6. walk only where it is safe to do so