Ramblin' 'round northeast Georgia

Abandoned tractor in soybean field, Georgia Highway 75 ALT, White County.

As I've said before, even though I lived in the northwest corner of Georgia, I usually found more interesting things to photograph in northeast Georgia. 

This tractor was parked in a field beside Georgia 75 ALT in White County. It's obviously really old. Growing up on a farm in the 1940s and '50s as I did, I can say it's older than anything I saw in our area. On the other hand, it has rubber tires, so it's not as old as the tractors with metal lug wheels. I'm guessing it's from the late 1920s to the mid-1930s. There's no way to tell how long it's been sitting in that field, but it's been long enough for the front tires to have rotted away.

       Ford 8N tractor in shed, U.S. Hwy. 19, Lumpkin County, Georgia.

The Ford 8N is one of the most popular tractors every made. Manufactured from 1947 to 1952, 530,000 of the distinctive grey and red machines were sold around the world. In the U.S., many thousands of them are still in use, probably most of them performing light duty on small farms. A full range of parts is still available to keep them running.

Cudzu, the plant that ate the South. U.S. Hwy. 19, Lumpkin County, Georgia.

 

Cudzu, also spelled Kudzu, was imported from Japan in the late 19th century for erosion control and as a cattle feed. My Dad, always a visionary, planted some on our property in southern Indiana for that purpose around 1950. It didn't work out. Years later, two of my brothers, who bought the property from our Dad, leased some acreage to a farmer who finally managed to root out the pesty vine. In the South, as any traveler knows, the evil weed still covers large areas. 

Skeenah Creek Mill, Georgia Highway 60, Fannin County.

The drive from Dahlonega to Blue Ridge via Georgia 60 is only 31 miles, but the twisting, winding highway makes it seem much further. Around the half way point is the Skeenah Creek Mill, located at the rear of the Skeenah Creek Campground. The mill is still operational, but not currently in use. If you're a mill buff, it makes the trip worthwhile.

Johnson Mill, Cooley Woods Road, Cleveland, Georgia.

Dating from the early 1800s, Johnson Mill, on the edge of Cleveland, is well-preserved and fully operational. The owners have taken a great deal of care with the landscaping, making this one of the loveliest settings I have seen for a mill. The mill property also includes a very nicely restored log cabin with rocking chairs on the porch. Across the street is a log double-pen barn and a covered bridge spanning the mill creek. This is altogether an idyllic place and well worth a visit.

About the photos: The Abandoned Tractor, Ford Tractor in Shed, and Cudzu were photographed with a Canon EOS 5D camera with an EF 24-85mm lens. The Skeenah Creek Mill and Johnson Mill were photographed with a Canon EOS 6D camera with an EF 28-105mm lens.

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Photography and text copyright 2023 David B.Jenkins.

I post Monday, Wednesday, and Friday unless life gets in the way.

Soli Gloria Deo -- For the glory of God alone.

Tags:   photography     travel    Georgia    digital photography   Canon EOS 5D camera     Canon EOS 6 D camera    Canon EF 24-85mm lens   Canon EF 28-105mm lens