Farms of Northern Colorado

The last five months I’ve been documenting farms in Northern Colorado. My adopted grandparents farmed here until the early 70’s, so my memories as a young girl visiting the farm are vivid…the cool air in the mornings, the large family midday meals, harvest, the smell of fresh cut silage and sugar beet trucks lining the roads in autumn, the magnificent cottonwoods which shaded many of the farmhouses, hard work and the peace provided by the many places to simply be alone.

Today this farming area is shrinking. Development along the Front Range is one reason, but there are others…water rights, income, fracking, a rising water table in some areas, and simply some younger folks moving on from the family farm; change on many levels.

I was away from Colorado for almost 30 years, so after seeing the changes to the land, I decided to photograph my memories here. These images were made with a Sony a7R (mirrorless/full frame) converted to infrared with a 720nm filter which creates a dreamy ethereal look, perfect for how
I want to preserve the history and memories of my childhood home.

“These memories are part of my heritage, the fabric of my personality, and as real to me as the land itself.”
― Karen Jones Gowen, Farm Girl

Here is a link to a document on the history of agriculture in Weld County: http://www.historycolorado.org/