A bit of country

Madison County, Winterset, Iowa

While working out our route home I realised we could come through Iowa. We could find some covered bridges in the town of Winterset and visit our friends Harold and Kim whom we had met in Yellowstone a few years ago at the same time. It was great to catch up with them again and they wanted to show us the area. Harold knew where all the bridges were and we visited most of them until the sun went down. Madison County has the largest group of covered bridges that exists in one area. Of the original 19, only 6 remain, but only 5 are on the historic register.

Hogback Covered Bridge

We couldn't be at every bridge at sunset, but I think this would still have been my pick if we had.

Cedar Covered Bridge

Roseman Covered Bridge

Someone had just got married at the famous Roseman Bridge, this is the bridge featured in the movie with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood.

Imes Covered Bridge

The following day we tried looking for old barns to photograph. Unfortunately, many of the old ones have been pulled down and new metal ones put in their place. Finally just a sunset we found a red barn. The farm is called a Century Farm as it had been in the same family for over a century. They have just sold off all their livestock and a seed company has leased the land from them. It's impossible to make a living and they have had to get jobs in town. This is corn and soya bean country and the crops spread for miles everywhere.

Not the oldest barn on the property but the only one that lit up with the setting sun

An old corn bin

The corn bins will soon be a thing of the past. Farmers get more for their corn the dryer it is. So they used to dry the corn in these sheds. These days the corn is put into silos and propane (LPG) heaters dry the corn.

An old barn full of junk

An old car

Lots and lots of corn fields

Harold & Kim

Thank you Harold and Kim for being so welcoming and giving us the big tour.