Farm, Washington Depot, Connecticut, USA

This New England farm is quiet and calm at first light of day near Washington Depot.

The dew is still on the grass, and a cloudy day unfolds. Why are barns painted red in New England you may wonder?  Okay, maybe you've never wondered but, according to the editor of the Barn Journal (really - no kidding - there is a Barn Journal), ferric oxide (rust), a primary component of red paint, was inexpensive and this appealed to the thrifty farmers of New England and New York State. 

The harsh yearly weather cycles leave their mark in faded and peeling paint. 

But the corn is still growing.....

.....and the tomatoes will soon be turning red - ready to be eaten at breakfast, lunch, dinner, or a snack - just like eating an apple except they run down your chin.

According to the American Farmland Trust, nationally we are losing 1.2 million acres of farmland every year. Much of that loss is attributed to encroaching development.

Like the bumper sticker says, "No Farms, No Food."