Days Gone By
By: Author: J Bakken

Old barns are few and far between on the prairies, so whenever I spot one, I photograph it. They, along with the grain elevators, are disappearing from our prairie landscape. These structures are a part of our farming heritage and what makes the prairies a special place in many people's hearts.
It was Thanksgiving weekend in 2005 when my father-in-law and I went for a Sunday afternoon drive around the small farming community of Frontier in southern Saskatchewan where I was fortunate enough to capture quite a few old barns with my digital camera.
It wasn't just a drive, it was a history lesson. My father-in-law would tell me who built the barns and on whose land they were on now. He would also regale me with a few tales of the old farmers and the old methods of farming as we were driving.
I didn't just photograph old barns that afternoon, I was lucky enough to take pictures of old wagons and abandoned and forgotten old wagon wheels in the fields. With the brilliant blue sky and yellow fields as a backdrop, these wagons and barns were picturesque reminders of yesteryear.

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