Barns of Southside Virginia

From the time Virginia was first settled, tobacco has been a part of its history. In Southside Virginia, the remnants of this era of agriculture are aging and even disappearing from the landscape. Until the mid-1980's the largest cash crop of Virginia was a major contributor to the economy. As a very young child, I remember my Grandmother pointing out fields of corn and tobacco while driving up Hwy. 47 in Mecklenburg County. (where these images were made) Now the barns and other outbuildings used in its production are worn and weathered.
You may see a few farms still growing tobacco, but not nearly as many as in the past. The land around this area is now used for different purposes, cattle, soy beans, grapes, or not at all. The changing landscape is certainly different, even picturesque.

Images copyright: Robert Harris Photography