Buford Park

My editor, Parvati Patel, says today's topic is of no interest to her (not featuring birds or small critters).  I hope, nonetheless, you will find it worth reading.

I mentioned yesterday that my sister and I were off to Buford Park for a morning walk.  Buford Park is a 2363 acre park that includes Mt Pisgah a 1531' volcanic butte, as well as low-lying acreage along the Willamette River.  

Historically this part of the park was farm land - growing hops and running a dairy operation.      

This house is from the 1930's - the brickwork on the bottom level is very ornate, and not like anything I've seen before.

A few tough daffodils remain near the house - reminders of a gardener long-gone.

There are still a few cattle in one of the fields.

And the remains of an old barn - this is an iconic picture rural Oregon .

This is an impressive old dairy barn.  I counted 18 milking stations on this side alone.  There are still milking stanchions inside.

I mentioned hops. In the first half of the 20th century the Willamette Valley was a huge hop producer. Even during Prohibition, when the hops were exported to Germany. The growing and harvesting of hops was extremely labor-intensive, and seasonal worker like loggers would work the hop fields. My great-grandfather and grandfather worked in hop fields in the late 1920's / early 1930's.

The barns are very unique - much taller than 'normal'.

Later this week I'll post some photos of our walk along the river.