Back Roads Drive: Southern Minnesota (Original Photography)

Driving the gavel and dirt roads is a lot more scenic than taking the highway. Heading back to Mankato from Rochester, Minnesota, I headed in the right direction through farm country.

^{Meet the Moos}
These are a breed of cow that is brown, except for having a white face. They make for great portraits, if you have a little time to work with them. I got a few closer shots, but couldn't linger long.

^{Skeletal Barn Remains}
Not much remains of this was-a-barn. The grain silos seem to have held up a little better, though.

^{Drainage in Waiting}
This type of field drainage is becoming a big controversy in the Midwest. The plastic drainage pipes are burried in the field and do a good job of keeping conditions right for crops. The problem is that it also drains fertilizers and pesticides more directly to streams and rivers, increasing nitrate and pollutant levels in drinking water. Farmers have had decades of financially difficult times, so who can blame them from trying to be a little momre profitable? Changes to farming practices to protect water are good for all of us, but they will need to come with financial incentives to get support from the agricultural community.

^{Swimming Crops}
The heavy rainfall left many fields in states similar to this one. The forecast calls for sunshine and drier days, though, and these puddles were probably dry by morning.

^{Hay For Sale}
This is a barn I took a photo of in the middle of the winter and didn't know where it was. I found it again! Now, if they only sold straw in the springtime at a decent price, along with that hay...

^{Magically Sppoky}
Of the barn photos I've taken, this one is, by far, my favorite. I spent a little extra time in Lightroom with it, brightening the flowers in the foreground to balance the light a little and draw the eye. It makes for a beautiful, yet somewhat eerie scene with the dilapidated barn in the mid-ground.

So... The Watermark. Any thoughts? I've decided that signing my photos is a good idea, but want an attractive, original signature that isn't too distracting. I used a 50% opacity in the last shot, but think it might look better pure white. Any thoughts? Suggestions?

^{Are Moo Looking at Mmmmmeee?}

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