A Working Farm
Gari Melchers Home and Studio
The farm implements you see remind us that Gari and Corinne Melchers were farmers as well as artists and world travelers. With the help of caretaker Mason Dillon, who lived in the cottage across the road, they ran a small farm with cows, chickens, and turkeys. Their large vegetable garden was located in this area, and they also grew fruit and berries. The bounty of the farm was a point of pride and appreciation for the artist and his wife.
Major technical strides were made during the 1930s, yet the Great Depression forced most farmers to stick with the old ways, using horses, mules, and oxen to work the land. After 1945 and the end of World War II, farm machinery production increased; in 1949 Corinne Melchers bought a Farmall "A" tractor, still owned by Belmont.
Hay Rake: The dump rake was first drawn by horses but later modified to be used with the tractor. A foot pedal lifted the tines automatically, an improvement over earlier models that relied on arm power. The rake deposited the mown hay into windrows. After drying, it was gathered and stored in the barn for winter fodder for livestock.
Disc Harrow: The modern disk harrow, developed in the 1870s, quickly replaced plows as the most popular way to till large fields. The curved blades angle to the direction of travel; the rolling blades shear and
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Land Roller: The land roller, or clod buster, broke clods that remained in tilled soil. This iron and wood machine would have been pulled by horses and later by the Farmall tractor. Its top-mounted weight box gave additional clod-busting power.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Animals • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 1945.
Location. 38° 19.469′ N, 77° 28.401′ W. Marker is in Falmouth, Virginia, in Stafford County. Marker is on Washington Street (County Road 1001) 0.1 miles south of Warrenton Road (Business U.S. 17), on the right when traveling south. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 224 Washington St, Fredericksburg VA 22405, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Gari Melchers and his wife Corinne (a few steps from this marker); Caretaker Cottage (within shouting distance of this marker); Welcome To Our Trails (within shouting distance of this marker); A Family Memorial (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Gari Melchers Home and Studio (about 400 feet away); Capt. John Smith (about 500 feet away); Water Supply Methods
Credits. This page was last revised on April 20, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 126 times since then and 15 times this year. Photos: 1, 2. submitted on April 20, 2021, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
