Photos: Queenstown farm erupts with acres of wildflower blooms

Published 9/16/2022 6:00 a.m. EDT

Black eyed susan and butterfly weed in a field in the back quarter at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
Black-eyed Susans and butterfly weed in a field at the Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Across the Bay Bridge, through miles of marsh and farmland, lies Wye Farm. The property has belonged to Anne Habberton’s family since the 1700s.

She and her husband, Jon Shaw, have transformed about 30 acres of farmland into a meadow of native wildflowers this year.

Local photographer Benjamin C. Tankersley documented the farm over the course of two days with four cameras, including two medium-format film cameras, a Hasselblad and a Mamiya 6.

[ Read more: Field of dreams: Queenstown couple transform cornfield into wildflower meadow ]

A wildflower pollinator strip seen between the horse yard and corn fields at sunrise from the roof of the silo at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. 50 foot wide Pollinator fields are used to separate the crops that are still farmed with chemicals from the house and wooded areas on the property.

A wildflower pollinator strip seen between the horse yard and cornfields at sunrise from the roof of the silo at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. Pollinator fields are used to separate the crops that are still farmed with chemicals from the house and wooded areas on the property. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Where the wildflowers and corn meet in the front yard buffer strip at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

The wildflowers and corn meeting at the front yard buffer strip at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon stands among the wildflowers in the front yard buffer strip at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Jon Shaw stands among the wildflowers in the front yard buffer strip at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Anne Haberton and Jon Shaw in Jon's studio housed in the old grain house at Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Anne Habberton and Jon Shaw in Jon's studio, which is housed in the old grain house at Wye Farm, on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Anne Habberton displays a framed aerial photo that shows much of the Emory Farm taken in the early 2000's on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Anne Habberton displays a framed aerial photo taken in the early 2000s that shows much of the Wye Farm. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Back corner of the houses' yard where the wildflower pollinator buffer strips meet at Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

The wildflower pollinator buffer strips meet at the back corner of the house's yard at Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Corn cobs at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Corn cobs at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

A bumble bee on a partridge pea in a pollinator field at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

A bumblebee on a partridge pea at the Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon Shaw shows a partridge pea leaf that closes at night taken from a pollinator filed at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Jon Shaw shows a partridge pea leaf taken from a pollinator field at the Wye Farm in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Anne holds an Axe head found on the farm by a friend of Anne's mother in the 1980's at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. Anne and Jon state a Nanticoke land acknowledgement for the farm.

Anne Habberton holds an axe head on Aug. 4, 2022 that her mother's friend found in the 1980s on the Wye Farm. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

A painting by Jon shaw of a friend on one of his polo ponies at Mashomac Polo Club, New York hangs on the wall of a converted store house at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

A painting by Jon Shaw showing a friend on one of his polo ponies at the Mashomack Polo Club in New York. It hangs on the wall of a converted storehouse at the Wye Farm in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon rides his horse Domino into the pond at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Jon Shaw rides his horse, Domino, into the pond on Aug. 4, 2022 at the Wye Farm in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

The pond at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

The pond at the Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Family pictures of Anne Haberton's family at Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. Seen in the photos are Anne's grandmother, her mother riding a horse who left the farm to Anne and her sister Alice who are seen as teenagers in some of the photos as well. the photos of anne's mother are from 1930 and 1945 and the photos of the house are from the 1930's and 1980. The farming scenes are from the mid 1930's.

Family pictures of Anne Habberton's family displayed at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Anne Haberton stands in a doorway of the old smokehouse at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. The farm has been in Anne's family since it was established circa 1770.

Anne Habberton stands in a doorway of the old smokehouse at the Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. The farm has been in her family since the 1700s. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon atop Domino in the pollinator fields at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Jon Shaw on his horse, Domino, in the pollinator fields at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Driveway, birdhouse and horse yard at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

The driveway near the horse yard at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Anne Haberton and Jon Shaw stand on the patio Jon built in 1999 for their wedding in the backyard of Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Anne Habberton and Jon Shaw stand on the patio, which Jon built in 1999 for their wedding, in the backyard of Wye Farm. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Grasses and black eyed susans have overtaken a chair along a path near the pond at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. Anne Haberton enjoys walking the paths through their pollinator fields and husband Jon shaw has placed chairs and benches along the way to rest at.

Grasses and black-eyed Susans have overtaken a chair along a path near the pond at the Wye Farm. Anne Habberton enjoys walking the paths through their pollinator fields. Her husband, Jon Shaw, has placed chairs and benches along the way where she can rest. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon Shaw observes a bee in the wild flower buffer between the front yard of the house and the chemically treated cornfield at Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. The natural buffer was planted as a precaution after Anne Haberton developed cancer.

Jon Shaw observes a bee in the wildflower buffer between the front yard of the house and the chemically-treated cornfield at Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. The natural buffer was planted as a precaution after Anne Habberton developed cancer. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Hummingbirds feed on the top of the Mimosa tree and buffer pollinator fields and corn fields are seen in the distance at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland. Anne and Jon have dedicated about 50 acres of their 450 acre farm to pollinator fields so far.

The top of a mimosa tree at the Wye Farm on Aug. 4, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. Buffer pollinator fields and cornfields can be seen in the distance. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Jon walks through grass at dusk at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

Jon Shaw walks through grass at the Wye Farm on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

A wild flower pollinator field between corn fields seen at dusk with the Emory Farm in the distance on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland

A wildflower pollinator field between cornfields on Aug. 3, 2022 in Queenstown, Maryland. (Benjamin C Tankersley/Benjamin C Tankersley for The Baltimore Banner)

Benjamin C. Tankersley is a freelance photographer based in Baltimore.

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