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

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.

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.
Where the wildflowers and corn meet in the front yard buffer strip at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
Jon stands among the wildflowers in the front yard buffer strip at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
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 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
Back corner of the houses' yard where the wildflower pollinator buffer strips meet at Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
Corn cobs at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
A bumble bee on a partridge pea in a pollinator field at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
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
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.
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
Jon rides his horse Domino into the pond at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
The pond at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
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.
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.
Jon atop Domino in the pollinator fields at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
Driveway, birdhouse and horse yard at the Emory Farm on August 4th, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
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
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.
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.
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.
Jon walks through grass at dusk at the Emory Farm on August 3rd, 2022 in Queenstown Maryland
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

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

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