The Burn Barrel

If you are from the rural south, you know about burning a barrel. Here we see the quintessential 55-gallon drum used for burning trash around the farm. Often, on the weekends, menfolk stand around, leaning on the bed of a truck and rehashing events of the week-- as the barrel burns. Lots of people have funny "burn barrel" stories. Here's one. This story centers around the adventures of trying to find a burn barrel to purchase. As for us, we never could find a barrel to purchase and finally ended up with a round, suburban fire pit!

In New York State, there is actually a Tour de Burn Barrel, NOT to celebrate the burning of a barrel but to warn of the potential environmental hazards of this first-generation  chiminea. Have you ever burned a barrel? Was there one on your property? This photo is printed in sepia tones in order to participate in Monochrome Weekly.

Comments

[magiceye]

this is fascinating

[Bill B.]

Have seen many of them in rural areas.

[Carver]

I love this shot. Brings back memories. I lived in an old farm house with friends from 1976 to 1978, and we had a burn barrel.

[Blue]

Hi there!

TY for your comment on my Monochrome Monday photo.
I participate there every week.

Re your Black theme for the 29th - I have my own colour meme 'True Colurs Thursday' this week it is Black - maybe you might like to join me too?

Best wishes
Blue

[Jane Mitchell]

If this is a rural southern tradition, then maybe I didn't grow up in as rural a part of W. Va. as I thought. Aren't there laws now prohibiting burning of trash, at least in municipalities? JTM

[Greensboro Daily Photo]

JTM:

Yes, traditionally, one does not "burn a barrel" in the city limits. Residents within municipalities get away with burning open containers by using the more glamorous chimineas or the above-ground fire pits. Both can be found in the lawn and garden section of the box stores. Your suburban neighborhood in WV would not have been the place to burn a barrel. However, ask your WV farm buddy Mr. T about this tradition. He will know! Garbage pick up in rural areas is either non-existent or EXPENSIVE.

[RuneE]

You obviously knew how to place that barrel in the photo :-)
The sepia worked fine

PS We had a barrel at our summer cottage once, but now I think they are more or less prohibited.

[Ellie]

There was a burning place in front of our building in Bulgaria. People burned wood and made pepper spread and jams and all kinds of stuff to put in the jar for the winter. There were no fruits and veggies all year long like now. People had to conserve.
The NC fair was fun. The kids wanted the rides so that is where we spent our money. Some day I'll splurge for a chocolate bacon. Right now we went for a sure thing - funnel cake :)
The car on my mom's blog is Trabant - one of the worst cars ever made - was produced in Eastern Germany during communism. Compare Trabi with BMW and you will see the difference between the East and West of Europe :)

[arabesque]

the sepia tone of this photo matches well with your blog theme. ^0^
the trees surrounding the area creates more drama to it.
splendid shot!

[Alice]

We had a burn barrel when I was a child; I would not be surprised tom find it stored away in one of the out buildings. Don't imagine I'll need it now that I'm in the city limits (since the 1950s).

[SquirrelQueen]

The sepia is perfect for this great photo. I remember burn barrels growing up in the South and I have also seen (and burned in one)in rural areas of the West Coast.

Thanks for visiting my blog, come back anytime.

SQ

[Moe Lauher]

Great mono photo. My father-in-law always had a burn barrel back in 60's in his Chuckatuck, Virgina backyard. When one rusted out or became unusable, he would put out another. There are still a couple of "humps" in the yard where an archaeologist could find some interesting relics. Thanks for sharing as always.

[Amanda Moore]

This is a great shot, but they don't just burn in the south, I am in Calif and as a child in the 70's spending time with my grandparents they always had a barrel in the back yard for trash burning until they made it illegal.
The sepia look to this really helps set the mood for it I like it a lot!

[David C.]

Burn barrels weren't limited to the South. We had one on our northern Indiana farm. I remember my brother singeing his hair when he lit the trash after the old barrel was replaced with a fresh 55 gallon drum that still had some residual volatile substance inside.

[Dina]

Ha, great post and comments!
I spent many hot hours over a burn barrel, at a friend's 10 acre wooded property near O'Hare Airport.

[Lessie]

I enjoyed the commentary with this photo -- not familiar with this tradition, but it makes sense!

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