It happens every summer: You’re driving down a country road, see a large, country road, see a large, complicated machine or an unusual building, and wonder, “What’s that?” You now can find the answer to such puzzling farming questions, thanks to a free booklet from Penn State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

The Joy of Farm Watching: A Roadside Guide to Pennsylvania Agriculture is a 72-page, full-color booklet that uses photos, diagrams, and an offbeat sense of humor to provide information on common Pennsylvania farm types and equipment for anyone who could use help identifying a silo or a combine.

“Farming occurs throughout all of Pennsylvania,” says booklet author Timothy Kelsey, professor of agricultural economics and state program leader for economic and community development for Penn State Cooperative Extension. “It’s an important part of the commonwealth’s economy, history, and culture and provides a wide variety of environmental benefits, such as open space and groundwater recharge.

“But since few people have direct experience working or living on farms, too few understand the farming activities they see around them. The guide is intended to increase peoples’ understanding of the farms in their community and to help them develop an appreciation for the rich variety of agriculture in Pennsylvania.”

According to Kelsey, identifying and observing farms and farm activities can make living in or visiting the country more pleasurable. “This guide will help you understand many of the things you may observe in your own community and gain a deeper appreciation for agriculture,” he says. “It works like a bird-watching guide—we show you annotated roadside photos of farms and the things that go with them. You can use it as the first step in identifying whatever you’re looking at.” If the roadside photos aren’t enough, there are sections on field marks, buildings, machinery, and animals. Descriptions are accompanied by icons that can be matched and cross-referenced with farm types in the booklet. You’ll discover the differences between hay, beef, and dairy farms, learn to identify the buildings used on swine farms, and find help in determining whether a field is growing soybeans, alfalfa, or winter wheat.

Single copies of The Joy of Farm Watching can can be obtained free of charge by Pennsylvania residents through county Penn State Cooperative Extension offices, or by contacting the College of Agricultural Sciences Publications Distribution Center (814-865-6713, AgPubsDist@psu.edu). Multiple copies are available for $1 per copy. For information on out of-state or bulk orders, contact the Publications Distribution Center.

Kelsey says the guide is one of many educational resources Penn State Cooperative Extension offers to help create better understanding between farmers and nonfarm neighbors.

“Growth pressures in Pennsylvania mean nonfarmers are increasingly moving into traditional agricultural areas,” says Kelsey. “It’s important that nonfarmers understand the types of farm activities they’re likely to see around them, such as why farmers need to move equipment on roads or why they sometimes are working in their fields late at night. It’s equally important for farmers to be good neighbors to help avoid needless conflicts, and we have similar educational materials for them, as well.”

— Gary Abdullah