The approach along a grassy driveway off of Imeson Road. Barn on the left, the Company House on the right.

The barn was a simple structure, with large bays for the tractors and equipment. Corrugated steel on timber, dirt floor...pretty basic.

Large sliding doors along the sides of the barn were sized for the tractors and the occasional car.

A bitter melon and favorite of the adults.

Corrugated steel endures the Florida weather.

The offices and housing for the workers. Uncle Chan and his family lived here after the main operation closed down.

I was always curious as to why there were multiple doors into this house. Six, counting the ones on the other side.

Farm offices are usually cluttered with an assortment of strange things stuffed in desk cubby holes. There were actually two desks in the main office, with a safe. A portrait of my great Grandfather and Grandmother overlooks the operation

My father’s younger brother, who wondered what I found so interesting in the old barn.

Sliding doors allowed quick access to the fields.

Inside the barn looking east. A big cooler sits to the right. There was usually a large flatbed truck parked in the center. This was the main loading and shipping area, and always busy.

Things are always pretty simple in the barn, when you want something “on” you plug it in

More stacks of wood and hardware on the ground. It always felt dark and damp on this side of the barn.

Uncle Chan grew bean sprouts for many years after the main farm operation shut down. He supplied most of the restaurants in Northeast Florida.

This was the only way to the mezzanine, which was about 15 ft above the ground. Note that some of the rungs were makeshift. It was a hazardous climb.

The mezzanine was always scary, probably because there were no railings or real stairs, you got up here by ladder. The barn seemed to always have its own random organization of things scattered about.

The barn had a simple structure and on this particular day the feeling was spiritual.

A mezzanine contained storage for shipping crates and large barrels. I guess it was easy to throw these down to the ground level when needed.

A convenient place to pull an engine or lift a big piece of equipment.

The tractor has seen many miles. There were 7 other tractors that were sold before I started the project.

Comfort came in limited forms on the tractor seat.

One of the many tractor “accessories.”

Something was still going on here near the tractor.

Another project suspended for a moment in time.

The dirt floor in this corner of the barn was covered with bolts and hardware, perhaps a drawer spilled over?

Small cans were placed around seedlings in the early spring to protect them against frost. There were thousands of these piled in a corner of the barn.

There was an old Coke vending machine in the corner, unused for many years. I can always remember Grandfather offering me a “cold drink.”

Unused for years, this tool waits for a hand to bring it to life.

Seems to work, along with a safety release.

The big scale in the shipping area used countless times. I remember always weighing myself whenever I came into the barn.

The wooden crates that held the fresh vegetables. These would go directly on the trucks to be delivered or sent to the airport. Only later was any refrigeration used.

On a small table I found this arrangement of incense, tea cups, and fruit. Made me pause for a moment to reflect on what I was doing.

This looks like my tricycle but I think most of them looked the same back in the day. I later learned that this belonged to my Uncle Quon.

This shed has almost been reclaimed by nature. It was filled with boards and pieces of wood. My Uncle Gat told me he built this shed to hold his workout equipment, that’s why the roof was raised.

The fate of many farms in our country.

The houses were immaculate, inside and out.

Grandfather's house was designed by Danny Bau, a University of Florida Architecture professor. The design had an open plan with contemporary furniture.

Grandfather’s house and his long driveway from Imeson Road. I remember the road was unpaved, but Grandfather had a nice concrete drive.

The two cedars are overgrown and the driveway cracked. Flowers were always growing in the planters.

Part of the process of deconstructing the past, another piece of property is repurposed for a different use. I’m interested to know what becomes of the property. It may take a while to find out.