Several photos of Leeds Manor Orchard in Virginia just southwest of DC. Note man in foreground of first photo.
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The scythe…not a bush hog or Roundup! Pretty orchard.
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From a Washington Post article Nov 15, 2003 about the area and historic homes found there:
“The land was a part of a 119,927-acre grant known as the Manor of Leeds. Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax, who owned the land, had created the manor in 1736 to ensure that the accrued rents remained in the Fairfax family. He named the tract after his father’s estate, Leeds Castle in County Kent in England.
Leeds Manor lessees were required to build a house 16 feet wide by 20 feet long, with a stone or brick chimney, and had to plant an apple orchard of 100 trees each 30 feet apart.”
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Not of interest to most but I researched the owner of the orchard. In February 1925 it was posted in the local newspaper that he was delinquent in real estate taxes on 2,892 acres and owed $817 dollars in taxes and fees. In September 1925 a full page notice from the bank was in the newspaper of a public sale of his personal property listing his livestock and farm/orchard equipment. Such as apple barrels, bags of sulfur, power sprayer, apple grader, peach grader, orchard ladders etc.
I could not view his obituary for free or find out any stories about the demise of his operation. It was self-promoted as the future of the apple industry in Virginia, unsurpassed by the far-famed orchards of the West. The promotional book published in 1914 with the pics above was sold for a dollar.
His personal residence known as “The Rectory” is still in good condition and is a private residence today.
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