Documenting Disappearing Family Farmsteads

Across the Midwest, family farmsteads are disappearing. Some crumble slowly, taken by time and neglect. Others vanish overnight—bulldozed for development, lost to corporate agriculture, or torched and left as merely ashes. The stories within them—of love, labor, loss, and resilience—fade away, leaving nothing behind but dust and broken beams.

But I refuse to let them be forgotten.

I’m Nisa, a photographer and storyteller devoted to capturing these disappearing farmsteads before they are lost forever. Through Documenting Disappearing Family Farmsteads, I travel backroads and gravel paths, seeking out homes that once held generations. I step inside these quiet, empty spaces, where the light still falls through lace curtains and old calendars hang on peeling walls. I photograph what remains—the scuffed floorboards, the handwritten recipe cards, the overalls still hanging on a rusted nail. I gather the histories, connect with the families who once lived there, and preserve their stories through images, research, and personal narratives.

This project is more than photography. It’s an act of remembrance.

I track down old records, sift through archives, and interview former residents whenever possible. I listen to their stories—the laughter and heartache woven into these walls—and bring them back to life through essays, exhibitions, and digital archives. I pair contemporary photographs of these abandoned farmsteads with old family photos and memories, creating a bridge between past and present. And for those who never had the chance to say goodbye to their family farm, I offer them something they can hold onto—a story, a history, a piece of what was.

For the past year, grant funding has supported this work, but that funding ends in April. To continue, I need your help.

To dive into this as deeply as I'd like requires about $2,000 per month—funding travel to document farmsteads before they disappear, research to uncover their histories, and the creation of exhibitions and books to share these stories with the world. But honestly every dollar helps ensure these farmsteads, and the people who built them, are not erased.

Your donation supports:

• Farmstead Documentation – Photographing abandoned and endangered farmsteads before they are lost.

• Historical Research & Preservation – Tracking down family histories, gathering old photos, and recording the stories behind each place.

• Exhibitions & Storytelling – Creating exhibitions, books, and digital archives to share these histories with a wider audience.

• Connecting Families to Their Past – Providing descendants with images and stories of the places that shaped their families.

If you believe these places matter—if you know the weight of history in an old house, the beauty of what remains even in ruin—please consider donating. Your support keeps this work alive.

Because once a home, always a story. And stories deserve to be told.

More work and info can be seen at: nisafiin.com