Hay was cut with a horse-drawn
mower then raked into rows. At this point the farmer prayed for
hot sun to dry the hay for if it was stored with any moisture
remaining in it, it rotted over the winter. Prolonged wet weather
at this time destroyed a good hay crop. When the hay was dry,
it was loaded onto a hay wagon by men with pitchforks.
|
Three rope slings were
laid so that layers of hay could be lifted with pulleys
and loaded into the hayshed. The oats had to be cut
and bound into sheaves and stooked in the field to dry. |
Lynda and Elmer in
the field with the team |
Neighbours got together and helped
each other with the big jobs like threshing. "There was lots
of free labour in those days," says Elmer. "Men weren't
going so many places as they are now and so you could catch `em
easier."
|
Haying
Socks and Chief skidding
logs in winter
|
