The Hardest Part of Bailing Hay With a Friend

[Hay Dude]

Just did these back in March.
2 trailer loads of about 300 bales each.

 

[NoTrespassing]

Back in the late 70s I worked for several different farmers bailing hay. Each one stored it a little differently. I got word that an older gentleman that I hadn't worked for before was looking for help. So, myself and two kids from town took on the job of stacking for the day. Charlie, the farmer, was quite a character. He was the last one in the area to use a corn picker. He only farmed a small amount of land compared to others and had a small run down place. The hay loft we stacked in was the dustiest I've ever been in, it was absolutely horrible. Even with bandanas made from handkerchiefs over our faces we could barely breath or even see. We were coughing, hacking, and spitting during and after we finished. We were paid $2.30 per hour and never worked for Charlie again.

 

[MossRoad]

I did OK unloading the first wagon in the barn. Just throwing bales down to the people stacking. But as you know, the more you unload, you go down on the wagon, and the stack goes up in the barn.

2nd wagon started as throwing even height across. Then gradually starting to through the bales up higher than the load on the wagon.

3rd wagon, I traded places with a younger guy! He threw them up to me and I stacked. I just couldn't chuck them that far over and up to be efficient.

Drank a lot of water.

 

[ultrarunner]

I had the opposite... unloading a historic hay barn at Lake Tahoe... I was 12 and brother 8

The lease was not renewed and the loft was full to the rafters with winter supply of hay for the riding stable at Stateline.

I was never so exhausted and forget about lifting... it was all we could do to drag to the opening where a semi with trailer was waiting...

Would have made a couple of good pictures...

I have no idea how many bakes but when done it was level with the hay loft barn floor...

The place is now a State park...

Black and White circa 1870... color picture as the peg and beam barn appears now...

nearly 600 acre gift to Nevada for the park at Lake Tahoe.

 

[MossRoad]

I didn't realize how much I used my legs to swing a bale around and toss it UP. Man, they still hurt two days later.

 

[lman]

I remember the summer when I was 16 and baled/stacked hay all summer. I handled about 10,000 baled that summer and there were a couple of 100 degree days.
I was glad when football practice started because I got a break from the hard work.

 

[m1garand762]

And that is why I raise birds and hogs. 2-3 round bales of straw or corn fodder and I am good for the whole year

 

[Hay Dude]

I remember the summer when I was 16 and baled/stacked hay all summer. I handled about 10,000 baled that summer and there were a couple of 100 degree days.
I was glad when football practice started because I got a break from the hard work.

Yep. Football camp was a joke compared to haying.

 

[Jstpssng]

I've got to get my eyes checked. I clicked on this thinking it said "The Hardest part of bailing out a friend."

 

[wmfamily]

I hauled hay as a summer job over 45+ years ago before big round bales became the thing. Made good money but it was hell. My brother and I teamed with friends (one owned the truck we used) to haul. We had our usual customers that we knew how they baled and the barn setup. The worst were the new customers who had bales that weighed 100 pounds (wire tied no less) or had a barn with a loft but no elevator. Plus we would get the occasional non-payer who we would need to get the sheriff after. The most I made was around 5 cents a bale except for the wired tied, those cost more. Of course we hauled our own hay for free and there was a very close family friend we hauled for free as well.

Only to be young and stupid again.... I wouldn't lift a bale any longer. My wife and surgeon would throw a real fit.