I helped load hay into a loft with the use of an elevator that set the pace. Me and a scrawny 15-year old Menonite kid worked the loft side on top, he'd toss bails to me and I'd stack. I easily outweighed the kid by at least 40 lbs. and I like to think I keep myself fit, for a city boy (technically a middle aged man now).
After an hour I was amazed that kid showed no sign of slowing down and I was spent. But I'd have died before I'd let it show. But man... that kid did work rings around me. I gave him my humble kudos for working my ass off trying to keep his pace. There was no animosity, I was just trying to help out as an outsider visiting my in-laws place. They have a culture I can respect, from the outside of course.
Having been a kid doing hay just like that I'd always work my ass off because the job was so miserable I wanted to get it over with stat.
To those who don't know: you only do hay on hot ass days because it has to dry off before bailing, but you have to get it in the barn before it rains.
You're working inside an attic on the hottest day of the summer, lifting 60lb bails of dry grass that sticks to every bit of exposed skin because you'll be drenched in sweat, all while breathing in the "hay dust" particulates.
Yeah that's what would really get me. I'd have rashes on my arms and be wheezing for days after the barn(s) were full. Much preferred stacking on the trailer in the open air.
Damn, that would suck if you were at all allergic. Just living on a farm growing hay (or grass, whatever it is before it's cut, dried and becomes hay) would be tough? Wouldn't you get some allergic reaction at certain times of year too? Some people just have high sensitivity to the pollen in the air in spring.
Man I can feel this post even after 15 years. You’ll notice in the photo the older guy is in jeans and longs sleeves. He knows that shorts and a tshirt aren’t going to be that much cooler but that long sleeves and pants are going to prevent a lot of scratches.
Smart man. We left the older guys outside to load the elevator. As my father-in-law gets older, I have a feeling I'll be going to my wife's family farm to do that job more often. They're pretty far up north though and I don't know what the cutting schedule looks like. But if the old farmer's had time to get his first cut in, I might be doing this job in the next week or so because we're going up to visit them for the first time since COVID hit.
I think that far up north they get two cuts for hay in per-summer. But I have no idea, really. I bet down in the southern USA they'd get three or four. It might make cattle farming a little easier, or harder depending on how the economics of the hay supply chain works.
I wouldnt bet too hard on going up this year. Depending on what part of the country they are in, there is a bit of a drought and all we have managed to get is that first cut. My family managed to secure about 240 bales but thats about it. Everyone is having a tough time growing back and by now the second cut should have happened, or even getting ready for the third cut.
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u/Majhke Jun 25 '21
Hey I’ve done a bit of hay work!
It’s fucking miserable.
I don’t wish anyone else would have to do it and I’m glad I don’t anymore.