Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Don't forget to grab a Yoo-hoo, the show starts in 5 minutes!
Country images you don't see much anymore
- Thread starter NancyNGA
- Start date
Good one, Ken. Been there, done that, many times in the past.
Pappy
Living the Dream
grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
Hobbled hay
An old fashioned way of making hay (taken by an old fashioned farmer a couple of years ago
).
An old fashioned way of making hay (taken by an old fashioned farmer a couple of years ago
).
Code:
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Interesting, grahamg, heard of teddying....what is hobbled hay?An old fashioned way of making hay (taken by an old fashioned farmer a couple of years ago
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grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
Loose hay days
Really "hobbled hay" is forming the loose hay into smallish piles which are naturally thatched against the weather and is a throw back to the days before hay was baled up, and tightly tied with strings. Obviously if the hay was already in piles, the correct size to readily pitchfork onto the load it might save time, and assist in the process of stacking on the load, or trailer, and do so in a way that made it simple to off load again in the haystack.
There is the technical answer for you, and you dont know how nice it is to have some information to impart.
BTW I think you meant "tedding" rather than "teddying" (tedding is a method of shaking the hay around the field a while after mowing (say a day or so), in order to expose more of it to the sun. I wont say too much more here or you'll be thinking its more complicated than brain surgery.
Really "hobbled hay" is forming the loose hay into smallish piles which are naturally thatched against the weather and is a throw back to the days before hay was baled up, and tightly tied with strings. Obviously if the hay was already in piles, the correct size to readily pitchfork onto the load it might save time, and assist in the process of stacking on the load, or trailer, and do so in a way that made it simple to off load again in the haystack.
There is the technical answer for you, and you dont know how nice it is to have some information to impart
.BTW I think you meant "tedding" rather than "teddying" (tedding is a method of shaking the hay around the field a while after mowing (say a day or so), in order to expose more of it to the sun. I wont say too much more here or you'll be thinking its more complicated than brain surgery
.
Meanderer
Supreme Member
Really "hobbled hay" is forming the loose hay into smallish piles which are naturally thatched against the weather and is a throw back to the days before hay was baled up, and tightly tied with strings. Obviously if the hay was already in piles, the correct size to readily pitchfork onto the load it might save time, and assist in the process of stacking on the load, or trailer, and do so in a way that made it simple to off load again in the haystack.
There is the technical answer for you, and you dont know how nice it is to have some information to impart
BTW I think you meant "tedding" rather than "teddying" (tedding is a method of shaking the hay around the field a while after mowing (say a day or so), in order to expose more of it to the sun. I wont say too much more here or you'll be thinking its more complicated than brain surgery
I watch the neighboring dairy farmers cut, rake and toss it around with spinners to dry, before square bailing. I just never heard the technical term "Tedding" before (beside Google). Is cobbled hay worked by hand, or machine?
grahamg
Old codger
- Location
- South of Manchester, UK
100%
100% handwork to make "Hobbles" (not Cobbles, over here in the UK cobbles made up road surfaces in victorian times, round stones set in the ground).
You can knock the hobbles over by machine or "spinners", but it doesn't work so well, so usually you'd "ted them out" by hand, before baling, (when going to the trouble, or have gone to the trouble to make them in really dodgy hay making weather, as we often get here 15 miles south of Manchester, UK).
One last point on hobbles is that I've seen farmers over in Switzerland set up the piles on small wooden structures so that the hay is off the ground and can dry more easily. Then when they wish to harvest the crop, they lift the piles manually on to their backs, somehow using the wooden structures to help lift them, and walk off across these steep fields to the haysheds. So a strange and fascinating sight to witness as these "moving piles of hay" progress across the field, with myself watching in awe across the other side of the valley.
Sorry, grahamg, you seem to imply that it was done by hand. That would be time consuming, and labor intensive. (which would describe old-fashioned methods)
100% handwork to make "Hobbles" (not Cobbles, over here in the UK cobbles made up road surfaces in victorian times, round stones set in the ground).
You can knock the hobbles over by machine or "spinners", but it doesn't work so well, so usually you'd "ted them out" by hand, before baling, (when going to the trouble, or have gone to the trouble to make them in really dodgy hay making weather, as we often get here 15 miles south of Manchester, UK).
One last point on hobbles is that I've seen farmers over in Switzerland set up the piles on small wooden structures so that the hay is off the ground and can dry more easily. Then when they wish to harvest the crop, they lift the piles manually on to their backs, somehow using the wooden structures to help lift them, and walk off across these steep fields to the haysheds. So a strange and fascinating sight to witness as these "moving piles of hay" progress across the field, with myself watching in awe across the other side of the valley.
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Meanderer
Supreme Member
Thanks for the clarification, grahamg, We have some old cobblestone streets in Pittsburgh but my brain is"hobbled" at times. ...I saw the tractor in your picture, that's why I asked about hand work. I have been an observer for 40 years, and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience on the subject. Thanks for bearing with me.
...I saw the tractor in your picture, that's why I asked about hand work. I have been an observer for 40 years, and I appreciate you sharing your knowledge and experience on the subject. Thanks for bearing with me.
Pappy
Living the Dream
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
It is a double wheel coffee grinder for a general store, it's missing the top that covers the hopper.
Here is one that has had a better life.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Bea, you are the go-to woman! Have you seen one in real life? So much ironwork to do so little (at a time anyway).
My father brought one home from an auction back in the 60's, my mother was not impressed. That happened quite often, my father was sort of a Jack in the beanstalk type of guy, LOL!
Bea, I remember when my father came home one day with 6 used Go-Karts. He was going to build a go-kart track in the field behind our house and start a business. That was when karts first became the rage. That plan never happened. He was a good provider, though. Worked full time in a factory, and took on a part time job installing storm doors most of the time I was living at home, so my mom never minded.
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
Six Go-Karts, you must have been the most popular kid in the neighborhood!
Eventually my parents went their separate ways, my mother remarried, and we started a new adventure.
Oh, but only one of them worked, as I recall. They all needed some repair. That's why he got them cheap.
Pappy
Living the Dream
Aunt Bea
SF VIP
- Location
- Near Mount Pilot
My grandmother used to talk about these window coolers that people used in the winter to keep food cold. Most were just a wooden crate nailed outside the kitchen window but you could also buy a ready made version.
