Henry Making Hay

Not a whole lot of excitement in our neck of the woods this week.  Feels like we’re into summertime now.  Today especially.  Our thermometer is reading 91 degrees, and it’s pretty humid, but the strong breeze makes it quite tolerable.  Seemed like a good day for getting some photos of my favorite subjects, and it worked out well.  Nearest Swartzentruber neighbor Henry H. and his boys were putting up the hay they had cut a couple days ago, and further down the road, Sam H. was mowing his hay field, while his sons put up a new gate in the pasture across the road.  

I wanted to get a series of pictures while Henry and the boys loaded hay onto their wagon, without them knowing I was around.   There’s a wooded area beside the field, so I stuck some leaves in my hat, and hunkered down behind some underbrush.  The green shirt I was wearing blended nicely with the leaves.  Then I waited, and got some nice shots.  I only wish my camera had been set on video for what happened next.  

I’ve always thought the fully loaded hay wagons look pretty precarious, and have wondered if they ever lose their load.  I found out today that they do.  Henry and one son were on top of a load, and almost ready to unhook from the hay loader and head for the barn.  Suddenly the top third of the load, along with the two of them tumbled rapidly to the ground.  They landed on their feet, but a loud, long shout of aggravation immediately ensued.  I can’t blame Henry for his reaction.  It’s hot, hard work loading the hay, and now a big pile was on the ground.  They stood there for a little bit, then decided to go ahead and make another round in the field to get a full load again, while the pile stayed on the ground to be loaded later.  Again, the still-fresh frustration led to a loud, lengthy, throaty shout at the horses to proceed.  G-I-D-D-Y-U-P!!   And away they went.

This wasn’t the first incident that I wish I could have recorded  Earlier, when I had driven down the road in the car, Henry and the boys were completing a load, and they stood on top of the hay, high above the ground.  They were near the road, a ways ahead of me.  The wind was blowing pretty hard, and Henry’s hat sailed from his head - carried much higher by the wind before plummeting onto the road a short distance ahead of me.   I was going to stop and retrieve it for him, but one of the boys beat me to it.  Yep, farming has it’s challenges, but especially so when you see how the Swartzentrubers must do it.  Makes me appreciate the lives of my agrarian Grandparents.  They farmed like this too.  I think that’s the main reason I so enjoy observing the Swartzentruber Amish farmers.  Living history - right before our eyes.

From the Jericho suburbs of Kidron, Ohio, hope you had a good week.  Now have  a wonderful weekend!  So long.