Haying Season

For over 20 years, we've used the normal 'pile each square bale on the haywagon by hand' method of haying.  That requires work which requires workers who need to work physically hard.  It's pretty much impossible to find workers now.  You have to pick them up, drop them off, feed them, listen to them complain and...then pay them for your trouble.  I can't say as I really blame them.  Our own kids aren't much better (and I can't blame them either!)  They have it figured out, though, that 'we might as well get at it because dad's just gonna bug us forever 'till we get it done'.
 This is what a sqare baler looks like.

Photo by Agriculture Culture.

It's hot, very dusty work.  Normally, there's another guy up on top of the piled hay who's pulling the bales up as the guy standing on the wagon is handing them up.  Really dangerous job, walking back and forth on top of the piled hay, as the wagon's moving, rocking around.  The second worst is when the wagon is pretty much full (as in the photo) and going downhill or uphill.  Good chance of falling off with nothing to grab onto.  The worst of all though, is if a wheel of the wagon hits a groundhog/gopher/rabbit hole.  The wagon tips its load off and the workers on it can get injured.  No wonder farmers don't like groundhogs!  Oh, and the guy standing on the wagon lifting the bales over his head?  He eventually runs out of room to stand, as every square inch needs to be covered with hay so he stands higher and higher up on the bales and reaches further and further down to pull the bales up from the baler.  Not safe at all!

Having said all of that, this is just my opinion and what I have observed.  I made the mistake of asking hubby and son #1 to check this and of course, nothing's dangerous.  Haying's not dangerous, no one ever gets hurt, yada, yada.  You were born and raised in the city, yada yada!

Whatever!  I'll post our solution to this non-dangerous job tomorrow.