A few pics from today’s square baling

   / A few pics from today’s square baling #61  
My 195x's equipment still in operation today. Bought the Oliver 60-W at a local auction for $600. The owner had past away and he bought it new. He was known for meticulous maintenance. Funny thing is that I adjusted the needle arm per the manual because the holding force was much lighter than spec. Wouldn't tie a bale until I returned it to the previous setting. He must have known what he was doing.
 

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   / A few pics from today’s square baling #62  
it does bring the memory's, in the 70s we pulled 224 JD mile after mile,,, in 80s had a Vermeer 6x6 Now every where we farmed they built houses about 5' apart its dangers you have to watch yourself

still have all of my appendages Lucky I guess
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #63  
In 2004 - 17 years ago now! - I went back to the farm for a visit and wandered around in the woods at the edge of one of the fields. And found a couple old friends still sitting there waiting for me to put them to use again.
Mower Hallstead r.jpg


Dump Rake Hallstead r.jpg
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #64  
I grew up on a Pennsylvania farm; haying every summer is still something I have fond memories of to this day. Probably would have farmed all my life if I hadn't been drafted and ended up in Vietnam. Here's a faded photograph from the early 50s...note the crank in the front of the Oliver. My dad on the Oliver and my cousin on the dump rake.
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Been their and done that . My grandfather had horses back in the day. I can remember he would put me on the back of an old work horse for a ride when he would be plowing up ground . As I got older I would help him hay , all loose hay . He never did ever have a tractor it was only a family farm . He worked at the paper mill and took care of the farm too , one hard worker for sure .
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #65  
Been their and done that . My grandfather had horses back in the day. I can remember he would put me on the back of an old work horse for a ride when he would be plowing up ground . As I got older I would help him hay , all loose hay . He never did ever have a tractor it was only a family farm . He worked at the paper mill and took care of the farm too , one hard worker for sure .
That's how my Dad got started, working a team of horses. He farmed during the day - and worked the night shift at a factory. No idea when he slept! We all worked hard - the whole family. My parents always said "There is no such thing as men's work or women's work. There is only work; if you see something needs to get done then get it done!" That work ethic has stuck with me all my life, to the point that I feel guilty if I'm not busy working on something even now that I'm several years into retirement.

This is a shot of his team. My sister is on the right, don't remember who the other little girl is.
Hallstead Horse Riders-x,x.jpg


Plowing with the team...and a whole cheering section to watch! Date on the photo is September 1950.
Hallstead Horse Plowing.jpg


No running water in the house for the first few years. Water came from a spring at the foot of the mountain. Here, my dad and uncle fill the water barrel to take to the house.
Hallstead Water hole-Father,x,x.jpg
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #66  
My grandfather farmed with horses. He also had an 8N. His house never had indoor plumbing. We got indoor plumbing when I was around 4.
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling
  • Thread Starter
#67  
That's how my Dad got started, working a team of horses. He farmed during the day - and worked the night shift at a factory. No idea when he slept! We all worked hard - the whole family. My parents always said "There is no such thing as men's work or women's work. There is only work; if you see something needs to get done then get it done!" That work ethic has stuck with me all my life, to the point that I feel guilty if I'm not busy working on something even now that I'm several years into retirement.

This is a shot of his team. My sister is on the right, don't remember who the other little girl is.
View attachment 709891

Plowing with the team...and a whole cheering section to watch! Date on the photo is September 1950.
View attachment 709892

No running water in the house for the first few years. Water came from a spring at the foot of the mountain. Here, my dad and uncle fill the water barrel to take to the house.
View attachment 709893

Outstanding!
Kids today couldnt imagine!
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #69  
Dad started with horses and loose hay, loaded it on a wagon and used a hayfork to unload it in the barn. The first of my memories he had a New Idea pull type mower, a steel wheel John Deere rake, and a 76 New Holland baler Powered by a Wisconsin V4 engine. About 1957 got a Meyer hay conditioner, it used a IH mower and steel rolls for the crusher. Make the first round then start the crusher, mowed one and crushed it the next time around. When the old 76 got tired he replaced it with a super 77 still a big baler, still with a Wisconsin V4, both made 16 X 18 bales and dad liked to make the about 36 long. Yes they were heavy! Both put the bales on the ground and the crew went after loaded them on the wagon and took them to the barn. Some where in that time is where I got started driving tractors, couldn't reach the pedals but I could hold the steering wheel straight. Later dad got a super 55 rake (I think that was the model) and eventually got a 67 New Holland with a small gasoline engine to power the thrower. I always got a kick out of that one as the engine was well worn, a trail of blue smoke emitted from it and it would run along at full speed until a bale was thrown then it would slow way down and recover for the next bale. Some time along the way the old Meyer wore out and dad replaced it with a Massey Ferguson 81 Hay tender. My grandfather had always had a combine and threshed our grain but traded his Massey on a C2 Gleaner---that ended his combines. So dad got a 4296 MM and my uncle got a 12 Massey so rolls reversed.
 
   / A few pics from today’s square baling #70  
In the late 70s we (brother and friends) had a hay crew. Made a nickel a bail to haul from the field to the barn. Friend owned the truck so he made extra to maintain the truck. We could haul 100 bails per load. We could each make about $1000 per season so that was a lot of bails. We considered ourselves the best crew in the county and based on business we were. Everyone went to the large round bails in the early 80s as much to save on hay crew cost as anything. I doubt you could find enough kids willing to work to make a decent crew today. It was hot and dusty and not everyone could keep up the pace or make it the entire day.
 
 
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