S03 E07 Tractor Ballet

It was late August in the summer of 1978 in the desert southwest. 

Late August was when the alfalfa was coming in for its last cuttings before the growing season ended. And, hauling and stacking that hay for the winter was a great opportunity for a young person to make a few bucks – the hard way

The hay would be cut, raked into lines in the fields, and dried by the sun for a few days. Then dried vegetation was compressed into bales, as feed for the farm animals. The dimensions varied, but generally, a bale was rectangular - about 3 ½ feet long, 12 inches tall, and about 18 inches wide – and held tightly together by wire or thin twine rope. 

Their wight – well that varied too. Every farmer had his own idea – Unfortunately most of the time I hired myself out who like to pack them tight and heavy - 100 to 120 lbs. each – efficiency – compacted more to take up less space in the barnyard. And, when your talking thousands of bails – space mattered more than weight.

During one of my stints hauling hay, I was privileged to be able to perform Tractor Ballet. I was lucky I lived through it. Allow me to share the story with you.