Re: in the old days how many

Posted by IndianaRed on January 17, 2009 at 06:17:37 from (173.107.58.165):

In Reply to: in the old days how many posted by Big Hunter on January 16, 2009 at 11:34:55:

My Grandfather had a custom baling operation, even built his own Hay Monster hay wagons. Link below shows some people with one still in use, ours was similar. You can't see the chain conveyor trough down the middle that brings bales all the way to the rear.

I still have never seen a more efficient way to haul squares. We ran two at one point. Had extensions that could be added to the front elevator. I can't rememebr how many bales could be put on at once, but man they would load that thing up really high.

All day long, everyday, all summer long for probably 15 years. The boys used to bellyache about putting up inside barns, as most in that area had open sided sheds. And I don't know how many they would do in a season, but it was many dozens.

We still have the last one Granddad made at the farm, but it is many years out of use. I'd like to bring it back to service one day, but probably isn't real likely. Watching my Grampa and Uncles build those things from scratch was really something to an 8 year old. Probably to most anyone. Quite the engineer he was, still is.

We're putting a lot of acres to grapes and an orchard this summer. The cow/calf operation just doesn't seem to be very profitable anymore, although we'll keep 60-80 head around for a while. Had a good bean crop this year, but it just pays the taxes. Sad that. When I was young the farm was a hustling, bustling place. Now it's just not the same, so we want to breathe some new life into the place. Grampa's excited at the possibilites. He doesn't like seeing the farm the way it is either. He's 88, and with 3 or 4 years to a grape harvest, he has a goal to still be here for our first harvest, and I hope a few more after that. He's now the 2nd oldest man in the county. This is Chase county KS, where many of the TX cattle came back in the days for grazing and shipment east. Cassody, Bazaar, Matfield Green and Newton are some names you see in some of Louie Lamore's books. It's northeast of Wichita.

Interesting fact. Prior to Prohibition, Kansas was the 2nd or 3rd leading grape producing state in the country. They have been very slow to come out of it, not allowing grape production for wine until 1985. But like all over the midwest, many new vineyards are now popping up. If we can get 10 acres in, we'll be a major player in that part of the country real fast, as most are 3-5 acres. But all seem to be doing well and growing.

• Hay Monster

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