HAYMAKING

In his memories of Easton Royal village life, Alec Choules paints a picture of haymaking in his childhood.

‘When the farmer started haymaking, usually two carters with four horses cut the grass with a mowing machine. While one man and two horses were working, the other sharpened knives and did all the odd jobs. After about two hours, they changed places so the machine was going all the time. They often started early in the morning as the grass cut better with dew on it.

After a few days, the grass was turned with a swathe turner, then two or three swathes were turned into one with a side rake.

When the hay was ready to be ricked, the real work began. A waggon was drawn between two swathes led by a boy whose job was to keep the horses moving on as the hay was loaded on the waggon.

A man on each side of the waggon using long handled two grained forks, pitched the hay to a third man on the waggon who then placed it so that it was tidy. Another boy, usually a bit older than the one who had been leading, took the load to the rick where it was unloaded by one or two men and the rick was made by two or three more.

When the rick was about half built, an elevator was used to carry the hay to the top. The elevator was usually driven by a small petrol motor (iron horse) engine, but sometimes by a horse hitched to the gearage by a pole and walked round in circles. Often a boy rode the pole to keep the horse moving.

The finished rick was left for a few days to settle, then all the loose hay was pulled out to give the rick a good shape, this was called ‘tucking’. Finally, the thatcher made a coat of straw for the roof and it was left until needed for cattle feed in the winter.

From a child’s point of view the best part of haymaking was ‘taking teas’. At about four o’clock, mother and all the family set off for the hayfield with tea for father and of course everyone else. Tea was usually taken in a can and sandwiches and cake in a basket.

Everyone sat on the hay and when work started again there were rides on the waggon for the children. The fact that a ride out to a field meant a walk back never worried them. Teddie Waite, an old carter I knew, said boys would run a mile to ride a chain (22 yards). At the end of the day the bigger boys were allowed to ride home on a horse and that was heaven.’

Haymaking