Hay making season

It’s almost midsummer and we have fine weather, so we decide the start with the haymaking season. We will try to mow at least 4 acres of hay land, but when the weather stays fine and our health aloud it, we have 3 more acres awaiting for us.

We mowing with the scythe. Both me and my husband and in 2 hours we can mow at least 600m2. after the mowing is finished we spread it out over the land to dry. The next day we turn it and shaken it up with hay-forks and let it dry for a couple more hours. In the afternoon we build haystacks. We use to different types of haystacks. The first one we build on a vertical wooden pin. (see picture) For these kind of haystack you need at least 2 days of dry weather.

The other type we use, (see picture below) can be build with grass you cut that same day. So you don’t need to turn the grass to dry. It was a common type of haystack here in the area until the ‘50s. 

I prefer most the first type to build but sometimes when don't get dry weather the second type is handy to use. The stacks stand there at least 3 weeks until they are completely dry and then we get them in with horse and wagon....