OT - Haying in the 30s

Brian G. NY · Mar 26, 2019

Notice the style of this hay wagon with the curved slats running up and over the wheels.
When I was a kid, my dad had one of these which fortunately I wasn't old enough to have to load but my older brother and sister did. I only dealt with baled hay.
Anyway, my Dad always called it the hay riggin" and I think he was referring mainly to the part of the wagon with the slats.
I think the reason it was called a riggin' (rigging) is because the regular box was removed and the hay riggin' was installed on the bolsters in its place.
I also remember him telling me it was made of basswood because it was light and easy to bend.
I have looked at a bunch of images of hay wagons on google and can't seem to find any of this style.
Do any of you remember seeing this type of hay wagon?
Was it just a style unique to this part of New York State?
I kinda doubt that.
BTW, Although I was only 9 or 10 at the time, I remember my Dad's being better built than this one.
This one was owned by our neighbor. That barn (built in 1909) still stands and I now own the farm house that went with it.

Bruce from Can. · Mar 26, 2019

I clearly remember the hay rack my dad had on his
running gear , and it was built for loose hay, not
bales. While the boards ran the length of the wagon,
the sides of the wagon were higher, and slopes into
the middle of the wagon. Probably 6 inches lower in
the middle than the outer edges. I still have the
wooden wheel wagon tucked away, but the hay rack
and gravel box are long gone.

SparepartsTN · Mar 26, 2019

My Father had one for his flat bed two ton truck for hauling loose hay home from as far away as ten miles. He would rake the fields with a dump rake behind his
tractor (don't remember the make), then pitch it onto the truck with a three tine fork. I was too small to pitch it up so I spread it around and 'tramped' the
hay down. After it was loaded he tied it down with rope and headed home with me sitting on top of the load. This was in the early or mid 50's, and the rack
would allow a load about ten feet wide. No wide load permits or attention from the police, different world then.

I had forgotten about that, thanks for refreshing my memory.

SVcummins · Mar 26, 2019

That?s the way a neat way to put up hay

farmerjohn · Mar 27, 2019

Looks similar to the one that was on our farm, I never saw it but Grandpa and Dad often described it to me. We still have the ?ladders? from the ends,
used to hold the spring pole.

farmerjohn · Mar 27, 2019

Forgot to say we are in western PA, don?t know if this was a regional way to do it or not.

GVSII · Mar 27, 2019

I don't remember the outboard slats having a sag from the front to rear.I do remember the center of the wagon dropping down several inches.Two great photos by the way.Nice to know the old barn is standing tall and that you own the farm house.One of the farmers I worked for well in to the "small square" era still put some hay up loose.

OT - Haying in the 30s

Brian G. NY

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Bruce from Can.

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SparepartsTN

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SVcummins

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farmerjohn

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farmerjohn

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GVSII

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