Old History photo # 217

"taken from a publication called 'An Asset To the State' published in 1989 to commemorate the centenary of Longerenong. It was written by David Maunders and Donella Jaggs on behalf of the Victorian Colleges of Agriculture and Horticulture (VCAH).
The first photo is of the horse teams pulling combines (seeders). The caption says 8 horse teams but I count 12 in the rear team and 20 in total. Quite a line up. The caption says 1940's but I have a feeling it might have been a bit earlier.
The second is the stack yard in 1925. the wagon and horses give and idea of how big these were and there were at least 2 but probably more. This gives an idea of how much feed was required for the horses. Also how high the student on the wagon had to throw the sheaves to the stackers on top and how dangerous this work would have been. it is easy to understand where sheaf throwing competitions came from which was quite a tradition at the time. You wouldn't want Occupation Health and Safety to see these photos!"

"We shall come rejoicing,,,bringing in the sheaves"

Cool pics, for sure !
The one has a built in combination fertilizer application apparatus

ag production from then to now is mind blowing

I helped dad put up loose hay in the early to mid 60s. We used an old JD model A to pull the mower, dump rake and hay wagon. I rode the dump rake used to rake the hay into piles(not pleasant when dad had hit a skunk with the mower) and stacked on the wagon. Then I stacked in the barn. I was about 7 or 8 years old. We only had a couple milk cows and a beef calf or two so not near as much hay as in the picture.

They sure didn't have the modern conveniences farmers have now. Some hard working people back then. Today's farming is still hard work, but nothing like it was then.

Sure is! I sometimes wonder what my great grandad would think about modern farming.

As a teenager I ran the booster buck mounted on an F-20 Farmall. Dad would be on the stack leveling out with a pitchfork.

Horse power! I like it.