Haying time

Our Amish neighbors, the Schmuckers, have raked the first cutting of hay for the year. The rake sits idle in front of Amish Acres Schweitzer bank barn as the Belgium draft horses have been put out to pasture for the night. It must be Memorial Day Weekend! It seems we always cut hay this week.

In the old days the loose hay gathered by the rake was they pitch forked onto slings on a wagon bed, taken into the barn and attached to the hay car and dropped in the mow where it sat until needed for fodder after the pastures were snow convered. Today the Amish us a baler powered by a gasoline engine; however, the rig itself is pulled by horse power. Time moves slowly among Amish farmers, but it does move.