We heaved and strained, pushed and wrestled
two giant square bales of hay
each one a thousand pounds of denseness
dried grass shredded and packed in massive bricks
nothing like those little square bales
I remember being delivered to the homestead
piled high on a wagon pulled by a wheezing tractor--
father and brothers tossing them higher and higher into a giant stack
that we would climb and tumble all over
and even somersault off (the things farm children do--
how we managed not to damage ourselves, I will never know)
one final heave and the giants were stacked--one on top of the other
out of the way in a corner of the long green barn
muscles strained and out of breath--we leaned on the bales and talked
marveling at the power of the machine that made those bales
compressing, packing into solid bricks
how much less space they take to store
and how they would be perfect to put on a train and ship out West
my mind went to forts and stacks and houses of haybales
and just for the heck of it we calculated out
how many bales we would need for a straw bale home
and what it cost and how long it would last
and how much we would save on heat--since goodness knows
with walls made of massive bales of hay
no heat would escape--ever!
Linked to Real Toads.
(and this is the baler that makes the giant square bales.)
Edited to add a link about straw bale homes--not that we are about to build one--but sometimes it is nice to dream...Straw bale homes-an Earth Friendly Choice.)
How interesting. I love the idea of a house made of straw. This one would be way stronger than the house of straw the three little pigs had.
ReplyDeleteI don't think anything could knock down a house made from these bales. :)
DeleteNice thought and fine for a summer cabin, but for a year round home?
ReplyDeleteDon't ignore 'farmer's lung'.
Ah... there's always a fly in the ointment :-(
Actually straw bale homes are a real thing--they are covered in plaster both interior and exterior after the walls are built from the bales. I've never been in one, but from photos I have seen, they can be as nice as any other type of home.
DeleteI love straw bale houses. A friend of mine had one once - very warm! We have some huge bales out here too, but they are round. And covered in plastic because of the rain.
ReplyDeleteLoved the memories in your poem. Very vivid and enjoyable to picture.
This year was the first time I've seen the giant square bales. We would occasionally get the big round bales when I was growing up.
DeleteThe small bales were still used where I grew up. We did build forts and stuff much to the consternation of my Dad! Straw bales were lighter & always worked best.:)
ReplyDeleteThankfully, we survived unscathed, as well!
They are still common here--along with the big round bales. Hay is in short supply due to lack of rain this year, so we had to buy what was available. I bought small straw bales as well for the first time and was amazed how much lighter they are than hay.
DeleteDuring my 2-week long summers at the farm of friends, I tried to lift those bales with long tonged hay forks and the young man laughed, but we lost pace with the tractor and the flat bed, slowing down the harvest, so I went to play with the rabbit instead. The bales were loose. I miss them but know that they were economically implausible as we turn from Nature.
ReplyDeletePlaying with rabbits sound much more fun than tossing haybales around. :)
DeleteWe have avoided buying those big square bales just because we wouldn't be able to move them!! Straw bale houses are fairly common here. :)
ReplyDeleteThey weren't my first choice either-just because of the difficulty moving them--but with small square bales going for $10+ a bale, due to the drought this summer we jumped at the chance to buy two large bales which were much much cheaper for the same amount of hay. My husband had actually never heard of of straw bale homes, which surprised me very much. I was aware of them from my homesteading days, but never knew anyone who built one. I've always heard they more common in the southwest. After our discussion last night, he wants to build a haybale garage. :)
DeleteI've always found it a little strange how one machine can spit out hay into a square shape. I really like the memories you conjured up for this write. It gave me a sense of nostalgia, I could almost smell the dried bales. Thanks for posting and viva la
ReplyDeleteI have watched a video on houses made of hay..very interesting. Love the memories. I remember playing in the hay when I was young.
ReplyDeleteHi Kateri, Lovely word pictures. I can really see in my mind's eye the huge hefty bales. Great job! Have a really superior day today!
ReplyDelete...and watch out for the snakes! Lol...this brought me back to my first summer jobs bucking bales, setting tubes and detassling corn. Hard work but I look back at the memories fondly. Great job on this, I loved it.
ReplyDelete...I was hoping for a photo... but your words planted quite a picture. I was a "lucky" girl who baled hay (the small square kind) back in the day, rode the teetering truck load and threw them down to be stacked in the barn.. hard work, but lots of fun when there were cute neighborhood boys hired for the day :)
ReplyDeleteYes, a house made of hay would be warm... but the snakes, mice, and bugs would think so too! ;)
How cool...so grateful for this glimps into what machinary does in your world.
ReplyDeleteThat is a brilliant idea...the hay bale house!!