Picture for Today

John B. · May 14, 2013

Harvest should be here before we know it.

Ande · May 14, 2013

You know John,these are a good example of skin protection,all these guys are wearing long sleeves and a good hat.
I still think of the good meals they had,and they earned them.
Thanks for the great post

Wheat Farmer · May 14, 2013

Tks for posting. Sure wished I had pictures of us thrashing in the 40-50's. Both of my Granddads had thrashers. And lived about 15 miles apart. Think of all the work taking down that straw stack.

Dick2 · May 14, 2013

Our old barn wasn't made to blow straw into, so we always made a large strawpile in the cowyard. No pole barns in those days, so the cattle and horses ate caves into the strawpile for shelter from the winter weather.

We had to go out sometimes and break down the straw when the caves became likely to cave in and smother the livestock - but it didn't take them long to dig out a new cave or two.

Phlash in OK · May 14, 2013

Great pic, Wonder how many of us have pitched bundles into a thrashing machine. Grand dad had a combine, but some years,depending on the weather, would use the thrasher. about 1958 was the last year I remember the thrashing mach used.

Nancy Howell · May 14, 2013

Can anyone tell my why the drive belts are so long?

greenmech · May 14, 2013

That last picture has a very long belt. Mostly they wanted the tractors away from the machine to prevent sparks from igniting the straw. Also a long belt is heavier so more traction on the pulley. Ron Mn.

twostepn2001 · May 14, 2013

What greenmech said plus if you'll notice the "inside out" twist in the belt. That allows for equal wear on both sides of the belt. Longer belt length allows for that.
At least that's what a old timer told me when I asked the same question at a threshing show long time ago.

SweetFeet · May 14, 2013

Wow, those are mountainous piles of straw! Nearly as tall as the barn in a couple pics.

Amazing that what used to take a whole crew, can basically be done by one man - maybe two - with a combine, tractor and a kicker-bailer/wagon.

Dick2 · May 14, 2013

The long belt was used to make more room for the teams and bundle wagons to pull up alongside the feeder where they pitched the bundles in.

Notice that the belt has a twist in it; that was done to keep the belt from slapping together and making a loud noise that would cause the horses on the bundle wagons to runaway.

I've had to help repair a couple bundle wagons that got broken up in a runaway. The smart thing to do was to jump off the wagon as soon as the horses took off running and just let the horses wear themselves out so they would stop running. Some teams were prone to runaway, so it didn't take much to spook them to just take off running at full speed.

Fergienewbee · May 14, 2013

I remember threshers coming to our farm when I was around 4 or 5, 1951-52. Not that big of stack but still blown into a stack.

Larry

Mo in NE Tx · May 14, 2013

Nancy, you had to twist the belt to make the thresher turn the right direction, it all depended on the direction of rotation of the tractors belt drive. The rest is just someones hearsay. Been there - done that.

Picture for Today

John B.

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Ande

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Wheat Farmer

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Dick2

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Phlash in OK

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Nancy Howell

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greenmech

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twostepn2001

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SweetFeet

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Dick2

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Fergienewbee

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Mo in NE Tx

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