Old Stackyard pics

[leanin' H]

We took a loop out a couple weekends ago to cut some shed posts. I took a few pictures of an old stackyard on what used to be my Grandfather's brother's homestead. The old hay derick was used to put up loose hay in the yard.


Great Uncle Jack's old hay wagon is about gone but i would imagine it could tell a few tales. They would only get one crop of hay each spring after using the runoff water from snow melt to irrigate with. They'd put up hay at the old homestead and stack it there to feed during the early part of winter. They also put up 1 crop over at the home ranch 9 miles away. After the homestead hay was gone they'd trail the cows home and feed the hay there. Rain or shine, they'd ride a horse over from the home ranch, catch the team, hook up the wagon, fork on a load of hay and feed the cattle, chop ice from the creek, put away and feed the team and then ride back. I sure respect their toughness and dedication.


I thought you all that have experience with teams and wagon or sleighs would enjoy a closeup of the hand built wagon tongue. Old, seasoned juniper is almost as hard as iron. That old wood tongue pulled more than a few loads of hay.

 

[GM88]

Thanks for the pictures H. I too have a lot of respect for the old timers that made a living with out any of the modern day conveniences. I drive bye old home steads and makes me think about who lived there and what they did to scratch out a living.

 

[zeeslash]

My Gramp always said, "Yer outfit is in tuff shape if you can't go to the creek and cut your repairs". And He proved it. :wink:

 

[PureCountry]

Great pics H, thanks for sharing. I thought alot about this when I drove through the Deer Lodge area and up to Avon, MT to see my Great-Great-Grandad's grave 2 years ago. Seeing the old beaver-slide haystackers still standing on ranches along the river sure made your mind wander back to what it must have been like, and kind of humbling because I knew deep down inside, that I've probably never worked as hard as those folks had to.

 

[gcreekrch]

Randolph Mulvahill, who was born in 1917 at Chezacut BC, probably lived through the same sort of times as the southern pioneers did in the late 1800's.

After a long visit of his growing up days he told me that "If anyone tells you about the good ol' days, you tell them to shove them right up their ##s!"