Now how do we get down?
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382021)
Rockingham, Australia
May 18, 2020 6:49pm CST
After my recent post of a load of hay about to fall from a cart, I thought you might enjoy this photo of a completed hay-stack. Before the advent of tractors, in the days when draught horses were used for ‘horse-power’, much land and energy was devoted to producing sheaved hay. This was later turned into chaff to feed the working horses.
Few could afford the large sheds needed to store such supplies. However, the top layer of the stack was arranged in a kind of thatch, to shed water from rain and keep the bulk of the stack dry. Sometimes, late in the season, the ‘roof’ of the stack would become green from seeds that had germinated.
From the size of the men in the photo, this is a very high stack. I wonder how the men got down. What do you think? Do you think they just slid down?
38 people like this
41 responses
@RasmaSandra (98005)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
19 May 20
that is a very large haystack and yes, I would think they probably just slide down.
6 people like this
@FourWalls (86680)
• United States
19 May 20
@JudyEv — realistically and logically — which is hardly the case — they had to climb up there. Probably smaller bales of hay as a staircase of sorts. I would think they didn’t accomplish that in one day!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 20
@FourWalls They would have built the stack under them. Men on the ground would pitch the sheaves up (with pitchforks) and the two on top would arrange the sheaves in a pattern and gradually build the stack higher and higher. I reckon there would have been a ladder against the stack somewhere.
2 people like this
@nawala123 (20871)
• Indonesia
25 May 20
by a copter to get to the top of the hay stack
2 people like this
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 May 20
My guess is that they made a smooth slide down.
3 people like this
@Alexandoy (65302)
• Cainta, Philippines
19 May 20
@JudyEv oh, yes, that is also one means of going up and going down.
1 person likes this
@Deepizzaguy (122140)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
19 May 20
I know if I were in their shoes, I would slide down and hope for a soft landing on the ground. I am safer running down a hill in the former Canal Zone in Panama.
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@Deepizzaguy (122140)
• Lake Charles, Louisiana
20 May 20
@JudyEv Yes it does have to be a very thick stack.
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 May 20
@allen0187 It would indeed but maybe not when you're 40+.
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@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
20 May 20
Ha- I'm not sure- they must have gone up on a ladder but it would seem the ladder wouldn't have anything too solid to lean on??
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
22 May 20
@MarymargII They are a long way up. It might be a hard landing if they slid down.
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@MarymargII (12422)
• Toronto, Ontario
22 May 20
@JudyEv That would work and it would make a great slide if you wanted to take the chance! haha!
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@FourWalls (86680)
• United States
19 May 20
I think some P-Funk or Sly and the Family Stone would help them get down.
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 20
I guess that would probably be the case. @FourWalls A sky hook maybe??
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@DesirousDreamer (34776)
• Peoria, Arizona
19 May 20
Oh without a doubt they slid and they had fun doing it too. If not, then...ladder but that isn't as fun!
2 people like this
@FayeHazel (40230)
• United States
19 May 20
Fascinating. I think th draught horses ar beautiful :-) As for the men, I wonder how they got up there
2 people like this
@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
19 May 20
maybe they had a ladder propped in the back 
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@bunnybon7 (50970)
• Holiday, Florida
19 May 20
@JudyEv or else the person that took the picture had a ladder for after
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
19 May 20
@bunnybon7 Haha - yes - one or the other. 
1 person likes this
I imagine them rolling down like kids do down a hill . . . or using a hay sled 
@cherriefic (10399)
• Philippines
20 May 20
@JudyEv Yeah they are. Maybe they need a helicopter to get down from there.
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 May 20
@cherriefic They would have had a ladder up against the stack.
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@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
20 May 20
It certainly is. I've no idea how high but the men look very small.
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
19 May 20
slide down and land on the ground!
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
20 May 20
@JudyEv that would be a great movie - hidden ladders and hay chutes. In fact you could make it into a game (chutes and ladders perhaps!)
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382021)
• Rockingham, Australia
25 May 20
@nawala123 It would be made into chaff for the work horses.
@nawala123 (20871)
• Indonesia
25 May 20
@JudyEv i wonder how many cows to eat them
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22901)
• Serbia
19 May 20
If they are younger people maybe they are just slid down. If they are older, they may have used ropes...not sure, I'm just guessing
1 person likes this
@LowRiderX (22901)
• Serbia
20 May 20
@JudyEv Yes, it is very possible that they also used ladders
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