Skip to main content
Go back

Harvesting hay

Sepia photograph: horse pulling a hay-filled cart in a field. A man sits on the hay, holding a handle. Another man works on the ground with a pitchfork. To the left, a third person standsnext to a pile of hay.

Archives de la Côte-du-Sud, Paul-Henri Hudon Collection.

Hay harvesting in the 20th century, before the advent of mechanization, was a labour-intensive but essential task for farmers. The entire family, including women and children, participated in this demanding chore.

Here is a summary of the main steps involved:

First, the hay was cut by hand with a scythe. It was then left in the field to dry. Farmers used rakes to spread the hay and turn it regularly to ensure uniform drying.

Once dry, the hay was gathered into piles using pitchforks. This step required many trips back and forth across the field to collect all of the hay.

The hay was then loaded onto hay wagons, often pulled by horses or oxen. These wagons were designed to transport large quantities of hay, and they had to be loaded with care to prevent the hay from falling out during transport.

Once the hay had been transported, it was stored in barns or haystacks. Storage had to be done very carefully to avoid moisture, which could spoil the hay.