Mike Serpa
Major
- Joined
- Jan 24, 2013
National Archives #525096
Steam engines?
Ole,Fond memories of threshing. Six or seven neighbors would take turns helping each other "thrash." Each would bring a hay wagon. One of the neighbors would provide the thrashing machine. (I suspect he got a percentage of the grain for the use of his thrasher.)
And all the kids in the area would drive the tractors (for the princely sum of, maybe, 50 cents a day). The adults and older boys would fill the hay wagon by pitching (think of pitchforks) bundles over the sides. When the wagon was full, it would be pulled up next to the thresher where the bundles would be pitched off, into the thresher.
The threshing machine would beat and shake the grain off the straw and separate the two. The grain went into a wagon (or bag, as in the picture), and the straw went into a pile (to be burned or used as bedding for animals).
And then there was NOON. All the ladies had been busy all morning getting ready for NOON. Pies, cakes, coffee, fried chicken, mashed potatoes .... All made on wood stoves.
It was as much a social event as it was work.
Changing gears, when The Dad was growing up, they did use self-propelled steam engines. Same social event, same labor, except they used horses. He told a story about one neighbor's team which, when the steam engine made a loud noise, paniicked and kicked out the front of his wagon. Of course, everyone thought that was funny.
Dragging on. If you don't know a bundle from a shock, and a pitchfork from a manure fork, I can go on and on, but not now.
Yes, indeed, Ole. I grew up in Boonville, Missouri, which is still only slightly bigger than it was during the Civil War. I grew up on farm ground, which was shortly to be developed into residential land. I never was a farm boy, but I learned to use farm tools and I still have them and love them and use them from time to time.Patrick H. Missouri, right?? Not that much different than South Dakota. You did the same stuff.
Then you might know where O'Fallon is. Lived there for a few years back in the 60's.Yes, indeed, Ole. I grew up in Boonville, Missouri, which is still only slightly bigger than it was during the Civil War. I grew up on farm ground, which was shortly to be developed into residential land. I never was a farm boy, but I learned to use farm tools and I still have them and love them and use them from time to time.
Patrick
PS: Unrelated, but I might add that, during the Civil War, Boonville was bigger than Kansas City, but not as big as Independence.........for whatever that is worth to you folks.
Yep, I know where O'Fallon is.Then you might know where O'Fallon is. Lived there for a few years back in the 60's.
Yep, I know where O'Fallon is.