Sign inAttributed to Fairgrieve, c.1930
This image shows haymaking on a farm in Essex. In the 1930s agriculture was labour-intensive because much of the work was carried out by hand. Here, several men are using pitchforks or similar tools to transfer the hay from a wagon onto a large hayrick or haystack.
Hay was cut and dried in the fields before being transported in horse-drawn wagons to the farm yard. It was stored as stacks until it was required for cattle fodder during the winter months when feed was short.
The tarpaulin spread out in the foreground will be used to cover the finished haystack and then tied down with ropes and weighted with heavy stones to keep water and air out. Some farms thatched their haystacks.
Student focus
- Prepare a PowerPoint presentation showing changes to agricultural practices from the early 19th century onwards. Use images of farm labourers from Great British Life and paintings (e.g. by John Constable) as a start point.
- In Britain, as Thatchinginfo.com indicates, farmers built (and thatched/covered) different shapes and types of hayricks/stacks. On an outline map of Britain, mark and annotate areas with different rick building practices.
- Think about the ways in which hay is stored on farms now, are modern storage methods more environmentally friendly than past ones? Why/why not?
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The origin of this image and photographer are not known currently – any information would be gratefully received. Please email info@geography.org.uk.