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Remembering
From rich, loam fields of dusty lore
Rise grand reflections of early ways;
When country passion nurtured crops
On horse drawn iron of gone by days.
Russets picked ‘neath vine to basket;
Soft gold wheat bound by McCormick;
Pintos sieved in woven burlap;
Windrows raked in wait of derrick.
Now abandoned sun baked treasure
Stands forsaken to remind us
How chores performed in routine duty
Reaped the memory that ever binds us.
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Remembering is part of David Asson’s new book, Bringing In The Hay: A nostalgic history of agriculture’s most romantic crop, where he reveals his love for the yesteryears of agriculture when farming was a way of life and not just a job.
Asson portrays the era of pre-hay baler days when horse drawn mowers, derricks, buck rakes and slips dotted the countryside, because they were the actual tools of the day – not just antique yard art.
Through skillful and descriptive writing, he rekindles the romantic notion of haying on a warm summer’s day mingled with the sweet odor of alfalfa, which you can almost smell as you leaf through the pages.
And even though Asson emphasizes the romantic aspect of loose hay stacking days, he also reveals the dusty, dirty, sweat-soaked side of this industry where, unlike in today’s modern machinery, the only air conditioning was the gentle breeze or the occasional fanning of a horse’s tail swatting at flies.
He describes one of the more strenuous activities – the fine art of pitching hay. “You could work on your abs and suntan at the same time and even take a quick jump in the canal to cool off after every load or so. Not bad for something called work. It was graceful three-part motion similar to waltzing: jab, rock, and lift, jab, rock and lift.”
The book is historically accurate told by a man who not only lived his younger years through the latter part of this era on an irrigated farm in Idaho, but spent seven long years researching, writing and learning the old art of haying.
Asson drove more than 20,000 miles through 12 western states collecting data and shooting pictures for the book, which depicts 17 ways in four major categories to stack hay. More than 300 color and black and white photos grace the 124 pages, which feature a study of the various kinds of derricks including swingers, backflips and booms. Asson describes how these were used to stack hay and how and why different models were favored in different locales throughout the West. Everything from how to calculate how many tons of hay there are in a mow and a haystack to the illustrated use of a Clover Leaf right angle sling elevator is covered.
Even though technology has come a long way since that time in improving haying equipment, Asson has an appreciation for the ingenuity of the past. He writes, “Crude and creaky appearances can’t mask the extraordinary leverage achieved with cunning simplicity. Physics maximized with a modicum of materiel. Quaint apparatus that really worked!”
He even delves into the ultimate goal of hay feed for livestock and touches briefly on subjects such as metabolism, net energy and the differences in the types of hay. Bringing In The Hay not only serves as a link to the past and its romantic ideals, but also is invaluable for those who want to study the entire haying process.
“What started out as a short story of personal reflections about a unique subject turned slowly into a much more serious academic study,” said Asson. He said one of his goals with the book is to make a small contribution to agricultural science, and most would agree that he has succeeded.
As his first book, which he self-published, Asson said he had a lot to learn. “Rather than being annoying, the learning detours lent a measure of added interest to the overall effort,” he said. “I am certainly no expert now, but do know my next project will be a lot easier than my first. And I sure met a lot of wonderful people along the way. I suspect some giggled as I walked away and some may have even recalled a few of their own missteps, but they sure gave of time and guidance to this rookie.”
Asson invites readers to “Sink into memory. Follow the scent. Mentally loop a scythe. Heft a three-tined spike one more time. Ride longingly atop the last load over the canal, past the old swimming hole to the feed yard. Soar untamed on a hanging derrick cable tire swing. Chew one more drying stem. Glimpse back to that wonderful, simple world. Remember how it was or how it may have been: that delightful, carefree, childlike experience we christened Bringing In The Hay.”
For those who were fortunate enough to have lived during the days of old time loose hay stacking, Bringing In The Hay will flood you with warm memories and bring a smile to your heart. For those too young to remember, the book will make you feel like you were there and will indeed re-create those cherished memories.
Bringing In The Hay is available online at www.DoubletreeAdvantage.com or by contacting David Asson at 7380 SW 102nd Avenue, Beaverton, OR 97008 or calling 503-913-7342
Sidebar: About the Author David Asson, the father of four married children and grandfather of 11 grew up on an irrigated farm near Rupert, Idaho. He said while enjoying the mechanics of farming, his native acumen placed an undue reliance on others for deciding when to plant or harvest. Sensing this limitation may be detrimental to success in agriculture, he opted for a career in the city. He has a BBA from University of Portland and an MBA from UCLA with a computer emphasis.
He became a CPA and worked at Big 8 firms Arthur Young & Co. and Coopers & Lybrand for 8 years. He was a partner in Anderson, Asson and Hess, CPA’s and spent about half of his career as a financial officer in private industry. In retirement, his time and interests have turned to travel, learning Italian, shop projects in wood and rock, and writing.
Debby Schoeningh,
News Editor, The Record-Courier,
541-523-5353, therc@eoni.com