A Family Hay Stacking Tradition Continues In Atkinson

This farming family is very unique. Instead of big round bales, in their hay fields you'll find old fashion hay stacks. The Welsh family has been stacking hay in these fields for generations. 

The field is prepared much the same way it would if it were to be baled. First, the field is cut with a mower, or often a series of mowers. Then a tractor and straight rake roll the hay into long windrows to allow the hay to dry.

When the hay is at the right consistency to put up, a machine called a sweep pushes the the windrows into piles. These machines are decades old and were built from old tractors or truck bodies that have been turned around. Most of the sweeps owned by the Welsh family are quite old, dating back to the 50s and 60s. 

Sweeps take turns pushing piles into the hay stacker that lift them up into the cage that forms the stack.

Mike Welsh owns and operates the farm along with his brother-in-law, Gary Park. 

Park spoke about the haying tradition in the family and an old well pump he found in the trees near one of the fields. He was told by Mike's great uncle, Tom Malloy, that it was used when the field was stacked by a team of horses and it was used to water horses at noon.

"So this field has pretty much been stacked from day one," Park commented.

Park said he was glad to be a part of such a long standing tradition, "For a long time this was the only way hay was ever put up, so to see it done this way is pretty unique and to be a part of it is pretty neat."