Pastures Past: When farming went from haystack fires to baling

The spontaneous combustion of haystacks made the news back in the day. Photo / Unsplash / Joanne Santini

Kem Ormond takes a look at the world of farming back in the day.

OPINION

The heat that is being experienced at the moment made me wonder how early pioneer farmers coped with their haystacks, which often sat in the paddock uncovered.

The answer was they didn’t.

More often than not, they caught on fire, and the hay and all their hard work were destroyed.

In the 1940s, baling hay was starting to take over from stacks, which were beginning to disappear.

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“Bad Hay”

Northern Advocate, March 7, 1923

“There will be so much bad hay this winter when the stacks are opened up,” said a Palmerston North veterinary surgeon to a “Standard” reporter.

“The stacks in this district are for the most part not covered, and the continual rain falling on them must result in the hay becoming bad. There is nothing worse for stock, especially for horses, than mouldy or rotten hay, as it causes all sorts of troubles.”

Fires

Hay stacks at Greenmeadows

Hawke’s Bay Herald Tribune, January 17, 1928

Spontaneous combustion was the cause of two large stacks of the new season’s hay (over 60 tons) being destroyed at the farm of McCutcheon Bros., Auckland road, Greenmeadows, late yesterday afternoon.

An adjoining grain shed to one of the stacks also suffered a similar fate besides a portion of the milking shed.

Once started, the flames, fanned by an easterly wind, quickly enveloped the stacks, which soon became blazing infernos.

Later in the evening the flames lit up the whole district.

As the stacks were not covered by insurance the losses, including the building are estimated about £350.

Two other stacks of hay during the past week have also been lost through the same means.

Haystacks destroyed

Spontaneous combustion

Patea Mail 22 January 1930

Farmers who built hay stacks between the heavy showers in the past month are exhibiting concern, says the “New Zealand Herald,” at the incidence of fires caused by spontaneous combustion.

During the past few days, four stacks have been reduced to ashes between Morrinsville and Te Aroha, while six fires have been reported from other parts of the Thames Valley.

Cases of spontaneous combustion are not uncommon after haymaking, but this year there is a likelihood of more damage than usual.

Hay stack may go

Baling now popular

Te Awamutu Courier, January 25, 1943.

The baling of hay appears to have many advantages, and the practice is growing in popularity throughout the country.

Providing the weather is fine the hay can be saved in first class condition, and as the baling is carried out on the paddock right from the swathe; in doubtful weather only as much of the field need be cut as can be baled in one day.

Baling, too, saves the necessity for building stacks, a job which has to be done by an expert if the hay is to be preserved against the rain.

Hay that is baled under pressure does not require the same amount of space for storage as does hay stacked while there is not the slightest waste, whereas no matter how well a stack is built waste cannot be entirely eliminated. Baled hay, too, is much more convenient to feed out.

Then again, the labour problem which nearly always crops up at harvesting time can be largely solved by letting a contract for the baling of the hay after it has been mown, or even for mowing it as well.

It is pleasing to note that with the baling of the hay in good condition farmers are taking steps to ensure that it is kept in good condition by storing it in barns.

While the passing of the hay stack will undoubtedly be regretted by many farmers and harvesters who took a pride in building symmetrical and water-tight stacks, it will probably not be regretted by cattle that have to eat musty and badly-saved hay from the stacks of inexpert builders.

Indeed, it is considered that the feeding out of such has been the cause of some diseases among dairy stock.

- Source: Papers Past