Takes me back to childhood, Rg. Old enough to remember the days of sheaves, stooks, and stacks. And threshing machines, and "water joey" who was the poor sod who unhitched the raking horses, hooked up the konaki and got water out of the creek - sometimes with a climb down and up of 15 or 20 feet to use the measurement of the time! Then hooked the 'team' back to the rake.......
You're lucky to have been there Fred and what a bridge it is between now and then. What's a konaki? I've helped out with just one stooking of the oats back here when I first came to Riverton.Most of the work I've done on farms has been with stock - sheep, beef and dairy, though I was a fruit picker/packer, freezer hand, pine planter etc. back in the day :-) Nothing much in the way of crop farming though we grow our own oats and rye here, scythe and sickle and stook, but small scale.
Those were the days when the whole family joined in to help dad gather up the produce. Also sadly it was in the days when the rumble of war was never far away. I was of the generation born, determined never to repeat the mistakes of the past and make a better world. Also the generation of the Vietnam war and Israel conflicts. Education and technology has given us many wonderful advancements but are we any better of than the days when all hands on deck such s this photo was required. Socialy I dont think we are we communicate mostly these days via the internet and we often dont even know our neighbours name!
A konaki was a cross between a sled and a trailer. Usually about 6 feet square with a wooden wheel each side and a swivel sled at the front. Hair raising to ride when the horse pulling it spooked, and much safer behind a Fergie 20 hp - unless the driver went across a steep slope!! Then it was worse than behind the horse.
Kind of agree with you Pauline, but in some smaller communities I know the neighbourly contact is still very much there. Where DO you get the "words" for verification from, Rg?
It's really interesting to read your comments Fred and Pauline. I'm preparing for a 'return' to that shared endeavour lifestyle, with some newer technologies and practices thrown in for good measure. Already we do such things, like having the wider family out at berry-picking time and others from the local community for dances and festivals and so on. Still possible in Southland.
Oh, the 'verification' words Fred - no idea how they're generated and as blogger, I don't ever get to see them :-) Have you struck some odd ones? Hopefully they've been seemly!
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Takes me back to childhood, Rg. Old enough to remember the days of sheaves, stooks, and stacks. And threshing machines, and "water joey" who was the poor sod who unhitched the raking horses, hooked up the konaki and got water out of the creek - sometimes with a climb down and up of 15 or 20 feet to use the measurement of the time! Then hooked the 'team' back to the rake.......
You're lucky to have been there Fred and what a bridge it is between now and then.
What's a konaki?
I've helped out with just one stooking of the oats back here when I first came to Riverton.Most of the work I've done on farms has been with stock - sheep, beef and dairy, though I was a fruit picker/packer, freezer hand, pine planter etc. back in the day :-) Nothing much in the way of crop farming though we grow our own oats and rye here, scythe and sickle and stook, but small scale.
Those were the days when the whole family joined in to help dad gather up the produce. Also sadly it was in the days when the rumble of war was never far away. I was of the generation born, determined never to repeat the mistakes of the past and make a better world. Also the generation of the Vietnam war and Israel conflicts. Education and technology has given us many wonderful advancements but are we any better of than the days when all hands on deck such s this photo was required. Socialy I dont think we are we communicate mostly these days via the internet and we often dont even know our neighbours name!
A konaki was a cross between a sled and a trailer. Usually about 6 feet square with a wooden wheel each side and a swivel sled at the front. Hair raising to ride when the horse pulling it spooked, and much safer behind a Fergie 20 hp - unless the driver went across a steep slope!! Then it was worse than behind the horse.
Kind of agree with you Pauline, but in some smaller communities I know the neighbourly contact is still very much there.
Where DO you get the "words" for verification from, Rg?
It's really interesting to read your comments Fred and Pauline. I'm preparing for a 'return' to that shared endeavour lifestyle, with some newer technologies and practices thrown in for good measure. Already we do such things, like having the wider family out at berry-picking time and others from the local community for dances and festivals and so on. Still possible in Southland.
Oh, the 'verification' words Fred - no idea how they're generated and as blogger, I don't ever get to see them :-)
Have you struck some odd ones? Hopefully they've been seemly!
Seemly but fascinating - I'll try and remember to share some with you "lateron" - this one now!!
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