Author Topic: Early summer in the valley (Read 2025 times)

Zuma · « **on:** June 11, 2016, 09:31:30 pm »

It was a pretty day for a motorcycle ride.

But it was so pretty I had to go back home
and get my camera.

Even captured a Redtail.

Zuma

Hummingbird Point · « **Reply #1 on:** June 12, 2016, 11:58:22 am »

Thanks for the ride along. I agree, summer starts in Virginia with the first cutting of hay. After that it gets hot, muggy and buggy fast! Those cows in pond have the right idea, don't come back out 'til there's a hit of red in the maples!

Keith

Zuma · « **Reply #2 on:** June 15, 2016, 09:05:39 pm »

Hay is sure an indicator of weather conditions

I remember picking square bales off the field
and mowing them in the barn for .50 cents an
hour. No wonder I am a worn out old man

Thanks for the memory of fall Keith.
Zuma

DC · « **Reply #3 on:** June 15, 2016, 10:35:48 pm »

But $.50 would buy a pack of smokes and a couple of beers. Well one beer.

bjrogg · « **Reply #4 on:** June 16, 2016, 11:06:11 pm »

I allways like driving through the mountains where there's a mix of pasture and forest. It's a really nice view. Baled a lot of hay and straw. Remember hoeing sugarbeets for .14 a row. Then at end of summer dad said tell you what how about we just go to the beach instead. So for a whole Summer's work hoeing weedy sugar beets we got to spend one day at lighthouse park. I remember that more than anything I'd of bought with .14 a row can't figure out why I'm still farming. I guess it just gets in your blood.

Pappy · « **Reply #5 on:** June 17, 2016, 06:57:00 am »

Beautiful pictures Thanks for sharing, yes I use to pick up hay also, 5 bucks a day and thought I was getting rich. Gas .23 a gal. Movie .50 and eat your fill for a couple of dollars, Miss Joanie and I could go out Friday/Saturday and Sunday evening and I wouldn't spend over 8 to 10 bucks all weekend. 14 years old and had the world by the tail, living large,now it's got me by the tail.

Pappy

Zuma · « **Reply #6 on:** June 18, 2016, 08:16:21 pm »

Thanks for the great replies fellows.
I carried field stones down from the
woods edge .5 mile away in a little
red wagon. We were building a fireplace
Dad said "a penny a rock" I got squat.

Zuma

bjrogg · « **Reply #7 on:** June 18, 2016, 08:33:02 pm »

Maybe that's some of what made us who we are today more interested in doing something we love than something for financial rewards

Chippintuff · « **Reply #8 on:** June 18, 2016, 11:22:22 pm »

I spent many days/weeks pulling a hoe in the cotton, corn, watermelons and everything else. I milked the cows and cut the firewood, and I never got paid, but I got a good home and family.

One summer (early 1960s) one of my uncles bought a small farm and wanted to fence it. He was a very shrewd businessman and always came out on the good end of any deal. He came to me and my younger brother offering my brother and me $.10 per hole to dig the post holes. He and his son, my cousin, would set the posts and string the wire. He agreed to pay my cousin the same that I made. I had no idea how many post holes I could dig in a day, but we agreed to do it. He lined my brother and me out on how to space the holes and how deep to make them. Some of the ground was easy digging, some was through woods, and some was in rock. In a day and a half my brother and I dug all the post holes. I made $36.00, and my brother made over $20.00. My cousin later told me that he got nothing, but my uncle paid me and my brother without any static. All other farm work was going for $3.00/day. Memories.

WA

Primitive Archer