The Old Hay Rake

In many farm yards across Canada, you'll find an old hay rake. They used to be used to collect cut hay or straw into windrows for later pick up or baling. The common early horse-drawn hay rake was called a dump rake.  It was a wide, two-wheeled implement with curved steel or iron teeth usually operated from a seat mounted over the rake with a lever-operated lifting mechanism.

Now, such rakes may be slowly rusting away in some weedy corner or they may be proudly displayed in a large flower bed. Most rural flower beds are large enough to hold a hay rake with lots of room to spare.

When I moved to an old farmyard near Carman, on a small acreage, the old hay rake was pulled out of a weedy corner and centred in one of the big, new flower beds near the woodworking shop. Over the years, as the perennials grew thicker and larger, it became hard to see all of it as the summer months passed.

In the fall, a long extension cord was run from the shop to one end of the hay rake.  Then a long string of Christmas lights was woven through and between the wheels. It was quite attractive at night, especially as the snow got deeper and deeper.

Now, that old hay rake belongs to the new owners. But, it will live on in my memory, thanks to these old photos.