Smithsonian.com

Has this photo really been altered somehow? It looks very real and is so beautiful with its light and color. It definitely tells a story, but I'll bet Phillip didn't realize how many memories and real stories his work would draw out from its viewers. I loved reading about them, nevermind the one distractor. This is a very appealing, finely done photo in my opinion.

"'If I had a farm, I would have sold it long ago so as to not have to subject my children to such labor.'

Odd that, never having been on a farm or worked on one, you have such a negative opinion of a child's life there.

As the product of a farming family, I believe that the time I spent doing chores, caring for animals and helping - yes -put up hay, was no more demanding on my psyche or my body than the myriad of organized activities in which children of today are expected to participate. And we farm kids still had plenty of time to play, daydream, and pursue our own interests. The farm was not a labor camp. It was a cooperative family effort, where everyone contributed. Perhaps children of today would be happier if given more opportunity to learn something practical and useful, and to enjoy the satisfaction of helping to accomplish something of import."

I grew up in the city until I was 12. From 12 to 15, I was brought up in a rual town; I was not on a farm though. I went from place to place until I was about 21 and ended up again in a rural place and know the importance that hard work and labor structure a child. The problem of America now is that we don't know what HARD WORK is. So, you sweat for a few hours, do you expect $100 an hour? PFT! The person who originally said "have to subject my children to such labor." needs to have EVERYTHING taken away from them and have to rely on hard work to JUST SURVIVE. I am thankful that my husband has a good job and I can stay home and cook & clean (which most wives don't even do nowdays)

Gorgeous color

Now this is more like my idea of a GRAND PRIZE Winner - far superior.

"If I had a farm, I would have sold it long ago so as to not have to subject my children to such labor."

Odd that, never having been on a farm or worked on one, you have such a negative opinion of a child's life there.

As the product of a farming family, I believe that the time I spent doing chores, caring for animals and helping - yes -put up hay, was no more demanding on my psyche or my body than the myriad of organized activities in which children of today are expected to participate. And we farm kids still had plenty of time to play, daydream, and pursue our own interests. The farm was not a labor camp. It was a cooperative family effort, where everyone contributed. Perhaps children of today would be happier if given more opportunity to learn something practical and useful, and to enjoy the satisfaction of helping to accomplish something of import.

As a child growing up I never had been to any farm nor had I ever had to help "Put Up Hay". Thank God. If I had a farm, I would have sold it long ago so as to not have to subject my children to such labor.

The sun's rays and shadows are so beautiful!

The picture of the hay storage barn is great. Even though it was taken in Andover,CT it was pretty suprising to me. This is one of the reminders of a day gone by when farming was an industry in Connecticut.

I was a city boy, but my uncles and cousins lived on farms. One summer when I was about 10, I was visiting on the farm for a week and my uncle told me he wanted me to help put up hay that day. I was to stick the hay fork in the load of hay and then drive the horses to raise the fork full of hay up into the barn, as shown in this picture. I was shown how to do it, but when my uncle yelled to pull the rope I did not pull it hard enough and the hay did not drop off the fork. When I pulled the rope a second time, much harder, the hay had traveled farther along the rail in the loft and when it dropped off the fork it landed right on top of the several man in the loft who were there to fork the hay around and distribute it in the hay loft. Needless to say I got a good lecture and a few unkind words.

When I was 6 or 7 years old, we were living on a farm in Marionville Ontario Canada and my dad used to pick up the hay with a four-wheeled waggon and a horse and it was all done by hands. Needless to say that it was very hard work but we were happy and the hay was put in the barn for the coming winter which was very cold in Canada. This photo brings back very beautiful souvenirs...Merci-Thank you

This photo brings back great childhood memories of growing up on a dairy farm in Door County, Wisconsin. It was a 3 person job: my mother driving the tractor, my dad sticking the large fork in the hay and me in the mow distributing the hay. First we harvested loose hay and later on it was bales we stored in the barn. I never have felt hotter in my life than I was in the hayloft distributing the hay. First the hay was harvested from the field where it was hot and now you were in hayloft where temperatures were greater than 100 degrees and the hay was still curing. Oh for the good old days

This picture brings back memories of my days on the farm in Missouri. My best friend and I helped her grandfather put hay up in his large red barn. She and I drove the horses that pulled the pulley and lifted the hay up to the loft. At a later date, that beautiful barn caught fire and I helped rescue three horses from the blaze. I lost track of my friend for 45 years, and in January of 2011 found her on Facebook. Now we plan on seeing each other sometime this summer. How exciting this get together will be remembering all the fun and the good ole days.

Having lived this life I can tell you that the destination and the means are one thing, survival.

The lighting is beautiful in a picture that brings back many memories of my childhood.

When I was a boy of about 8 I drove the team of horses which were hitched to a cart that was in turn tied to the rope which through a series of pulleys pulled the forkfull of hay into the barn. I forgot to drive the horses straight on one load and when the rope grew taught, it tipped the cart over, throwing me against the corner of the barn and the rope grew tight against my neck causing a 3rd degree burn, the scar of which I still have 70 years later. I, too, have nostalgia for the life on the farm, but I wasn't too crazy about putting hay up loose after that.

Great picture, though, brings back memories.

As I read all the comments beforeme I noticed we all have the same Feelings. To get back to our childhood or I younger days. This was A way of life for most of us and one that is hard to find in our Present world.

I must say it brings a smile to myself and all who view this wonderful Picture.

We had a farm in Alberta, Canada, and a Hart Parr tractor, and this is the way it was done. Before the tractor, there were horses - and a man to handle them. His name was Billie, and when I was about three, I was totally at home with both Billie and the horses. One day, I wanted to be with Billie, and called to him from beneath the belly of one of the back team that he was hitching up to go to the field. It was a surprise to Billie, but the horses were patient - and much to Billie's relief - I was gotten out without accident. I was also sternly advised never to try that again by both Billie and my Mom and Dad.

This picture brought back memories from 1945 when I was the one in the bzrn deciding where to releace the bundle of hay.

I select this photo because it brings to mind the awesome power and magnificent splendor of our Almighty Creator and which instantly motivates me towards meditation. I would really love to have a large copy of this photograph hanging on my living room wall. Hats off to the perceptive and ingenious achievement of Mr. Jeffrey Johnson and my sincerest congratulations. Keep up the great work!

I love the composition in this photograph. The contrast of the sunlight with the dark lines of the barn drawing the eye to the sun and the action of the person in the hay are well thought out. This is photographic art at its best.

I, too, am old enough to have put hay in the barn this way. However, technically, that is not a bale; it is loose hay which has a two-pronged fork about 2 1/2-3 feet long pushed into it; the ends of the fork are turned in 90 degrees by a lever at the top of the fork. The hay is pulled up to a track which runs the length of the barn; someone in the barn yells to the man that you see holding the rope, to trip it; when he pulls the rope the ends of the forks straighten out and the hay falls off. The hay and fork are pulled by a team of horses (or a tractor) which are at the other end of the barn. I find it hard to believe this photo has not been "color enhanced" but it is neverthe less, a beautiful photo.

This image moves me. I am drawn to this image because the sun in my eyes conveys heat the heat and hard work being exerted to hoist that bail to it's destination; makes me thing of the reasons people work so hard. What is his destination? His ends to these means.

I would like to see the original, but I do appreciate altered images too. It further conveys the artistry of the presenter.

That is the way my Grandfather did it for his entire life; the only difference was that he used horses instead of a tractor. Great picture; brought back many memories!

Memories indeed--
It could be My uncle Howard's farm in Blue Earth, MN. The difference is I, not the bale of hay was on the end of the rope.

I feel this depicts true history of the simple life.

Very artful photo with the golden coloring.

A sunny, glorious sight. It is a blessing.
One feels hopeful for the future.

Reminders of my farming days. We used the old fashioned way at that time. Really a good job with the light and color. Love it.

This brings back memories for me. I grew up on a farm in Cattaraugus county and I helped to put hay in the barn this way many times. My brother did it with horses but by the time he moved away after finishing school I took over only we had a tractor to pull the hay to the loft by then. I was only 10 yrs old when I started driving this.In between the time waiting for them to connect the fork I would be daydreaming. One day I started to pull the rope up my father and brother was still on top of the bundle and they were being pulled to the top of the loft where there was a catch to it that took the fork inside the barn. Luckily the fork didn't catch and by this time I heard them yelling to stop. Luckily I hearded them and did stop. I could have seriously injured them and possibly killed them.
I drove the tractor for several summers until I graduated and went out of town to finish my education as a nurse. My younger sister took over then. I have many fond memories of life on the farm. I think farm life was a great way to grow up.

Thank you - impossible to choose, but I sincerely thank you. all.

-pd

I think this photograph is most expressive in feeling....the warmth of the harvest on a golden late summers day...the peace one feels when the harvest is under shelter from foul weather and ...the warmth of the light and the almost ethereal sensation I feel as I look at this captured scene...how Blessed this harvest was and is!!!