Trailer

We used the old hay trailer daily to get the cows fed. At the back end of the dairy were the replacement heifer pens and they too needed daily feeding with bales of hay and manger cleanings from the milk cows. 

Dad always told us kids to be careful around the equipment. He new the dangers, but with all the free labor of a big family with six boys us kids had jobs to do that meant we would be working around that equipment. I was driving the tractor at about five and driving the 49’ Doge pickup as soon as I could see over the steering wheel and reach the petals. 

As we would put out the hay bales for feeding the tractor would be driven at a fairly slow pace. The bales pulled off the trailer and set up for the wires to be cut and pulled off then the hay pitched in. We kids were warned not to cross over between the tractor and trailer while they were moving. But at a snails pace how dangerous could it be? I was about twelve and clumsy when I found out.

Paul was driving the tractor and Dad was pulling off the bales when I took my chance to cross over. We always wore rubber boots and the bottoms became slick as the treads wore off. I stepped up on the tongue of the trailer as I was crossing and as I was coming down on the other side my foot slipped and down I went. Before I could do anything I was overcome by the trailer. Fortunately for me my head just missed being crushed by the tire and I was rolled beneath the front axle. The bolts that held together the axle did catch the side of my head and my right shoulder. Minor scratches but the blood was running. 

Dad heard me scream and yelled for Paul to stop. He rushed over to the other side of the trailer where I was coming out from beneath. I was scared and relieved to be standing and seeing Dad there. He came up to me and asked if I was ok.. I said yes and then he hit me on the back side hard. I said, “What was that for? I could have been killed”. His reply was, “Because I love you”. I guess he was happy that I didn’t get hurt real bad and dad was kind of mad that I did just what I was told not to.

Rick