Who remembers the "Threshing Crew"? Or how about playing in the remnants of the giant straw piles?

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I was able to observe the threshing machines at work and the people that operated them. I was very young when the last threshing machine was replaced by the combines in the early 1960's. Dad told about working with the neighbors and in particular, stories of working with the John Keffeler family during Harvest. He told of shoveling grain to the back of the barn for the Henrick's family. He didn't care for the shoveling there as much as he enjoyed the screened in porch after a day's work and the men ate on that porch and the breezes blew through... and very few flies. But his favorite story of threshing was how he got his team and wagon when he was quite young. He was always a big guy and he liked his horses. So to have a team was nearly the top of the ladder. He would hurry out into the field and pitch the bundles on and then hurry and get his wagon in line. He would have a short breather before he pulled his team up and then he would pitch his bundles of wheat or oats into the never satisfied and ravaging jaws of the McCormick Threshing Machine.

Threshing was a team effort. It took a lot of labor and working together to get the job done. I really like the photos along with this post. I believe the young lady with the draft horse is Mabel Keffeler McPherson and the young man with the tractor and truck is Maurice Keffeler. And look at the size of the straw pile You didn't dare climb on it until it settled. But when it did... They were great places to play. The last one on the place remained a remnant of the giant it once was into the mid 80's. And yes... whether you were threshing or just playing... the straw and chaff sure had a way of making you itch all over.