I was cruising the Cohort, and when I came across this shot posted by canadiancatgreen, I was a bit flummoxed. What was I seeing? It wasn’t until I enlarged it that I could at least see what it was, a large farm implement (hay mower?) sitting sideways on a trailer. It took me a wee bit longer (I know; I’m slow) to figure out why that would be better than in a more typical north-south position.
I assume it’s because this implement is commonly moved with its large front cutting attachment, so moving it sideways is the only realistic way possible. But in this case it looks like the cutting attachment is not being moved.
Not exactly earth-shattering stuff here, but solving minor mysteries like this keeps me on my toes.
Length vs. width, the longest pole in the tent wins out. Yes, it would normally have the header on. I think these are called haybines. Rotary cutters and probably a conditioner for crushing the stems for quicker drying.
Haybine is the brand name for New Holland’s sickle mower/conditioner, and Discbine for their rotary/disc models, but they achieved so much success in the ’70s that the names have since become genericized trademarks for all colors and brands of mowers.
Also used for seed crops. After the crop is dry a combine with pickup header is used to thresh the crop. Grass seed in western Oregon is harvested this way.
The trailer is the most interesting thing in the picture. It appears to have two wheels on the right side and one in the middle of the left side? Extremely rare pattern for vehicles of any era.
And why the ten feet+ long rod connecting to the tow truck?
I’m assuming the drawbar can swing, in which case the extra length is needed so nothing hits on turns.
The implement is sitting on a bespoke trailer which can accommodate a machine with mower attached. The mower part is not attached in this photo.
Agree.
This is a (much) newer version of my old Hesston 6400 Windrower:
https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/fieldside-classic-dodge-slant-six-industrial-engines-making-hay-while-the-sun-shines/
Commonly called a swather on the Canadian prairies. This is how they normally look.
And in Minnesota we called them a swatter.
“Oh, that’s just Frank!”
-Mater
For me the first mystery would be “what the heck is that?”
After a bit of YouTube research to see it in action, it’s the front half of a combine. Got it. Next research topic would be what sort of thing collects the product off the ground?
That is one weird trailer, I guess the track is wider than the trailer, hence the sideways-ness. And you wouldn’t want one of those rear wheels pivoting around while underway.
Very little if anything is shared between combines and swathers, besides the general cab forward, rear-engine, FWD layout (also seen on forage harvesters). Combines and forage harvesters steer with the rear axle, but the rear wheels on a swather are just casters to allow for clearance of the swath underneath, so the steering is done with the front wheels. Since the hydrostatic drive allows them to turn independently, they can even turn on the spot.
There’s not much to a bare swather besides an engine, hydro drive unit, and cab/operator platform, so when the cutting head is attached, they’re very front-heavy even with the engine mounted way back. Our Owatonna will lift its rear wheels off the ground at even the slightest stop. Early swathers needed only a single offset rear caster wheel, they were so light.
A swather lays out the cut hay not on the ground, but on top of the stubble so that air can circulate and dry the hay. Once it’s sufficiently dry, it can be picked up by a baler if you’re making hay bales, or by a forage harvester with a hay pickup head if you’re making haylage (which can be wetter than bales).
My first thought was, “look at the length of the drawbar on that!”
Interesting set up. I doubt this combination would ever be legal here on UK roads.
In the US you can get away with a lot more if you are “farm exempt” For example you don’t need to register your pickup or other trucks to drive it on the street. Of course you are supposed to be doing farm business, but hard to prove you aren’t on farm business.
We do have similar regarding fuel. Farmers can run on tax deducted ‘red diesel’ (dyed red so the police can spot it easy when doing roadside checks such as dipping the tank) for their tractors but also for other vehicles as long as they are not road registered.
You can buy road tax free red dyed diesel for off-road use in the US too. At least in my state you can use it in your Farm exempt (unlicesened) vehicle within a 25 mile radius of the registered address of your “Q” permit.
I used to run a small railroad engine for switching tankcars in and out of the property. It used the red diesel. It left a red tint on everything on or near the exhaust stack. I wondered if it would do that on a street vehicle as well.
Sideways loading is a strategy for moving some heavy equipment rather than using an end ramp. In this case it appears that without the cutter head it’s very wide but also short so carrying it sideways avoids a wide load situation. Also it can be unload by simply parking next to a field and driving off.
The odd asymmetric trailer appears to be specially designed for this job and may also have provisions for handling a detached cutter head
A an aside in Oregon they are also called swathers and are typically used for cutting hay.