IN THE FIELD: M.A.D. (Multiple Addiction Disorder)
I have to admit that garden centers are not my only addiction, and don’t ask me why, but every once in awhile I need a farm equipment fix, so I headed over to the store where we bought our lawn tractor. This store sells giant sized tractors, attachments and equipment used on a working farm. In addition to all the full sized farm equipment, they also sell machines for the homeowner. Such as lawnmowers, garden and lawn tractors, snow blowers and other lawn maintenance equipment.
Although I would love to own a farm tractor or a combine, I’m not exactly sure what I would do with it since we don’t live on a farm. I guess driving my large lawn tractor up and down the hills of our property will have to do. Darn, those combines are really cool.
The salesman who sold us our tractor has become a good friend. And after catching up on each other’s latest doings, I headed out to the yard to hang out with the really big machines and to photograph them in the morning light.
This is a photo of part of a ten wheeled star wheel hay rake. It is towed behind a tractor and used to gather the cut or mowed hay or straw into windrows for later collection. It is then gathered up by another piece of machinery and formed into bales.
David Heilman 
And here I thought it was a piece of modern art. Cool!! You are going to have to go it alone on the farm equipment addiction. I will be over here in the shoe addiction aisle 🙂
Aw man, no help with the farm equipment problem?? I would would help you with the shoe issue, but heels make my back hurt…
ROFL!!!! Maybe wedges would work better on your back?
Neat picture, David. About your addiction, there is a fine line between a hobby and mental illness. 🙂
Thanks Bob, I gotta tell ya, I’ve been walking on the edge for quite some time, usually leaning towards the illness side of the line. Uh oh!
glad to know what they are-took a pic of them once-great subject and you have captured the light beautifully with a great point of view…so,.when you going to post a self-portrait of you in your lawn mower?
Thanks Jane, self portrait…hmmmm. It might be better to wait until the trees have leaves before I do any self portraits. That way the photo would have some interest besides a big ole green tractor hogging up the limelight.
I wouldn’t have understood what it was if you didn’t explain, Thank you dear David, but really standing like something but in art… with my love, nia
I figured I had better describe what this was since it was an unusual view of this machine. Maybe I’ll post an overall shot someday.
Very interesting photo. They use them quite a bit in the fields of Shropshire, where I come from. And you’re craving a combine? Orchids are cheaper, possibly!!
We see them occasionally, but more prevalent are the machines for harvesting corn. There are a few grain farmers in the area also, so combines are common. Ya know, orchids would make more economic sense. And there is the space/storage issue…
That’s great! It looks a bit like a strange – and uncomfortable – fairground ride 🙂 I find agricultural machinery quite fascinating too – old tech and new tech.
I have to agree…my first thought as I walked underneath the machine was Yikes! This thing looks lethal ! Even more so when in operation!
It’s interesting to hear of your different afflictions (garden center, farm equipment)! I grew up on a crop farm and so I saw equipment every day from the very old to the more modern. I first learned how to drive on some of the old equipment and vehicles. I think some of the old machinery (old even when I was a kid) would make for interesting photos, but I moved away a long time ago.
Wow neato, you grew up on a farm! I worked on a small farm when I was a boy of 12 or so. I used to run an old Allis Chalmers tractor mowing the pastures and working the corn field. I have to admit…I feel like a kid again whenever I head over to the John Deere store( it’s only 15 minutes away)…I climb into the cabs of the tractors and go off to another time…
This is amazing, very cool picture. Loved it. 🙂
Thanks Nandini, I felt it was an interesting perspective to share. There are 10 of those wheels on the machine and they rotate and sweep the hay towards the middle and make a long pile in the field to be picked up by another machine.
Wow! It is spectacular how you have taken something ordinary and turned it into a bold and beautiful image.
Thanks Jennifer, I was shooting various parts of the tractors and other equipment and I turned around and saw this machine tilted up towards the sky. I walked across the field hoping I could photograph it with the sky as a backdrop and not include the embankment and guardrail that was behind the hay rake. Turns out I was barely able to do so.
Wow! Great job!
You know what they say, the first step is admitting you have a problem. Although, frankly, I fail to see where this is a problem! Great image! You’ve turned a farm tool into art. That’s pretty darned cool.
Thanks Lee, good to know there is someone else on my side LOL. I turn into a little kid around farm equipment…it’s just too cool !!!
🙂 I too thought it was a work of art.. Well your photograph could be considered a work of art seeing as how it is very interesting indeed. I am glad you told us what it was and I think the way you composed this photo is fantastic..
Thanks MD, I’ve got some other abstracts that I took that day…I may post one next week…don’t want to over do the farm equipment thing! These places that sell farm equipment have so many photo ops…you gotta check them out!
I may actually have to do that. There is a place not too far from my house that sells farm equipment and until you posted that photo I would never have thought about visiting one. Thanks!
Wow…I really like the picture, and never thought it would be a part of a tractor. My guess was a fair 🙂
It does look like some kind of evil ride at a fair! Yikes!!!
I was really curious what that was. I thought it was some kind of plant. Lovely photo! The colours make me think of fun-fairs and carousels 🙂
Now that is a rake photo, well done
Gerry
Thanks Gerry, with it propped up like it was it took on a whole different look…couldn’t resist going underneath and looking up!
At first glance it does look like some kind of exotic plant…ouch! But at the same time it looks like a ride at a fun fair. Not sure if I would ride it though!
I have to agree with Meanderer. Looks like a Ferris wheel after all the buckets (and people) were flung into space. Thanks for not making us GUESS what it was.
I agree…it does look like some kind of evil amusement park ride. I used to go on rides as a kid…not any more. I was in my 20’s and it took me a 1/2 hour to go on a children’s roller coaster and it didn’t even do any loops or anything drastic! Must be a balance thing. I like flying though…maybe that’s because I have control. Who knows…