Since I posted yesterday about the cotton picking equipment, I wanted to show these pictures as a follow up:
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| This bale looks to be about four times what the bin on the cotton picker can accommodate. If the four were "pushed together" to make one large bale, it's a seamless operation. Note the plastic across the top to protect the cotton from rain. |
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| The cotton is quite compact. The picker collected the cotton stalks and boles as well as the cotton, but the ginning process will remove them. |
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| Here's the way the rows of what used to be cotton stalks looks like after the picker has finished. |
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The picker apparently passes over the cotton rows twice. Note the contrast in the foreground of this picture, where almost nothing remains. The field beyond the foreground has more stalks remaining, as well as more white cotton, although it's not evident in this picture. Apparently the picker will return to go over once more the remaining rows in the background.
This may be more than you EVER wanted to know about cotton harvesting, so I promise this will be the last post on the subject!
Since the images above aren't particularly "beautiful," I've leave you with one I think is -- the turning leaves on a Sycamore tree:
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| Sycamore tree |
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| Time to begin raking leaves! |
Have a very good weekend, everyone!
Thanks! I think the subject of Cotton growing and picking is fascinating. And the turning leaves is just a bonus.
ReplyDeleteI think it's a lot about what's not familiar is fascinating. Cotton growing/picking is not fascinating to me because I've always been around it; it's the fabric of our lives (pardon the pun)! But realizing that others are interested/not familiar is the reason I chose to write a bit about it. Thanks for your comment!
DeleteI so enjoyed both of your posts on picking cotton as well as the accompanying pictures and thoughts. I welcome more :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you Ana. I thought I had replied here on the blog but now I see it's not here! Blogger sometimes!! I mentioned I might want to do another post about cotton when spring planting time arrives.
DeleteIt has made me appreciate my cotton tees more,like coffeeaddict I would enjoy any follow up.
ReplyDeleteYour Sycamore is at the same stage as the trees here.Ida
Thanks, Ida, glad you enjoyed the topic. Today's weather has turned windy and cold and the leaves are flying off the trees. A bit early, actually, for the trees to shed so much. Even though the thermometer says 49 degrees F., the cold wind makes it feel like 30! Heat on tonight for first time this season. Hope you have had a sunny day by now.
DeleteI wear and use cotton so much and hardly give a thought to where it comes from - that it actually starts as a plant that grows. Posts like this are great, made me stop and think.
ReplyDeleteDarla
It would be tough to do a post on the origin of polyester, wouldn't it? haha When you think about it, it's pretty amazing that cotton garments are as reasonably priced as they are, given all the work that goes into growing and processing it. And never mind the weaving and sewing that follows!
DeleteSanda, loved the cotton story!! Makes me homesick for times gone by....didn't enjoy picking and hoeing cotton, but sure loved the life and times surrounding that period. Just like the song...."long for them old cotton fields and home." Thank you so much for documenting these wonderful old stories - can't wait for the book....:-) cuz Areeda
ReplyDeleteWe sure had good times, didn't we? Can't get time to work on the book; too busy thinking about things I want to write blogs about, like cotton!
DeleteLike you, just glad we aren't out there picking it but the cotton fields are SO beautiful I hope they never stop growing it around our home. Brings back great and not so great memories. The good ones are buying new fall clothes, going to the county fair and beginning of a new school year and seeing friends we had not communicated with since school let out in May, unless we sent a letter only a few miles away!
ReplyDeleteSoybean and corn fields aren't nearly so beautiful as cotton fields, and not as much history associated with them either!
ReplyDelete