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Hayracks and other drying devices

Hayracks and other drying devices

Slovenians are the only nation that knows the hayrack

Is it a castle without windows and doors? What is it used for? In places where winters are long, it is necessary to properly dry feed and many other crops before storage to ensure the survival of both people and their livestock.
Drying is one way to preserve crops so that they do not spoil.

We can also dry herbs, mushrooms, and many other things. Hay and aftermath are dried during the summer months. The grass must be dried as quickly as possible and stored in the hayloft. The best helpers in this process are the sun and the wind. However, a summer storm can quickly arrive and dampen hay that was almost completely dry, which diligent hands have turned and dried. What to do? This is where human ingenuity comes into play. The simplest way to protect hay from rain is to stack it in piles. But this is only a temporary solution.

Our ancestors invented the hayrack for this purpose. It is usually a wooden structure with slats placed between the posts.

They can be used to dry and store hay and other crops, such as various grains, flax, hemp, and legumes...

There are several types of hayracks. The simplest classification divides them into single and double hayracks- known as 'toplarji'.

Hayracks are placed in fields or meadows, and it is not uncommon for several hayracks to stand together in a cluster.

The most famous cluster of  double hayracks, known as 'stogi' in Bohinj, is located in front of the village of Studor near Lake Bohinj. They are listed as part of Slovenia's cultural heritage.

In each Slovenian region, hayracks have slightly different characteristics. They vary in shape, size, and purpose. The great diversity of architecture is particularly characteristic of the Julian Alps, where several different cultural influences intersect.

 

 

In the Zgornjesavska valley, single stretched hayracks are predominant, while "toplarji" or double hayracks are typical for Bohinj, they can be found in clusters (Studor) or individually at the edges of villages and on meadow plateaus. In the Tolmin area, massive double hayracks with bricked- up posts are common, whereas in the Bovec area, they use "ostrgače"- thinner spruce logs with cut branches- for drying, where they stack the feed.

 

The external appearance of a hayrack depends on the Slovenian region where it is located, as well as the desires and financial capabilities of the owner. Hayracks can be decorated and carved with various motifs, ranging from plants and animals to religious symbols and figures from playing cards, such as spades, diamonds, hearts, and crosses.

 

There are not many masters left who can build a hayrack 'in the old way.' The purpose of hayracks has also changed over time. Due to modern farming practices, hay is rarely dried in hayracks anymore.

Nowadays, under (double) hayracks, agricultural machinery is most often stored, and they are also frequently used for social gatherings.

DO YOU KNOW?

  1. A hayrack filled with fragrant hay used to be a pleasant shelter for tramps. It was said that they slept in a castle without windows and doors.