Historic Hood River
Cutting Corn
4-15-2021
Notes
This image bears notes indicating it appeared in The Hood River News with the caption, “Billy Sunday Cutting Corn on His Hood River Farm.” Other photos make it clear he had plenty of staff to handle the farming when he was out of town, which was most of the time.
Wendell
This is a staged photo. He was no way what you would call a farmer. It was “Ma” Sunday who ran the ranch and knew what was going on all year around. Is that what you would call Hood River farmers clothing. Not in the least. In fact he was not one to show up in Hood River very often to begin with,and when he did he was basically interested in finding a church that would let hi “rant and rave.” Locals said that was what he basically did.
Ma had children, so they helped her on the farm and could hire others to help with harvest and/or other chores when needed.
L.E.
I wonder if there is actually a horse attached to those reins?
Charlott
One thing I noticed immediately is the man between Sunday and the corn. Maybe the man was there to catch the preacher if he fell off his pulpit !! If you notice the corn stalks behind Sunday, show no visible look of cutting or any other type of motion to them.
Sunday had a home in Winona Lake, Indiana that he called “Mt. Hood” after the H. R. Valley. This home stands today and pretty well remains as it was when Ma willed it as a historical museum.
I totally agree with Wendell that this is all staged for the photo.
He should have spent more time with his sons and maybe they would have turned out better than they did.
nels
Is the whole stalk cut down with this machine? So is there a wagon behind in which to stack the stalks? Never seen this kind of machinery in corn.