Horses pulled a hayrack and hay loader over a windrow of hay. The hay loader picked up the hay and deposited it on the hayrack, where workers used pitchforks to distribute the load.

The hay loader was also used as a pea vine loader. After loading the vines on a wagon they were taken to the viner, a machine that separated the peas from the vines. Some pea vines were later fed to the cows, but not too much because the pea vines could unacceptably flavor the milk. Unused vines were burnt in a bonfire.