bucker n1
[. . .]
5 A worker who lifts or carries heavy objects, such as bales of hay or sacks, usu in connection with harvesting var crops—freq in combs bale bucker, hay ~, potato ~, sack ~, wood ~. [ buck v1 B7b] esp West Cf buck n1 5
1905 U.S. Forest Serv. Bulletin 61.31, Bucker. . . One who brings or carries. 1929 Woodland Daily Democrat (CA) 5 Aug 1/1, In harvesting, it [=bulk grain handling] does away with sack sewers and buckers. 1931 AmSp 7.123 eID, The bucker piles the full sacks [of potatoes] awaiting shipment or storage. 1938 in 2017 (acc) Lexis–Nexis Legal Research State Case Law: CO (Internet), He himself was not a “potato bucker.” 1945 Yuma Daily Sun & AZ Sentinel 11 June 2/3, [Advt:] Help Wanted. . . Experienced baler man and two hay buckers. 1951 Times–News (Twin Falls ID) 12 Oct 5/4, A shortage of potato buckers and a surplus of potato pickers was reported Friday. . . [T]here is a possibility some of the huskier students may want jobs as buckers to help alleviate the shortage in that category. 1957 Telegraph–Herald (Dubuque IA) 20 June 13/4, The rainy weather cut the demand in Dubuque for bale buckers. 1965 Hutchinson News (KS) 4 June 1/5, A bale-bucker has to walk along side a truck and toss bales onto the bed. 1966 DARE Tape MT4, The engineer had charge around the donkey; he gave orders to the fireman, the wood splitter, wood bucker, and what they called a whistle punk. 1968 Times–News (Twin Falls ID) 31 May 17/4, [Advt:] Wanted: Hay buckers to run trucks in hay fields this summer. 1980 Joplin Globe (MO) 15 June sec D 7/1, [Advt:] Situations Wanted. . . Hay Bucker. 1981 DARE File eOR (as of 1920s), A sack “bucker” or sack “buck” . . drove a team around the harvested field picking up the sacks of wheat. 1987 Mt. Democrat (Placerville CA) 31 Aug sec B 8/8, [Advt:] Help Wanted. . . Hay Bucker, must have DMV driving record when applying.
6 See hay bucker n 1.