Monday, June 11, 2007

Haying Continues

The hay season continues at our place. Yesterday, after church, I started baling while my husband raked two other small fields. Thomas figured out how to flip any bales that didn't do the quarter turn by using the bucket of the Steiner tractor. It was fun to watch him work the system out, and the smile on his face when he mastered it was adorable. I was done baling the first field when his dad showed up and took over so I could help with the Stackliner. The first field had 199 bales of alfalfa in it. Thomas and the youngest neighbor boy did most of the unloading while my husband moved bales around in the mow. There will be some serious mowing up done tonight, as he can't fit anymore in there without getting a lot of it stacked up correctly. Help has been in short supply, as the neighbor boys are knee deep in projects for their own farm first.

We are hearing horror stories about the high prices hay is already bringing at the local auctions. I know there are expenses for us to make it ourselves, plus our time, but it can't be as high as the prices we are hearing about. Makes me very thankful for the bounty we have seen from our fields so far this year. I suspect I would have several less horses here if I were buying all my feed at those prices.

There is another 5 acres on the ground right now, and there are close to 9 acres of straight grass hay still to be cut. Father in law was discussing getting after that last 9 acres today. That will finish first cutting, with a small break before either second cutting or straw.

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