Wednesday, September 19, 2012

Hay Days 2012



Summer means... long warm days, shade trees, afternoon breezes and hay. Hay..Hay...Hay.   Those long warm days really boosted our hay production this year.   The grasses were thick, green and loaded with wild flowers. 
We had just the right amount of  rainy days  interspersed with 3-4 day stretches of dry days.  The weather man was even spot on this year.  And the most amazing of all amazings.....the tractor didn't go into the shop. Nope not even one trip.  A whole summer without a loaner.  Wow...I guess maybe, hopefully we have had everything repaired that needed to be done.  Even our John Deere salesman thinks that is what has happened. She ran like a Deere this summer. 
I just love the smell of new mown hay.  I love to see those cute little bales fall off the back of the baler.  

I get plum excited when the hay trailers pull up to the barn. All those bales getting  ready to ride the conveyor into the second floor of the barn.  Our old motor on the conveyor bit the bullet. Ted picked up another used one and it works like a charm.
Now that the word is out that we have our own equipment Ted has been getting calls from neighbors with fields they want cut.  They pay us with the hay.  I love this form of payment. 

We had to hire a couple of guys to help out. That was something to be thankful for. Help!

One of the wives came along and fell in love with Isabella.  Truthfully, that was a very easy thing to do. That goat will steal anyones heart. 
The barn is full and smells like summer.  

 I'm looking forward to comparing next summers hay yield after we use the manure spreader on our fields.  I do expect to see an improvement.  The fields haven't been fertilized in too many years to count. 
Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm.

4 comments:

Marigold said...

We were beginning to worry as all the hay farmer's first crops got ruined due to unforeseen rains this year. But, alas, the barn is now full for the winter. As for that conveyor of yours...I remember it! Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Tombstone Livestock said...

Must feel good to have all that hay in the barn. I am going to buy some pasture seed to mix in with the manure when I get ready to spread mine. Need to wait til just before first rain, if I put it out now birds will just get it all.

Mike said...

I remember those hay days of long ago. A handful of strapping teens throwing bales onto a wagon.

GreyWolf said...

Glad to see all of that hay making it into the barn. I am so jealous of the hay, barn and manure spreader. I need all three. Good hay is scarce around here and average hay is selling for almost $10 a bale. My poor goats and rabbits will have slim pickings this winter I am afraid.