We Have a Hay Rake

Finally after 4 years on the farm we have all of our hay equipment.  Something old and something new, nothing borrowed but lots used.  I have to say the old stuff last longer, is easier to repair and works great.  The new, John Deere tractor, has been in the shop each summer since we purchased it.  If a tine on the tedder breaks it is an easy fix, same thing with replacing the blades on the mower.  The tractor, not so much.  We will see how it behaves next summer.  It makes me sad when it leaves on the trailer heading off for we don't know how long.  Oh, they give us a loaner but it just isn't the same. Okay, nuff grouching.   This is Ted using our neighbors hay rake.  It is a really interesting machine.   An old John Deere.  Fred even puts a 5 gallon bucket filled with ballast to weight it down.

Welcome new/old hay rake.  I can't find a whole lot of info about this on the internet.  Most rotational rakes I find are horizontal and rotate.  This has 5 wheels and shifts the hay to the left.  It is sturdy and strong.  Not a whole lot of moving parts so not much to repair.  Ted got carried away with the Rustoleum paint again.  We want to repaint the black a John Deere green.  Right now it looks like a bumblebee.  A big bumblebee but not rusty.

We are really looking forward to getting our last cut hay in a couple of weeks.  Now we can mow, tedder, rake and bale when the weather is good and then transport it to the barn and put it on the conveyor.  Oh what a dream come true.  Hopefully, we will have about 1500 bales of hay for this winter.  Enough for our animals and some to sell toward the last part of winter.  We have been having daily rains which are turning the hayfield into a lush green pasture.  After talking it over we plan on fencing the whole field in next spring.  Then, after we cut the last hay of the year we will be able to turn the sheep out to graze in the fall.  No parasites on the field, thus no parasites in the sheep.  We did loose 2 lambs to worms.  One day they seem fine, the next they are dead.  We lost 1 ram but not quite sure what he died from.  After much reading and searching the best way to combat the worm problem is to have the sheep rotated at least every 3 months.  New pasture breaks the parasite/host cycle and we can keep up with the worms better.  At this time we turn them into the woods during the day when we are home and can watch them and then in the pasture at night.  They are really enjoying the leaves and weeds.  Happy Sheep.  The goats are always happy.  They get to range in the woods and fill their rumens with leafy treasures and drop apples.  Yum.

Much Love and Prayers from Mainely Ewes Farm