Age and youth look upon life from
the opposite ends of a telescope;
to the one it is exceedingly long,
to the other exceedingly short.
Henry Ward
Beecher
This whole
not-farming while playing the waiting game thing is exhausting, yes you heard
me right I now find I am snuggled in my bed most nights by 9:30 sleeping
soundly, I am pretty sure those late nights of my youth are gone forever and I am
if to be truthful OK with that for the most part.
We have
been waiting for the weekly scattered showers, or in our case heavy rains to
leave this area so we can cut the thick plentiful hay which is now over my head
in some of the fields. Our cows push against the page wire fence that borders the
laneway to reach and pull off the tops of the now flowered Brome grass. I watch
Annie who is shorter than the rest slip her head through the wire and grasp
hold of a mouthful and pull, munch munch.
I should have known she being a little spoiled would certainly have been that
child caught taking that cookie from the cookie jar. Resourcefulness has been
part of her whole life.
This is so
different from last year when at this time we were done our first cut of hay
and were so proud of ourselves while waiting for the second cut, the one that
never came. We somehow managed to get the bale counter to reach 400 bales and
were very grateful for that but that came very close to not making it through
our harsh winter, we were lucky. We are
hoping to cut and bale much more this year so as not to worry and have to sell
more cows than we really want to again. The hay is plentiful this year but getting
it off will be this year’s challenge. In farming there always seems to be a
different challenge year to year.
My Hero has
been busying himself primping and
preening (something my Grandma used to say) the equipment, and getting ready for those long days that
will come quickly and that mad rush to cut and bale which I know will involve
long days and late nights. Those relaxing nights of sleeping and enjoying
pleasant dreams to be replaced by tossing and turning while worrying about if
we can get it all done before the weather changes again and those aching stiff muscles
that will surely be back.
Reading
some of my Blog Posts of late it probably appears to you that all we do around
here is go to auctions and watch Netflix and sometimes it seems to us to be
the case too but this is one of the perks of being a mature farmer. That moment
in our lives where finally realizing there is something to be said about not
constantly working and taking advantage of those slow moments and finally being
able to spend time together and knowing that this is as important for the two
of us as much or probably more than that hard work that is so important to the running
of this farm.
That being
said there has been a lot of work going on in between those raindrops. A lot of
work and a lot of hard earned money now flowing out, this has always been an
expensive season for us. New shoes meaning five custom made pairs costing $600
for the disc bine. New teeth $6 a piece for the hay rake and more to come
depending on how rough the hay fields are we have replaced eight now. A new
coat of Fire Red paint to protect the hay wagon so the rust will not ruin it,
My Hero informs me that we need more paint as he never finished spraying the
bottom of it and it is looking good. The air conditioner on my tractor has quit
again something that seems to happen every year, this bill will approach $1000
or more, a luxury you may be thinking but if you can imagine working in a glass
enclosed box for sometimes six hours a day in the sweltering heat that is
eventually coming, it is not a luxury it is a necessity.
Well the
forecast is calling for sunny hot humid days for this weekend so there may be a
possibility we will need that baler twine at $39 a bale, and that diesel fuel
that cost $1.24 a liter, there will be no sleeping now while worrying about the
hay laying in rows in the field waiting to dry and hoping those scattered
showers stay away. There will be no watching Netflix unless of course we put it
on to relax after a day of haying and fall asleep watching it completely
exhausted and snoring in the lazy boy. There will be no going to auctions for a
little while unless this forecast is wrong again.
New shoes
and red paint indeed, this is what my days have been reduced too and I would
not change a thing. I am off again with
a very long list of things to pick up in town. Let the haying begin.
Later
Work hard, play harder. Sleep well.
ReplyDeleteIt's hard work. It always shocks me how much we spend on tractor fuel when we cut hay.
ReplyDeleteOnly to a farmer could shoes mean something totally different! You two are getting things primped and primed, and it sounds like it will be a banner hay season. Annie sounds like she knows how to get things done!
ReplyDeleteOh, I hope you get the dry days you need to make hay!
ReplyDeleteHope you are able to get the hay cut and baled soon. I know it needs to dry out before baling, and rain messes that up.
ReplyDeleteAs the old saying goes " Make hay whie the sun shines " or something to that effect. Hope the weather accomodates you and your energy while haying runs high. Drink lots of fluids ... best wishes ~ and their off !
ReplyDeleteI hear you...on so many of those counts! The hard earned money just flows out...and keeps on flowing out! Thank goodness for that hard earned money! :) I hope you have a nice stretch of good weather...and are rewarded with lots of good hay for your cows! Scratch Annie's ears for me, ok? :)
ReplyDeleteFingers crossed for the weather to co-operate.
ReplyDeleteThe land is a harsh mistress, but you willingly serve her!!! I am too lazy...
ReplyDeleteI like the mature farmer term. I wish you luck on the upcoming hay season. Isn't it amazing what a difference a year makes. I feel like you are apologizing for enjoying life on occasion. There is nothing wrong with that, that is what we are supposed to do with it.
ReplyDeleteI was always the "city cousin" - somehow you have reminded me of the regular routine of country life . . .
ReplyDeletesomething to count on, something that my aunt and uncle built that was beautiful, healthy and - theirs . .
seems a very good life, indeed.
your new shoes, new teeth and new 'make-up' paint mean totally different things to most.
ReplyDeletei do hope the weather cooperates!
Good luck with the first cut. Hopefully you will get a second cut in this year.
ReplyDeletewe are " middle years" farmers still with 4 ( soon to be 5!) still in the nest and full time work for both of us off the farm as well. I have also NEVER seen the hay this high!But we are also having every other day rain and high humidity days making drying a difficult prospect.
ReplyDeleteIt never seems to be a " perfect" year for everything but the market garden is loving it! I need a few more netflix days myself lately! enjoy!
A busy time at the farm then! I envy you that life though! I really can't imagine working in this heat though! I used to have a Shetland pony, who sounds just like your naughty cow! He used to rub his bum on the electric fencing!
ReplyDeleteFarming is indeed hard work. Not that I worked very hard growing up on one, but I watched my parents work from dawn until well past dusk on many days, trying to get the work done. Haying was always a busy time. We bailed squares back then. I still remember the hay wagon crossing the field and my brothers and helpers lifting the heavy bales onto the wagon to take to the barn. Long ago memories.
ReplyDeleteI hope the weather cooperates with you!
I thought you bought yourself a new pair of shoes to wear instead of your Pink Cads! Yep, I'm a city slicker. Hope the weather cooperates for you!
ReplyDeleteB,
ReplyDeleteI'm praying for the rain to hold off for you and your Hero, providing time for the hay to dry so you can bale it in preparation for the winter.
There's always work on a farm, usually watching a movie is few and far between.
Don't work to hard my friend.
Oh dear Buttons-- my hubs comes from a long line if farmers and many friends have horses--farming is VERY hard work!! Snooze they a Netflix whenever u can!! Enjoy new shoes-teeth - and painted toes!!
ReplyDeleteLOL. Fondly,Rain :)
i remember square bales...sigh. now we are into big round bales, and im finding I wear hay so much more when I feed then when i handle those square bales!!! its like I need a large vacuum that can bale hay when i get back into the house LOL
ReplyDeleteAnnie is a keeper I think - resourcefulness is a good thing in a matriarch!
and did you send rain our way? if you did, stop - we need to put up hay too!!!
and Mr. foresterman and I are working out A LOT OF THINGS while working together on these posts...we should have done this so much sooner rather then sucking it up like a trooper! I think you and hero should do a post together on auctions and ladders...
XOXOX (dont worry, we are doing good.)
it's nice to be a "mature" anything!!
ReplyDeletefarm work is hard work, no matter how you "slice" it!!
Hey (hay) B. We had a five day window and most of the farmers got in some first cutting, but far from all of it. Now we are waiting again. High humidity and rain off and on...almost everyday lately. Today our barns are being painted...yesterday we had no idea we were doing this. As you know, it never ends when you have a farm.
ReplyDeleteGood luck! I hope the weather cooperates. Sounds like such a job, but of course you have to get it done. Hope it goes as smoothly as possible :)
ReplyDeleteFarming certainly is not an easy choice or easy way to make a living. It seems as if there is not one thing going wrong it's another. Usually something to do with the weather. I hope all will work out so you can get your hay in.
ReplyDeleteI saw a farmer in his field haying yesterday (the 4th) and thought of you. I hope all goes well.
ReplyDeleteHaying is in full swing here, I just bought my first big square bales of this year's hay and it smells so sweet. Hope you get the weather break you need to put up your crop, and that your cow herd remains exactly the size you want it to be.
ReplyDeleteI do hope the sun comes out tomorrow so you can cut some hay, It;s supposed to shine here but the temperature will be 29 degrees tomorrow afternoon and feel warmer than that! Yep, you'll need air conditioning in your cab!
ReplyDeleteNow at least I know where the rain is. Sometimes I wonder about Mother Nature and her methods--she could spread the good stuff around a little better and send the crap to someplace where it doesn't matter as much.
ReplyDeleteThere is nothing more tantalizing to the senses than the scent of new mown hay! Thank heavens for all the hardworking farmers who give us this wonderful experience - life would not be the same without knowing that simple, heady fragrance.
ReplyDeleteLove your quote today, Buttons. xoxo
Happy Haying when the time comes. You will make up for lost time as they say, as warmer dry weather always comes finally. Hugs M xoxox
ReplyDeleteYou're causing me to appreciate even more what goes into growing, cutting, & baling the hay I buy to feed my flock of sheep.
ReplyDeleteGreat post and photos, really enjoy reading to every day workings of being in touch with nature
ReplyDeleteThanks or another fabulous post. A farmer's life is never easy but the country life is so wonderful. Hope you are getting lots of sleep and can get the hay in OK.
ReplyDeleteOh yes. I remember it all so well. The people who say how lovely farming is and who probably have a mind picture. Of the ladies dancing around in gingham dresses with baskets in their hands whilst the burly bare chested men knock in a nail...in one go...on shiny new wagons......we were getting up at 5am to milk then off to make silage probably until 10 or 11pm ( and fitting in the evening milking) and finishing and finding there's a cow with a difficult calving but she's at the bottom of the field and it's dark...except for a little moonlight (after all it is nearly midnight) ...and...what have I forgotten? Oh yes...you're the farmers wife so you have to make hot food and sandwiches etc.....yes it is a wonderful (exhausting) life...and I wouldn't have wished for any other. I've gone on too long...sorry...I'm with you as you battle through....take heart! Joan
ReplyDeleteI like the term Mature Farmer. New shoes and new teeth mean something entirely different for me.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the weather will cooperate so that you get the haying done.
I really hope the weather cooperates for you - it seems there are so many challenges for farmers and many not within your control. Best of luck!
ReplyDeleteI know you'll do fine in your fancy a/c cabbed tractor.
ReplyDelete... cut, stack, pack & wrap :)
Good luck. You're in my thoughts! ;-)
ReplyDeleteBest regards from the Netherlands,
Gert Jan
I hope the rain stays away and your fields dry out so you can cut hay. It is good to rest while you can!
ReplyDeleteDriving home from knitting group last night, I couldn't believe the number of farmers out cutting hay at 9PM as they huge red ball hovered at the horizon. I knew today was going to be a sunny clear day. Some of my neighbours are on second cut!!!
ReplyDeleteHi there Buttons, do hope that rain eases up for you.
ReplyDeleteLove that cheeky Annie - it always tastes better on the other side ;D)
The list of things that are needed is mind boggling... new shoes and red paint, I see what you mean!
Cheerio and keep well xx
Hi B! I'm trying to catch up with all my blogger friends today. Our friends haven't been able to cut any hay at all this year because it just keeps raining and raining. Yesterday Scott and I went out and mowed the grass. He used his Gravely Tractor and I used the push mower and between the two of us we got it knocked back enough to keep that busy body neighbor off our backs about the height of the grass. It's not perfectly even but it's mowed and we got soaked as we just kept mowing even when the rain came done. CRAZY I know but it had to be done! Of course our friends on the farm can't do that as they would end up with rotted hay and they have to have the hay money to keep the farm a float They sell their hay to horse people for the most part.
ReplyDeleteThanks for coming and visiting the Bear. Meeting new neighbours is always fun.
ReplyDeleteThe annual ritual of cutting, baling and storing hay. Ah, yes! When we used to live in the country, we would drive past long rows of round bails, wrapped against the weather, looking like giant caterpillars on the land. Hope the haying goes well.
BTW, has you ever put up haylage? Works well for wet hay.
Blessings and Bear hugs!
Bears Noting
Life in the Urban Forest (poetry)
And here I thought we were going to see some new shoes on your feet! Lol. I should have known better.
ReplyDeleteI know you will be happy when the haying is done -- I remember last year's total. Has it been that long already?
Beautifully written about the daily struggles our farmers face.
ReplyDeleteIt's not a easy life at all, and it seems the up times outweigh the down times.
My Sister and BIl have just finished the strawberries, and asparagus..but more is to come..it's never ending isn't it?
Jen
I hope the weather co-operates with you so that you get lots of hay this year. You all work so hard on your farm you deserve some good luck. I can't blame you for having an early night. :)
ReplyDeletequite a difference from last year here too! it's good to see all those bails appearing as i make my way along our country roads. hope annie saves a little for everyone else...
ReplyDelete