Puttin' Up Hay

Since we moved from our old place, one thing I've missed is putting up hay.  I remedied that a couple of days ago when I helped some neighbors get some hay up and in the barn.  The weather has been pretty well prefect for haying--clear, bright days, low humidity, very warm temps, and cool nights.  There has been a lot of hay made during the past two or three weeks.  On Thursday afternoon, I went over and helped some friends put some good mixed hay in the barn.  It was cut from an old alfalfa field and they plan to pasture the horses on it after this cutting of hay.  There is a good mix of remnant alfalfa, some orchard grass and bit of clover and other plant varieties.  Good hay.  As we worked, the owner and a friend worked on the baler, which had developed a 'hiccup'  and had quit tying bales.  We went ahead and got a good load put on, then walked out behind the horse drawn wagon.  We loaded the jeep full of kids and headed down the road to the barn where we'd stack the hay.  It was soon off loaded and even the small kids pitched in.  In no time, we had it emptied and the horses were nibbling the leavings on the wagon.  Then it was back to the field and another load.  This finished the chore, until the baler could be repaired and put back in action.

I like putting up hay.  It is good, honest work...a lot like cutting firewood or digging postholes!