First thing I did this morning after checking Daisy was zoom over to Punkins Patch where Mamas wool has been spun. It is so beautiful. Have you met Blossom yet? She is the sweetest little pet lamb. She helps Sara spin. You can see it over on her page. Soon all the spun wool will be returned to me by this kind kind woman and I will get to work. I hope my rather rudimentary skills at crochet do justice to all the work needed to turn that grubby fleece into this pristine yarn. Thank you Sara. 
I fenced all morning yesterday. It was deeply frustrating. I hate working with wire. I mean I really hate it. And this spool hated me back so much, that it popped one side of the spool right off then unravelled into a tangled heap in the grass. I was not impressed. All I am trying to do is put up the infernal internal fences. This should be a simple if heavy process. Driving the steel standards in with this big billion pound pounder thing, putting little plastic bobbins onto the posts, then running the wire. But I only had one more fence to do in that field, so I untangled the wire and kept going. Today I will set up the solar charger and put the young cows back in and manage their grazing properly.
In the afternoon we finished the fence around the new outdoor pig pen. Then we slowly walked the big Plonkers across the field to their new home. We must have looked so funny herding these two big hogs, shuffling them forward with old doors held in front of us like enormous shields. However once they reached their destination they immediately started taking great big bites out of the dirt. Thrilled to bits with their new home. I spent the rest of the afternoon completely cleaning the barn pig sty in preparation for the Shush Sisters. They will be able to run around in all that space. I will shift them today. Their small pen is just too small. 
Then I got all the chores done earlier because once Our John came home from work, we went out to bale the hay. We had lots of ‘help’.. 
Thing Two and The Big Dog. 
Everyone else scarpered. . I have to say here that Ton is sleeping at the Big Dog’s feet in the foot-well of the truck. I told him I would tell on him, he should be riding on the hay like a proper farm dog, but he said he did not care! The baler worked much better this time so I drove the tractor, which has a seat that is set so far back that I have to perch right on the edge, absolutely upright, so I can reach the pedals. By this time I was getting tired. Then the baler broke down again, so I finished loading the hay onto the truck and took it back to the barn. But it was only a small load and hay in the barn is worth the extra effort. I had made a bean chilli in the crockpot, so later we sat over bowls of hot beans like cowboys, eating with spoons, then called it a day. Good morning. Daisy is still calmly chewing her cud and watching the world wake up. Absolutely no sign of doing anything. Which is fine. I need a break day! Well, not exactly a break, but once I have finished the chores, then the electric fence, and shifted the cows and the Shush Sisters, oh and watered, then I am going to come back in here and do some blog visiting. The rest can wait. I will come and see what you are all up to. I can see Daisy from here. Now remember during this busy period I do not mind at all if you drop a link in my comments to any pages you think I should read. Even your own. I hate missing out! So feel free to direct me! The weather is still just perfect for the farm work. Not too hot and quite calm so far. Have a lovely day. I mean it. You all have a lovely day. celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
69 responses to “Making hay while we wait”
You have a lovely day too, Celi.
Morning Bill! c
Your blog is like a beautiful, warm bath – thank you!
Morning Julie! c
Good evening Cecilia! j
You just live the dream life! So close to nature, so wonderfully soothing to read your words despite the drama with the fence 🙂
Morning Mimo, i have to add that my words were not soothing when that wire unravelled! c
Sounds like yesterday was soul-satisfying-ly productive! Those are the best…bone-deep tired, well fed, and a sense of Grand Accomplishment.
Big Dog is such a handsome fellow – pity he won’t pose for you more often!
Have a lovely day, again today…we have our own Not Looking photo up for Wildlife Wednesday 😉
Excellent, I love wednesdays! I will be over in a sec, let me grab a coffee.. ! c
Billion pound pounder thing….I was wondering what that thingy out in our man-shed was called. Glad to know now. Our Celi…always the teacher.
Mama yarn is looking so lovely.
I have no idea what all these things are called, it is a heavy cylinder thingy with handles on either side ! Thank goodness you know what i mean! c
Oh my goodness you work SO hard! You DO need a break today! I know you have already read my latest blog and I thank you for your comment….. Have a lovely day Celi.
GMom
morning GMom, it is such a stunning day, maybe I will have to take my break laying out in the long grass with Daisy! c
Pheww the Plonkers have grown! Still waiting …. Have a good day! Laura
Yup, we are still waiting! c
I’m with you there on the wire thing and that includes chicken wire – a mind of its own, that stuff! And as for blog-visiting, I don’t know where you find the time, I struggle to find time to WRITE mine!!!
Christine
As you can see my page is written fast and probably loaded with grammatical horrors but I don’t think anyone cares, we are all in it for the farmy! I hate chicken wire because it always curls back and scratches like a cat! hate the stuff! c
Usually the saying goes, “Making hay while the sun shines.” But your adaptation seems quite fitting. Waiting here in Minnesota, too.
Morning Audrey, the sun is shining too so all good!! c
Mama’s yard is delicious! I can identify with the fencing. We still have yet to put our solar fence up to keep critters out of the veggies and here we use the rope instead of wire. It comes off a spool harness that you wear as you walk it around the fence perimeter. Less swearing maybe…I’m particularly envious of the photos of your perfectly blue sky day. Here we’ve had rain for days on end, 3.25 inches in the rain guage since the weekend, and only one little peek of sun at sundown last night. Sigh, we’re planting in the rain, putting in about a bazillion melon plants today…but we are in the home stretch of the Big Plant. All that remains are squashes, cukes and pumpkins, and the cutting flower garden, which, if all goes as planned should all be in by the weekend..Then we will start the haying, once it dries out!
Wow, that is a lot of rain, and planting in the rain is a slushy business, trying not to get too much weight on the soil.. and you do have to plant so many plants to keep all your customers fed.. I am going to pop in a few more bean and beet seeds today, i keep forgetting the succession planting. Your rope stuff sounds so much easier than the wire. c
Hard work for sure, but once all the animals are where they need to be all safe, sound, and content you can sit back and smile. Well, at least for a moment…til the next chore or project comes your way. It’s all about the little moments in farming isn’t it.
6/6/2012 would be a splendid day for a calf to be born; Miss Daisy!
Jess
Oh yes you are right i had not looked at the numbers! Easy for a birthday!! morning jess, love the new profile pic! c
I am right there with you on the fencing issue. I’ve gone to using the electric tape and find it much “friendlier”. You’ll enjoy crocheting with handspun and it all looks beautiful :-).
Thank you Sara you are a star. I love rolling out the electric fence for the sheep, they have very user friendly fences. This wire for thecows, once it is up, will stay there, so hopefully unless it all falls down i should not have to do it again for a few years! c
Sara has done a beautiful job with Mama’s wool…She is so good at what she does. Everything. And Blossom could not be more adorable. You have also been very busy at your farm. All the work ends up being worth it for the animals Unless you live on a farm, it is hard to imagine what a different life we lead. Sleeping in is out of the question. Love your blog (Sara sent me a couple of weeks ago).
Thank you Lori and you are oh so right on the sleeping in.. especially with baby animals about the place..and milking soon. These animals loves their schedules. i had a friend the other day say to me.. we should DO something soon.. I am like: well sure but only between 11 and 1!.. It takes an hour to drive anywhere from here so that does not leave a lot of DOing time! c
I’m sure I would be useless working with wire. You must have the happiest pigs in the world. The weather looks like it must be wonderful to be outdoors xx
it is perfect weather this week Charlie, warm and sunny! c
Hi Celi! I just asked My John what the true name for the ‘billion pound pounder thing’ is, and it’s a T-post driver. And using them is hard work!!! Good on you for tackling it. Makes me feel a little guilty, cause when we put in fencing I stand there and watch Jack use it….and believe me, it’s tough driving holes into this mountain soil!!! I’m there for moral support! 🙂
All looks fabulous on your farmy! Our mama hen has hatched one duckling so far and we are waiting and hoping for more. Out nesting duck was taken by a predator, so we put her eggs under our first ‘broody hen’. And our guinea hen is still sitting on her nest … the fourth week now, so we are hoping for little guineas soon. xo