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”
What a hectic day you had. Reading about you slowly walking the big Plonkers across the field to their new home with old doors held in front of you like enormous shields, a picture popped into my head that made me laughed out hard and loud. I so look forward to visiting your farm.
Ed rigged a horizontal pole on the ATV to hold his spool of wire. It’s handy because it keeps the wire stretched until he’s got it set up enough to cut it and stretch it. It’s also nice not to have to hold that heavy spool all the time. I thought I had a picture of it I could send in a link, but of course I can’t find it!
Celi, I have been reading your blog since you brought Kupa home and I look forward to it every morning after I have come in from doing chores. I admire blogs with great photos. I find myself wanting to pick up the phone and chat about milking for the first time as we used to have a dairy (cows) and then later my kids had dairy goats. Anyway, only one goat left, but a lot of sheep and a donkey and a Border Collie. You might enjoy some of the posts in my blog or my dog’s blog.
thank you Robin and welcome.. i may yet need your advice if only daisy would actually get on and have her calf.. poor girl.. I shall pop over to your pages and visit.. thank you for introducing yourself! c
What a busy day you had yesterday…definitely productive, that’s for sure! Hope you’re relaxing a bit today. Love the truck photo, that’s hysterical. 🙂
Everyone needs a day off now and then. Of course on the farm a day off isn’t quiet like one if you lived in town.
Linda
http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com
You describe everything so beautifully my friend, sometimes I forget to appreciate it! You are awesome 🙂
Cheers
CCU
Some of my “long married, citified” neighbours look the other way (at an undeveloped lot of wild grass??) when they drive by as I am chopping and stacking my own wood. Do I look like a tomboy? Do I illicit some sort of funny feeling? Am I a disgrace to my femininity?
I’ll make a sign next time: “If you think this is unfitting for a woman my age, go to The Kitchens Garden and see what REAL work can can be done by a woman!”
AWESOME! Chopping wood IS women’s work, we do it better anyway and the stacking.. women make fantastic stacks.. there is nothing like a good chopping to get a good sweat up! c
I love the pic of Thing Two – great action photo!
Mamma’s soft wool (I had a peek) and horrid hard fencing wire – what contrasts! And then there’s scratchy hay, and machinery breaking down. Love the picture of big dog sitting in the truck. Are your animals turning into humans by any chance? I can see what busy days you are having, but all so colourful and worthwhile.
P.S. I so appreciate your comment on my blog and have posted you a reply. Here’s the link again:
http://seasonalinspiration.blogspot.co.nz/2012/06/requiem-sky.html
Blossom is adorable! Mama’s yarn is very pretty! It looks like you had plenty of hands, er, paws, helping with the hay. 🙂
Great post! Cute kitty!
I am awed by the many many things you manage to fit into a day but your fencing efforts are extra awe inspiring. I love all your photos but today Thing Two and The Big Dog took the #1 ribbon.
Hi Celi. Lovely post. Fab photos. tfs. Always wanted to have a go at spinning wool.
Regards Florence xx
That yarn looks so beautiful and I have to confess that I am now suffering from yarn envy at the thought of being able to crochet something with such beautiful wool 😉
Dogs always look utterly capable of driving utes when they sit up on the seat like that. That may be quite handy for you.