Yesterday in the late afternoon we baled and brought in the hay from The Haymakers Field. Not a lot of hay. After all this is the first harvest of the first season of the Haymakers Field. It was not a pretty field. We have had very little rain this season and consequently the alfalfa had patches of weavils that had turned the leaves yellow. The weeds were rife, particularly lambs quarters which a local farmer was recently shocked to discover that I fed to the animals anyway. It is high in iron. And the stand of hay was short and starting to flower. But it is organic hay. Our hay. Not perfect but it has been sown, grown, cut, raked and baled all by ourselves. No pesticides or herbicides. And it is the first cut, which is never the best cut of the year. 
The wind was blowing straight from the South. Full of dust and heat. I had the plum job of sitting on the tractor baling. So i did not do any loading this time. But the ground was very dry and we were stirring it up. So when John grinned with delight at our haul his teeth shone white in his filthy face. I thought he looked funny until I looked at myself. I had been driving the baler in a cloud of the dust, wearing my wedding day hat that was big and floppy and my new dark hangover sunglasses, so other than the top of my head, I was a very dirty girl. 
When all the hay was loaded and the trailer backed into the shed to keep dry, we took a side trip into the pool on the way to the kitchen. This is one of those shots that could have been great but really is just confusing. 
It is meant to portray how cool and inviting the pool was to a dry dusty driver of the tractor. But it just looks like the badly caught reflection of a tree. Ah well the pool was cold and refreshing.. all good.
I had a sausage and bean stew with beets and zuchinni waiting in the crockpot so we ate that out of bowls, topped with homemade yoghurt, sitting on the steps, then dragged ourselves through some hot soapy water and off to bed.
Good morning. Yesterday Dale learnt how to make ribs with his favourite sauce. We worked out the best way to lift the dish in and out of the oven. I’ve done this before you know, he said. Not with a walker, I said. I left him checking the oven every ten minutes after promising not to eat them until lunchtime when they would be cooked. He has instructions to stay home today as it is expected to get over a hundred degrees. (38C). They have forecast 103 actually. The Old Codger does not understand the fuss, it is only 10 degrees hotter than 93, he said. He does not have air conditioning either. His neighbours will be popping in and out today.
It is so cool and nice this morning I cannot imagine it rising 30 degrees in a day. But that is the prairies for you.
I had better get busy. I am going to get as much done as I can before it gets too hot. Each flerd will have access to the barn this afternoon so that will be interesting! Especially at milking time. Daisy does not like an audience! Wake up Kupa. Time to get to work. 
Have a lovely day.
celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
73 responses to “I got the plum job because Girls can drive Tractors too you know.”
Yeah, well my tractor can drive girls! John Deere has got nothing on me, and my Dear loves me for it! Unless I make too many comments like these at home, and end up with a “Dear John” letter on my night stand! Which would be very disturbing as well as confusing too, cause my name is Chris!
And hey, I like your confusing pool picture, cause it reminds me of something I saw in the early 1970s, which I had no recall of, until just now when I saw your picture. So thanks for the warm feelings of altered state nostalgia! 🙂
OK, C… Read and enjoy, cause I know you’ve got a sense of humor, but then delete if you must, and rebuke me for my bad behavior. I know that I don’t fit in well with the rest of your readership, so I’ll understand, and without any resentment. And hey, I’ll even say something nice, and wish for you that the heatwave cools down very soon, so you can get some relief. In the meantime, stay well hydrated and don’t work too hard.
I always read your posts and I really like your photos, but I have a question I’ve been wondering about lately… Do you live on a farm? (kidding!)
I wouldn’t delete you Chris and I am sure you fit in with the other readers just fine, we are an eclectic bunch!! have a great day and watch out for that Dear John letter!!c
Thanks C! I guess that I still haven’t forgotten the time that you edited my remark about a certain very dark depression in Calcutta, as I used wording that while vague, would still compare favorably well with the dialogue of the highly literate scripts for those movies so often made in the San Fernando Valley of California. Where as the money the producers make on these high quality films goes way up, the actors and actresses continue to go down in the valley.
But even then, your reprimand of me was a very polite and gentle correction, and I’ll always remember you kindly for it. 🙂
Thank you Chris, i hope i did not offend you. Maybe I misunderstood what you were saying.. I have missed your wild entertaining comments.. c
Oh no, not at all, C – no offense ever taken at all. I just know that self knowledge is a good thing, and even the most reasonable and patient people can find me hard to take at times, so I try to keep that in mind and behave accordingly. Thanks for thinking of me as entertaining. I try to be and sometimes I fail, but I’m always trying. Lol 🙂
You are in the right place chris.. we love eccentric! c
Good morning C.
I would just stop and look and look upon that freshly baled hay! It sounds so very fulfilling. How wonderful a dunk in the pool must have felt, especially on hay chafed arms and hot sun warmed faces.
Jess
Old Codger with his fan and tv…just add iced tea and he should be just fine ( as long as he is still).
I bought him a special cup with a straw that keeps his cool drinks cool and it does not spill when he walks with it and he has been using it so he will do OK, He has been through more heat waves than we can poke a stick at!! thats for sure!! morning Jess.. c
C you are one amazing woman! And I’d love to have a bowl of your sausage and bean stew with beets and zucchini. Sounds so fresh and delicious!
The beets worked really well in it, and of course the garden in heaving with zuchinni now, we put them in everything!! morning karista! c
Congrats on the hay harvest. I’ve been watching the fields around here turn into rows of bales and inhaled all that fragrance. I learned to drive on a tractor pulling a hay rake. Hooray for hay!
Read you all the time just had to comment today.
Thank you so much for reading Leenie. Knowing that people like you read every day is the lovliest feeling. I could not possibly be alone with all of you out there. I have decided that i am going to rake next time too, it is hard to follow someone’s elses windrows. c
What a vision I have of you, c, sitting jauntily atop that tractor.. I think you’ve got to get a photo or two next time! I’m surprised you didn’t just jump right into the pool.. but that crockpot meal would have called me first as well!! xoxo Smidge
Luckily I am the person in charge of the camera so there will never be shots of me sat on the edge of the tractor peering ahead, with my hand above my eyes. trying to see where to go to next in the field.. c
Great hay!
All of the cousins and I learned to drive tractors long before cars…still think tractors are a lot more fun!
(when out and about sometime, can you get a picture of lamb’s quarter? – I think its called something else here…like you have nothing else to do!)
i will take a shot today.. because I am doing the garden and there are PLENTY of weeds in there! laugh! c
Dale reminds me of my parents…the “what’s the big deal” talk is plentiful around here, too! I’m basically happy for the independent spirit, but I agree with caution! How are your “girlie” arms feeling today! That was hard work, but the pool does look refreshing against a day of high heat and humidity! I wouldn’t know a good crop from poor, but it looks so great all baled and in place! 🙂 Debra
Yes, we can! I was driving a tractor at the age of 10 in 1970. Graduated from a dump rake to a side-wheel rake and did that for many years. Makes me sneeze just thinking about it!
I need lessons.. wish you were close by! c
Just read your blog about the old codger. Blessing on you for watching out for him. All seniors need an angel like you. Could you adapt your rib recipe to the crock pot? It would be much easier for him to handle and serve. I love crock pot ribs.
That is a good idea Pat, i shall do a trial in my own crock pot.. no-one will argue I am sure!! c
It’s so nice to share your days with you, thanks Celi! Kupa is looking magnificent!
isn’t he a beaut! morning celia.. c
I love driving tractors – wish I had one, though not practical where I live 😉
You could put your bike in the bucket.. and you could just make your own parking spaces! c
I can just picture two dirt covered faces and the cool of the pool! Well earned cool down. Do you get in the pool every day?
I am not that attracted to cold water but any day over 90 I am in at least once.. c
There is something immensely satisfying about getting the hay put up! A great relief to know that the critters won’t go hungry.
Glad Dale has a good cross draft. This is getting to be a mighty dangerously temperatured summer already. That pool looks divine right now.
Wow! That’s extreme heat indeed. I’d love a portrait shot of you on the tractor. You must be so proud of your hay. It’s full of goodness and not full of poisons. Lucky animals. I bet you love your pool.
John is the water baby and could not do without his pool. I just miss the sea.. you will know that one.. c
Oh yes, I fade away if I’m living too far from the sea.