Haymaking has commenced with 148 bales of rustly dry hay.
Not quite all in the barn yet, but the girls and I will finish that today.
The only hiccup was when the hay man and I went to push my hay rack out of the barn where it had rested for the winter and it had a flat tire. So he piled it all up on his one, which looked precarious coming in out of the field.
One hundred and forty eight bales of good grass hay is a fine beginning. We need about ten times that by the end of summer. I am greedy for hay and never satisfied.
I feel like a real farmer when I can bring in the hay. Especially when driving from one barn to the other dragging a trailer load of hay with my helpers resting on top.
Of course the worst part of being a woman farmer is that you have to swap the hat for the apron at the end of the day. And I was tired, so we ate a simple, quickly prepared and simply delicious spaghetti carbonara with fresh eggs. With both the girls helping we were eating in no time.
I hope you have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
46 responses to “148 Bales”
Baling hay in shorts! Brave girls. And love seeing the photos of them. BTW, great call you made on getting the hay cut.
Ten times more?!? Oh dear. I surely hope your weather continues to cooperate!
I wish I’d win the lottery – I’d bring my man along and he could do the cooking! As long as there is a barbie he’s happy as a pig in mud 🙂
I want your man!! I can supply all the fresh food for the barbee!
148 bales in one day, you girls did well. May the weather go with you for ten times more this season!
I envy you the small bales, no one around here seems to do them anymore. We get the big squares, 300 to 400# each. I hear you on cooking. Worked outside in the yard and garden all day in the 84* temps and came in after feeding all the critters and thought – drat – dinner! Were it only myself it would’ve been an icy lager and some crackers!
We got rid of our hay equipment last year and now no longer make our own hay. I confess that I do kind of miss the satisfying feeling at the end of a long hay day.
Growing up on the dairy farm, I helped my dad bale thousands of square and round bales. Now we bale round bales exclusively but I will never forget the hot, dusty work that came with loading and unloading those wagons. The rewards were measured by how full the barns were by fall and how well fed we were able to keep the cows in the winter. Thank you for sharing your hay day story.
On a side note, I know that you have stacked memories and blessings from your mother that far exceed any hay baling could ever measure. I hope you and your family find comfort and strength in those memories. Sending prayers and peaceful thoughts your way.
Your hay is gold. solid gold. It represents so much for you. Isn’t it funny what makes us “rich”?
p.s. the beauty of Italian food is just that: delicious, quick, fresh ingredients left largely to their own devices.
“I feel like a real farmer when I can bring in the hay” – yes you are. Well done (and you always worry about the tires) Awarding a fine pair of farmer overalls to you. Congrats and let the hay growing continue.
The hay looks perfect – good for you … and the girls. It’s a lot of fun to see photos of the two girls. They look like wonderful young women. You know, I just thought how much I’d love to have even 1 hour back at our farm during this time of year. ; o )