For the last few mornings I have had the very best intentions. Get up at the usual time 5m, coffee, write, post, 6am,one hour of homework then out the door for chores, 7am. Not this week apparently!
Something was always getting me up too early and with one big heave leapfrogging me over the first two hours of work and straight into the field.
This morning for instance – a steer out. A little one but he was reluctant to walk all the way around to a gate so I had to further break down the fence he got UNDER and then fix it up again. That was at 5 this morning.
I heard an out of place mooing in the night and then fell fast asleep. Must have been when he wandered. Though getting him back in was a lot easier in daylight.
But at the risk of losing homework time (after all I have a house and two little businesses to manage as well as the farm) I need to tell you I got the hay in with the help of my hay man! And it is beautiful.
I went for 1/2 ton rounds as an experiment. John bought me a long spike that attaches to my little tractor and I will begin to move them off the fields today.
The best ones will go inside and the grass hay from beside the ditch ( I call it gully hay) can stack outside. I will put tarpaulins on top of them.
So all up I have a good TEN tons of hay and about three tons of oat straw. All good and dry and lovely. Phew.
The humidity made this a long pull and I spent hours on the tractor rolling hay or with the fork getting every mouthful into the rows. I pay the hay man by the hour so I have everything ready.
Now I will spend hours bringing the bales in but John will help me after work and there is no mad hurry.
Ok. The weather today is going to be lovely.
I am going to feed out then go to town to buy more electric fence rope to electrify across the weak back fence where cows are getting out.
Then I will begin to bring in my hay harvest!
How satisfying!
Have a lovely day.
Love celi
The Kitchen's Garden 
47 responses to “BEST INTENTIONS”
Glad to hear about the hay. Always a relief when that job is done.
Yes! Now if I could just work out how to get them under cover!
Mazel tov on getting the hay in! It looks gorgeous. Always a good feeling having that off your list. Hope you get another cutting.
Yes! I hope for two more cuttings. If we get a late fall.
A relative of mine had a saying about thinking you have control of your schedule – it included the word fool. Wish I could remember it… The HAY looks wonderful! Happy Thursday!
Usually my plan works just fine but I do need to work on these fences. Rather not be called a fool though so I don’t mind if you can’t remember your relative’s saying.
Oh I am being a huge fool in this new job I have (same company, new position) -> My plans go off the rails by 7:45 am daily when the bosses arrive…. I may have to start coming in earlier than 7 am!
You will do fine- but I did used to like getting in to work earlier than everyone else. Get my ducks in a row!
So curious to see how feeding out the round bales goes! We got round bales once for the goats, but they were difficult to protect from the rain, and it seemed like a lot was wasted. But, they were much cheaper than the square bales! We just put up our grazon-free square bales yesterday! We had waited for a month for it! It’s difficult to find hay that hasn’t been sprayed with chemicals these days!
Oh well done- worth the wait!
And pretty much impossible for “clean” straw too?
Beautiful!
Bravo! Job well done. I’m glad John will help you after his long work day. The rounds are beautiful in the field. They would inspire a Christo project if he saw them. (Probably a good thing if he doesn’t, so you can get 103 more tons of hay & oat straw from your lovely field.)
13 TONS!! I meant to say. (Only Christo could get 103.)
There are quite a few to shift but no rain forecast until Sunday! I am hoping for the best.
That hay is as good as giant rolls of cash, money in the bank. I’m glad you’ve got the shifting process sorted out, I seem to remember you talking about not being able to move the big round bales. Lovely to have the feed sorted for a while. I hope you find time for a cup of coffee today 🙂
That was true – but these are less then half the size of the big round bales. But it is still an experiment- I will see how many I can fit in the barn!!
That does look like excellent hay – it was worth the wait!
I have got a good amount baled. Yes I am happy with that!
Nothing cheers my heart like baled hay. I’m glad you’re having such success with yours!
We just had to put wait all that rain and then the humidity! So glad it turned up some good hay. Actually it feels quite grown up having round bales!
what wonderful and gorgeous hay!
SO glad you had enough days without rain to get the hay done. It looks gorgeous – and the rolls look huge! I hope you get the fencing done so you can stick to your morning schedule.
Good! 2nd cutting of hay in!
That’s a lot of lovely hay!
Nothing is a fine as fresh cut hay…especially when it’s all cut, baled, and moved.
Beautiful indeed
I’m glad you’re getting a bit of sleep cause you have so many jobs/duties. As a city dweller, I’m enjoying reading about all your farm adventures. I’d never make it on a farm, myself. 🙂