Hay

Last week was a busy one.  We started on Sunday by going for 200 square bales of fresh oat hay.  We gathered the bales right out of the field with the help of a few of the farmer's friends.  We can take 100 bales at a time on our trailer so after loading the first 100 we ran home, piled them into the old barn and returned.  The second load was tarped until we had the energy to unload it Monday.  Then we started again on Saturday with the intention of getting 100 bales on Saturday and another 100 on Sunday.  When we arrived, the farmer asked if we'd take all 200 that day but we explained that we just couldn't pull it off.  Saturday Market (www.saturdaymarketlive.com) had just started that morning with a bang and we were exhausted.  Our intention was to gather 100 bales Saturday and another on Sunday.  When we explained we just really couldn't unload and come back on Saturday, the farmer's response was, "What if I send a boy home with you to unload?"  He sent his adult son and our oldest son also met up with us so that we were able to pull off another 200 bales on Saturday.  Our Sunday "rest" was to do nursery duty at church.  An infant is a lot lighter to tote around than a hay bale!

One square bale fell off of the trailer on the way to the old barn.  Al had unstrapped the hay to load the 1st 20 bales into the horse trailer at the front of the house.  That makes it easier to feed the donkeys.  He did not restrap everything before heading to the back so these sheep got a bit of a treat.  In the background are a few round bales from last fall's cutting.  It is obvious that this fresh green oat hay is a bit more popular.

All the animals in the back also had a big time eating the loose bits that fell of the bales as they were being unloaded.  They also got a few bales that we didn't have the gumption to haul into the barn.