Hay in the barn

[colmworthdales]

Wow, what a wonderful couple of weeks for hay making! Must have been the easiest year for a long time for all those guys making hay with all this fabulous sunny still weather. Not quite so good for us who move the hay the old fashioned way on smallish trailers loading and unloading small bales by hand in this heatwave.

However, today I had a really easy time of it. It is normally just the guy who helps me on a Tuesday and me struggling to bring in the hay, but last night I had a brainwave and asked my lovely near neighbours if their two currently unemployed sons in their 20s could help me out. Fab - all I had to do was drive the landrover and trailer between the flat eights on the ground and they did all the hard work both loading, and then unloading into the barn. I got hot enough just overseeing and shifting a few bales, so I was heartily glad I did not have to do as much as normal as the temp in the shade today was nearly 24C.  The small amount I paid them for their efforts was money very well spent!

Very nice hay and got at least half of what I need for the winter in already. Will get the rest in a week or so from another friend who normally lets me have good hay at a very reasonable rate as we help each other out over cattle and pony matters.

Good luck to the rest of you and your hay making.

[harveydales]

Fanastic! Lucky you having it in already! Most people round here have theirs cut, if not baled, already .... except us! The farmer who does our hay came round tonight to look it over and I think he'll do it within the next few days - fingers crossed. Such a stressful time, hay making.

[zeldalithgow]

Well we've got about 7 acres that would make lovely hay if we could find anyone to do it for us, we've tried a couple of time but the farmers round here don't make hay anymore so it seems - and the chap we usually buy hay from is only making enough hay for his own use this so I migh have a couple of very slim ponies next spring

[flintfootfilly]

It's been fab weather for haymaking. Hope yours comes in while this hot spell lasts, Pam. I think it's forecast to carry on into next week isn't it?

My farmer brought in the rest of my hay today, so there's now a barnful and a shedful, and the ponies are eyeing it up already! It was hot enough just doing a bit of poopicking on the yard today. The 2 guys stacking the hay were roasting. Young helpers sound a really good idea.

I'm taking a delivery of a couple of loads of logs tomorrow........... so really getting prepared for (dare I say it) WINTER!!!!

Sarah

[harveydales]

Jul 9, 2013 20:16:47 GMT -1 zeldalithgow said:

Well we've got about 7 acres that would make lovely hay if we could find anyone to do it for us, we've tried a couple of time but the farmers round here don't make hay anymore so it seems - and the chap we usually buy hay from is only making enough hay for his own use this so I migh have a couple of very slim ponies next spring

Oh Zelda, how frustrating!!! You would think there was someone prepared to do your hay. There should be a lot of good quality and not too expensive hay about this year but that doesn't solve your problem of what to do with your 7 acres.

[Debbie]

Congrats on having your hay sorted!!! I've still got that stress ahead of me of where to sort it, buy it from etc, I'll be so content when it's up in the barn like yours.

Very good idea to get those young guys to do the heavy lifting