The Hay is in the Barn!

It was a challenge between broken-down equipment, unsettled weather, and illness. Johnny was nearly over his bad cold when he finally rounded up a neighbor, Bruce, to cut our hay. The usual neighbor, Paul, had not repaired his equipment over winter and although Johnny spent two days running around trying to get parts, it was hopeless. Then he borrowed Paul's rake and had to replace numerous tines before he could use it. Paul brought the baler over but had not looked at it, either, since last summer and the baler had a broken hose that had to be repaired before it could be used. In spite of all that and a little mist right after the hay was cut, it all got dried, baled and in the barn.

Of course, the day we had to put it in the barn was 95 degrees. I was still sick with a bad cold and so was neighbor Irv who usually drives the tractor while we load and stack, so Johnny loaded the hay wagon himself. Johnny and I unloaded after the sun went down and finished at 11:30 at night.  The next day the rest of the hay was baled and we got it in a little earlier, since it was a little cooler that day (June 5). So glad to have that job done! The operation, in photos:

Bruce, mowing

Johnny, raking

Paul baling while Johnny pitchforks hay into place to make it more efficient for the baler

Johnny loading the trailer

It was a lot of work for Johnny. Of course, other things fell apart at the same time: the barn refrigerator quit working; the barn hot water heater sprung a leak... all over the milk room floor. But Johnny managed to replace the hot water heater before too many days and we have given up on a refrigerator in the milk room for the time being. I haul baby goat bottles back and forth from house to barn. Soon the two little wethers will be weaned!

This week I transplanted tomatoes, peppers and artichokes into the garden, and weeded and watered from the rain tank that collects water off Johnny's shop... lots of water. Now it has rained and filled the tank again. It is a wonderful system that gravity flows water from the tank through a hose to the garden at just the right rate. Of course, that newly devised system had to be reconfigured and repaired a bit before being put into use this week.

Johnny has earned his afternoon naps.