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| (So much green grass for August) |
Well, maybe not really Christmas, but for me it does conjure up visions of cold, snowy nights outside, with cozy sounds of contented sheep munching hay inside of the barn. Hay for the coming winter was delivered bright and early this morning. City folks probably won't get this, but anyone with livestock will understand what a good feeling it is to know that there is sweet smelling hay in the barn to feed your animals through the barren parts of the year. We've had a wonderful summer for growing grass and it's looking as though I won't have to start feeding hay for many months. Because we've had a lot of rain, it's been challenging for farmers raising hay to get it cut, dried just enough, baled and put safely in the barn. We've been buying hay from the same farmer for years and really trust him to bring us good stuff. The first hay he put up ended up being a little damp and we both agreed that there was a chance it would mold and end up not being safe to feed pregnant ewes. (I'm truly
hoping to have pregnant ewes this year!) I offered our new ram lamb and big old Buddy (who is stuck with the task of babysitting until the boy grows up enough to get the job done) a couple of handfuls of the new hay and they gave it the ultimate sign of approval by abandoning grazing on grass for hanging out by the hay rack begging for more. (I haven't blogged about our new boy yet, but hope to get some pictures up soon.)
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| (and more green for winter) |
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| Totally gratuitous shot - just because she hasn't been on here in a while ;-) |
Mark has been struggling w/ haying. First cutting was so late b/c of all the rain and the tractor breaking. Lots of it is just mulch or bedding!
ReplyDeleteSecond cutting is all done and looks good. Hopefully there will be time for third cutting and maybe it will be decent. It has been unseasonably cool for the past 2 weeks.
Hope all is well.
Kristin
I'm a city girl but remember visiting the farm where my grandfather grew up during haying season. I remember riding in the tractor and helping make dinner for all the hot, hungry, tired men and women who had been out cutting all day. I remember how good it all smelled and how satisfied my great uncle was. And I remember hiding in the barn up on top of all that hay and thinking it was the best place in the world. Never been in a barn in the winter, but it sounds pretty great. Happy Christmas in August!
ReplyDeleteLove the gratuitous shot. She's so cute :)
I love the smell of fresh hay in the barn!! This is one of my favorite childhood memories - not the actual baling because that was hot and itchy, but when it is all in and you can stand back and admire the loft full of hay.
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