Haying Season Has Begun

Gary cut about 25 acres of hay Tuesday in various fields from our farm to Remington to Goodland to Kentland.  The fun began Thursday morning bright and early as Gary was spraying corn while Nathan and Meagan were each raking hay in different fields.

*Nathan raking hay with his little Ford tractor in Goodland*

Autumn usually works from noon to 4:00 on Thursday afternoons.  Gary needed her help to drive the baler, so she worked 8:00 to noon this week.  Thus, we had Grady from 7:30 that morning until about 9:00 that night.  He was such a good boy!

*Grady James*

While Grady was taking a morning nap, I baked a loaf of banana bread and a double batch of chocolate chip cookies for the hard-working hay help.  Ryan arrived at about noon like usual to add to the fun & confusion.  Then Erin had an orthodontist appointment in Watseka at 2:15. We left Heather in charge of the younger girls and her nephews while we hurried as quickly as we could.  After arriving back home, we barely had time to change clothes when Gary called and asked if I could leave right away to go pick up a young boy that was going to help with the hay. Shortly after I got back from taking him to the field, Meagan texted me to bring Heather & Erin down to help unload the first 2 loads.  I had to leave Laura in charge of the younger ones for a short time while I ran Erin & Heather down to the field. 

 *Nathan's little Ford tractor again*

 *Nathan & Matt on the rack*

 *Nathan let Autumn drive his little Ford tractor*

 *Autumn drove the baler while Nathan & Meagan rode the rack*

*They put 383 bales in the haymow*

After Gary got them underway with the square bales, he started baling the big round bales.  While they were baling, I was trying to make strombolis for supper, mix milk for the bunnies Erin rescued, puree green beans for Grady's supper, and a hundred other things.  I put Kara in charge of feeding Grady his green beans.

*Maybe that wasn't such a good idea!*

I fed most of the hay help at about 8:30.  I ran Matt home.  Then came home to clean up supper and do the dishes.  Then it was off to bed to start all over the next morning.

Gary started off by spraying corn again Friday morning while Nathan raked the last field of hay that Gary cut Tuesday. Autumn brought Grady again so she could help Meagan put the big round bales in the shed.  Once again, my phone rang.  This time it was Autumn asking what I was doing (cooking, as usual!).  She wanted to know if I could leave immediately to take the tractor and round baler to the field Nathan had raked so she & Meagan could keep working on getting the hay put away.  Gary was going to meet me there with the tractor and sprayer.  Then I was supposed to bring that tractor and the sprayer back home while Gary baled the hay.

Well, it didn't work out quite as planned.  Just as I was getting over there, it started to rain.  And then it poured!!  Gary baled 3 bales before the gulley-washer hit.  So much for that weather forecaster!!  So we stood in the shed and watched it rain.  Once it let up a little, Gary drove the tractor that I had just brought over, and I rode in the "buddy seat."  Nathan drove the tractor with the sprayer, and we all headed back home.  Meanwhile, Meagan & Autumn got caught in the rain.  They were completely drenched, and they didn't get all the bales under roof either.

 *Not very good haying weather*

*This is our date for the week--a tractor ride*

The life of a farmer's wife is never boring.  It's a very rare thing when a day goes as planned.  There's never a set time for supper.  For that matter, there's not a set place for supper either.  It may be at the table or in the field.  Or some may eat at the table and one in this field and one in that field.  And what do I fix that can be eaten whenever and wherever??  Then there's always the call, "I'm broke down.  Run get the parts.  They have them set out for you."  

The life of a farm family is full of hard work.  A farm kid doesn't have the option to bale hay or walk beans or pick up rocks or feed the cows.  It has to be done, so we do it.  It doesn't matter if it takes until 9:00 to finish the job.  We work until we're done.  Supper doesn't usually come until it gets dark because we can't waste daylight.  We work together, side-by-side.  It doesn't do any good to complain about the job because it still has to be done.  We wouldn't trade our farm life for anything.  It's a good life.  A rewarding life.  A wholesome life.