Comments on Getting Stitched on the Farm: Haying is Halted

That you so much! I had wondered about the trend t...

2009-07-13T19:46:57.713-04:00

That you so much! I had wondered about the trend to round bales and had my (proven correct) suspicious as to potential reasons why. Also thank you for explaining about the pickling. This is stuff I should know based on where I grew up and am embarrassed that I don't. Thank you for filling a void in my education. And for doing what you and The Farmer do. I know *I* appreciate it and try to show it with my $'s.

We have both round bales and square bales in our a...

2009-07-06T23:09:44.647-04:00

We have both round bales and square bales in our area. The square bales are the most popular because much of the hay is sold by the ton and an 800lb round bale would not work. We have friends who come help and we make sure they are well fed, just like you say!! We won't take wet bales..it's too risky with a wood barn!! If it begins to rain, neighbors come out of their houses and rush to help!! There are lots of great memories made!!

We finally made it down to Leyden and bought some ...

2009-07-06T16:21:25.252-04:00

We finally made it down to Leyden and bought some of your lamb yesterday--met your husband who was on his way back to haying and Julia was very charming and helpful selling us lamb. We were sorry we couldn't take fluffy Zelda back with us though.

Yorkshire Gold tea is the best! We have a sunny d...

2009-07-06T08:32:42.414-04:00

Yorkshire Gold tea is the best! We have a sunny day here in Maine, hope you finally have some sun, too.

Eeeee Gads! Fire from square bales. I sure hope ...

2009-07-05T17:23:58.781-04:00

Eeeee Gads! Fire from square bales. I sure hope not. I guess that's a good reason not to store too many! My DH will be glad to hear there is a reason.

I'm sorry your hay season has been so awful. It's been the same here in Maryland. So much rain this spring. They just can't find enough dry days to cut and bale. That makes for a winter shortage. And struggling farmers in already hard times.
Diane

I LOVED this post!! Now I know what it's all about...

2009-07-03T09:52:51.597-04:00

I LOVED this post!! Now I know what it's all about. I always wondered what all the lined-up white bales were about. And the chemistry/aerobic/anaerobic lesson was great!

My sons have helped with the baling and that is some work day.

I just!! told my son not to worry when he asked if we were too late to plant the sunflowers. Now I remember why...the disintegrating heads and seeds with rainy weather.

The syncrony of lives dependent on the weather....

Christine in Michigan

don't worry, we're getting major sun right now, gi...

2009-07-03T00:42:33.174-04:00

don't worry, we're getting major sun right now, give it a week and you should have gorgeous weather as it gets to you!

My brother works with a couple of others to do the...

2009-07-02T23:07:04.687-04:00

My brother works with a couple of others to do the haying together. I'll ask him how the hay is baled. My memory is it's in the square ones.

I'll think good weather and haying thoughts in you...

2009-07-02T21:12:20.112-04:00

I'll think good weather and haying thoughts in your and The Farmer's direction. Not fun to have it so delayed and frazzling. I marvel at regional differences in hay baling: here in the Pacific Northwest our horse hay is rarely smaller than 85# bales. It is so hard to find good hay buckers around here too. Mrs. Dyer's ice cream sounds delicious! So interesting to read about your farm's production!

I'm sorry you're having bad weather and broken mac...

2009-07-02T18:55:40.572-04:00

I'm sorry you're having bad weather and broken machinery, that's no fun at all! We've been very lucky so far with the hay- we make dry haybales, only around 15 kilos (30 lbs), and our kids are helping out and doing a great job. We also make a few roundbales- haylage or sileage-we share most of our machinery with a neighbour, and he and hubby work together. We don't have many sheep though...but it's still a lot of work. Some of the area is so steep we have to cut it with a handheld mower...my 17-yearold son did most of it, I did the rest..but we've had great weather while working, so the hay is really dry. The last will be done tomorrow, and then we will need rain!
Hope weather improves so you can get on.

This is really interesting. Bucking hay and moving...

2009-07-02T14:25:29.347-04:00

This is really interesting. Bucking hay and moving irrigation pipe provided jobs for teenagers in this area when I was a kid. It was hard work, and it was common to see young men with muscular upper bodies bronzed by the sun working out in the fields. I have been curious about the big 'marshmellows'. I find it interesting that the hay doesn't need to be completely dry. Thanks for sharing.

My brothers all helped bale hay and stack it. Late...

2009-07-02T10:53:56.695-04:00

My brothers all helped bale hay and stack it. Later they all worked at the local feed mill. Their good honest labor paid for their college educations. I have an 18 year old son and I would love for him to be able to find work right now. We live in the city and even the burger flipping jobs are being taken up by adults with families right now. I have him doing volunteer yard work for elderly people in our neighborhood which is a good thing but won't help pay for his books this year when he starts college. At least he can learn how to work though.

I've been thinking about the hay farmers as I driv...

2009-07-02T09:35:48.036-04:00

I've been thinking about the hay farmers as I drive around eastern Franklin County and NE Worcester County. I don't think I've seen a single cut hay field yet this year, but I'm already seen several good ones that are beaten flat with this rain. At least the grassland birds can get off their first broods, but in this rain, I suspect even that hasn't happened - too many cold, wet, underfed nestlings, I'm afraid.

Actually, rereading, I think I understand: the pla...

2009-07-02T08:57:57.036-04:00

Actually, rereading, I think I understand: the plastic wrap must stop bacterial activity?

I'm not sure if this blog format lets you answer a...

2009-07-02T08:55:28.853-04:00

I'm not sure if this blog format lets you answer a question but if you can, I have one:

Why don't the big bales of hay, the circular ones, moulder in the middle, when you leave them out? And how come the same factors that make the hay combustible in the square bales aren't a problem in the round ones? (Is it just because they're out in the open air?)