For the first time in nearly 5 years we've lived on the farm, we have harvested a first cutting of hay ! Whooppee. !!!
We both did some cutting, with a 5 ft cutting bar this took about 14 hours with the little tractor. Then I raked, less trips as the rake is wider, but it has 25 missing teeth so it misses in places. Then Herbie started the baling, and I finished it, all except the messy corners and a centre strip as I broke the baler. Not actually the baler, the shear pin that protects the gear box from being damaged. Herbie was narked, said I broke it, I could fix it. Not gonna happen. As he pointed out, he's been tinkering on the baler for nearly 5 years, while just reading the manual gives me the heebie jeebies. I have a "management" idea on how it works, but to actually re-insert the pin, set the timing, and worse of all, thread the twine, clueless.
Yesterday I unpacked most of the hay on the trailer into the barn. Figured a way with the 2-step house ladder and the big dolly, but still re-hurt my arm. Today I drove the truck while Herbie packed the bales from the field onto the trailer, with the wonky bales going into the back of the truck. While he was off-loading the bales into the shed, I took the buggy and collected the 2 wayward bales, and the piles if hay that the baler spewed out in a heap without twine. Don't know why it does that every now and again. Herbie said it's because I was going too fast.
The shed is pretty full of sweet smelling hay. Wonder where we're going to put the 2nd, 3rd and hopefully the 4th cuttings. Need another barn :)
Emmanual is doing very well. All the other cows have greeted him, and Shaw jumps on him. Mama is very protective still. Hopefully Dolly calves soon. Her udder is so huge she's having difficulty walking. Looks downright miserable, and tends to stand more than she lies down. Parrot was drinking from Star this morning when we went out to pick hay bales out of the field, but I've yet to see Eleanor drink, but she's pleasantly plump in the tummy area so she is drinking. Must be a stealth sipper :). The different thing about these calves is that they don't all drink at the same time. Probably easier on Star as 3 bunting her at the same time lifts her back legs off the ground.
Daron has just asked if I could deliver Scotch on another day as he wants to re-inforce some fencing. She has great respect for my 2 strands of electric so I don't think she needs Fort Knox, but those horns of hers do look menacing, although she's a gentle sweetie. So Friday it is.
On Thursday, going with Jackie to see a bee man, and maybe get a new starter set of bees. That would be way cool.
Waiting for the rain to come. It's windy, and I smelt the coming rain. Wish I'd gotten the garden completely plowed, but there is tomorrow.
Dragged the hosepipes out the shed to make room for hay, so set them out down to the pasture and filled another water trough for the cows, so could close the veggie garden. Actually put the sprinkler on the strawberry patch, and bucket watered the elderberries, paw paws and apricots. The older apricot is doing poorly, hope it pulls through. Come to the conclusion that they must not have a great root system.
The 3 goldfish and 2 black moors are doing well in the sheeps' water trough. Think I'm ready to add some to the horse and cow troughs, but will go with the cheaper little brown fish.