This is the ninth year of hay making for us, well mainly for farmer J as his the one who drives the tractor. I now help in the small way of taking sandwiches and drinks to him.
The first year we were here at the start of our farming journey help was given from the previous hay making including the perils of driving a tractor on hilly land. The natural lay of the land around here is quiet steep so some fields are just not made for hay making, working on hilly land also makes for more wear and tear on machinery.
A John Deer baler was brought which lasted a couple of years before going wrong. Its still in the hanger looking a little sad and dusty, new belts were brought for it which didn't solve the problem. That year two farmer friends came to our rescue finishing the baling. Many a farmer and mechanic have given it the look over and no one can come up with a solution to it not working.
So with no baler we were offered the use of a square baler the following year, this is where the process was more hands on. Round bails can stay out in all weathers (as long as they are laying on their sides so the rain slides off rather than seeping in through the top of them), they actually need to for a while as they can spontaneously conbust and you wouldn't want that happening with your hay store. Rectangle bales can't be left out so you really need enough time to cut, turn, line and bale in order for it not to go mouldy once stored. The one advantage small bales have is they are portable and easy to move.
It was hard, hot work with (mad) friends offering to help (and kids made to) they made it bearable and an advent we will look back to in years to come! Stacking the bails in bundles in the field ready to be put on the trailer, then once all is baled the trailer is fetched. All starts well, the first and second layers are easy to throw up to someone who has to fit them in a layer.Then as you go up it gets harder, strong arms and height are needed to throw them up, oh and the need for the person up the top to be able to stack properly- no gaps as they can fall off, part of stacks use to have the habit of falling just as a corner was turned or a steep bit of field negotiated. It was hot work as shorts and t shirts mean scratchy hay sticking to sweaty skin in turn making you itchy.
Before the reward of a cold beer we had to then stack it all in the hanger where it was really hot, many a word was said as bails fell apart when thrown down. stacking had to be done just right (I was chief stacker) and then we would have to repeat the experience again for a few days. This amounted to about 12 tons. It got to the stage when the kids would kick up after a few years of this, talk of none of their friends had to do this and child labour.
Then the rectangle baler broke .We had a reprieve for the next three years when a contractor was enlisted to bale. Hooray, so much easier for us but then farmer J was tied as to when he could cut the hay, depending on the contractors work load.
Some years there have been a good harvest others not so good, depending on the years weather. Two years ago nearly all farmers around lost out when rain fell that wasn't fore casted. Everyone cut and then the rain fell and fell for days. All hay was lost, an expensive year as it all had to be bought with a premium price.
We normally have to top up with brought in organic hay, this years different Farmer J has teamed up with farmer T down the road to work together including being able to cut and have a retired farmers fields of hay, which will be shared. This year we will have enough and I will be there with my sandwiches and camera to record it.
We remember those days of stacking - in fact we'll never forget them! To me it always meant that summer had arrived.
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