Weather and Farmers

                              

                     If you have ever been involved in farming, related to a farmer

                    or know a farmer, you know that weather is a big topic of 

                     discussion especially  when planning how to harvest a crop.

                 We listen to the weather reports morning, noon and night

                        and I  have learned (the hard way) that you do not talk to

                                      the farmer during the weather report.

                 

                           We've been waiting  for "the just right weather" to begin 

                                               these last days of fall harvest.  

                                After the three inch rain last week, the ground has

                       finally dried enough to begin  the last cutting of the hay crop.

This part of the acreage is being dry baled so an extra

day was required to allow it to dry before being baled.

The other part of this fall hay  harvest was baled and wrapped.

These bales will ferment and be used as silage in the 

feed ration for the dairy cows. 

Wrapping hay is often a great way to save a hay crop

from unpredictable weather. You might say it's one of the 

tools in the farmer's weather tool box!

It's time now to catch the next weather forecast!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

When my job of delivering net wrap to the field was complete,

 I took advantage of the opportunity to ride around  with Ryan

 in the truck and trailer to haul bales to the wrapper.

This crop of hay-grazer will be used to feed our dairy cows this

fall and winter in their daily feed ration.

Even though we work together every day on the farm, 

we're not often all working on the same job.

I savored the moments as I watched the farmers working together.

  

                       

                                             
                                       I'm thankful for this crop that grew in spite of the drought
                                                                               and
                                           for the steadfast faith and hard work of the farmer.                                                                               

                           
                                         

Wrapping Up 2013

It's never to late to harvest hay in Arkansas if you plan it between ice and snow storms! How fitting it seemed on  Saturday afternoon to be wrapping up the last of 2013 's hay crop before beginning the New Year.  Our original plan was to cut, bale and wrap this field of fescue hay soon after the first frost but rain ,ice  and snow delayed that plan. Wrapping allows the hay to turn into silage--the young heifers and beef cows love it like candy!

 

Whether you're baling hay in June or December, it's not a good sign when you see pieces of the baler and the farmer standing beside it...

 

 

With no parts store open on Saturday afternoon, we were thankful for the loan of our friend's baler that made it possible to  harvest the hay.

 

 

It's easy to be frustrated when everything doesn't go as planned but

wrapping up 2013 with breathtaking sunsets isn't all bad,

 

 

and

 

                                 working by tractor lights is better than hoeing with a lantern!

Dairymom's Thankful Thursday

                                                                             
                        It was a beautiful day on the dairy farm  in Northwest Arkansas--perfect for baling and wrapping hay.   I'm thankful for the rain and sunshine that made today possible!