Animals
- A Hayfield, A Visitor, And A Cake
It's once again time to cut and bale the hayfield... The weather, however, is not cooperating!One thing I have learned is that there is no controlling Mother Nature.Just when you think you are getting good at this farming thing,she sends weather,...
- A Bad Hair Day
Yesterday evening was crazy busy...bringing in the hay before more rain came. We were able to harvest another 200 bales of beautiful grass hay from our field. The weather has been so rainy this summer, that making hay has been "touch and go". The hay...
- It's Asparagus Time
Asparagus time is one of my favorite seasons in the garden. Each Spring it is the first crop to be harvested and a sure sign that winter is over. I find great comfort in seeing these purplish/green shoots emerging from the earth. It is reassurance that...
- A Berry Good Day
April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Strawberries in June!! We have had a rather moist Spring this year which made for excellent growth of our strawberry patch. Now the plants are loaded with ripening berries and the hot weather...
- Sign Of The Times...bee Haven News
A new addition graces the corner of our little lane that cuts between horse pastures, goat pastures and chicken yard. For a long time we traveled around the farm by Gator (vehicle) on dirt paths. But, the past two years' increasingly rainy weather...
Animals
Hay There! It's Berry Pickin' Time!
We have had a wonderful mix of sun and rain this spring.
I'm not complaining, because it makes for perfect gardens.
However....
it really messes with bringing in the hay.
We need 4 days (at least of warm weather, slight breeze and no rain to make hay.
Friday we decided to give it a go.
Four days of sunshine were predicted.
This year we were lucky enough to have someone cut the hay for us.
It took this haybine about a half hour to do a job that would have taken me about 3 hours.
And afterward....the smell of new mown hay...
wonderful.
If the color green has a smell, this is it!
We ended up with rows and rows of beautiful thick green hay.
Saturday and Sunday we tended the hay to fluff it and help it to dry out.
Yesterday I got busy with the rake and started to combine rows
to make room for the baler and wagon.
Raking each row flips the hay and allows the bottom to dry in the sun.
Sadly, for all the work we put into it, the hay still did not dry.
Our soil is still so moist from all the previous rains,
the hay just wouldn't dry,
Even more sad is the fact that today's weather is forecasted to be rain showers.
If we can get the hay to dry without molding in the next few days,
we may be able to save this field.
If not, the hay will be given to our neighboring dairy farmer to feed his cows.
I am learning that this is one of the hardest things about farming.
Despite all of one's efforts, if the weather is not in your favor....
well, the outcome can be much less than you'd hoped.
But on a brighter note....
Look what is being harvested right now.
Luscious, big, juicy strawberries!
Aren't they beautiful?
These berries are from the plants that I put into three of my garden boxes in early April.
Just wait until next year, when those 150 plants have multiplied!
WOW!
One heavenly bite of these tender berries, and all of my hay woes disappear!
Ok, well not all of my hay woes,
but the berries certainly help!
- A Hayfield, A Visitor, And A Cake
It's once again time to cut and bale the hayfield... The weather, however, is not cooperating!One thing I have learned is that there is no controlling Mother Nature.Just when you think you are getting good at this farming thing,she sends weather,...
- A Bad Hair Day
Yesterday evening was crazy busy...bringing in the hay before more rain came. We were able to harvest another 200 bales of beautiful grass hay from our field. The weather has been so rainy this summer, that making hay has been "touch and go". The hay...
- It's Asparagus Time
Asparagus time is one of my favorite seasons in the garden. Each Spring it is the first crop to be harvested and a sure sign that winter is over. I find great comfort in seeing these purplish/green shoots emerging from the earth. It is reassurance that...
- A Berry Good Day
April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring? Strawberries in June!! We have had a rather moist Spring this year which made for excellent growth of our strawberry patch. Now the plants are loaded with ripening berries and the hot weather...
- Sign Of The Times...bee Haven News
A new addition graces the corner of our little lane that cuts between horse pastures, goat pastures and chicken yard. For a long time we traveled around the farm by Gator (vehicle) on dirt paths. But, the past two years' increasingly rainy weather...