Haying

We have started on this new adventure of "haying".  We've been growing our own hay for awhile.  And we've been doing the brutal work of helping bale and putting literally a 1000 + bales of hay in the barn each summer.  Now we have to do it all which means more time and {gulp} more knowledge! UGH!  Hopefully this will be a good decision.  It certainly is a challenging one - and challenges keep us young, right?  We really didn't have many choices. 

Last year we had someone cut on shares.  That meant he cut half of what he baled.  And he only was able  to get 2 cuttings in- a summer when everyone we knew got 3 or 4 cuttings.  Needless to say we were hurting for hay and even had to buy some this winter.  And it was awful horrible hay.  Our animals would rather eat our straw than the hay.  So its costing us twice - the cost of hay and the cost from reduced weight and production in our animals.  We need to make this jump.  We did cut it ok.  Huge learning curve on using the sickle mower properly, but in the end it went pretty well.  Then the raking.  Again, first half the field doesn't look so pretty , but the second half looks mighty good.  But then it rained, and rained, and rained.  So now we need to wait. And let it dry, and dry some more. The hay will still be usable, just not as good.  Certainly no worse than what we've been buying.  Wish we had a tedder.  We could get one for another $1000.  But then I'd have to give up my spa treatments.  Oh well.