Ready or not - here we come!

As is my refrain as of late - I am so busy.  The library is pretty much done.  Downstairs bathroom is done.  Upstairs bathroom has a new and working toilet but the carpet is only half up and we'll need more tiles.  We are moving our room upstairs and Colin into our old room.  And of course the normal cleaning of the house.  For whatever reason my kids have missed the whole concept of try not to make messes and clean up the ones you make.  Outside we have animals, a garden and seedlings that need frequent tending, soccer for 5 of our 6 kids (we missed the sign up for pre-walkers for Kit) that includes frequent travel to Madison an hour away, and sometimes further. Archery has started for Calli, every Tuesday night.  We continue with 4-h, Art classes, and gym class. But the kids are trying to help.  Spencer has really picked up some slack with his attempts to hang clothes on the line.  The only problem with that is if the line is low enough for him to hang clothes on, then its low enough for clothes to hit the ground. 

We have all of our baling equipment.  Its pretty exciting.... and very intimidating.  For the past 2 years we have learned about the theory of haying.  We know when to cut, the pattern to use. Get alfalfa when just above knee high or when the very first blooms appear.  Mow when you have 3 days of predicted no rain. Mow in the afternoon after the dew has evaporated.  A tedder helps if there is some rain (which we do not have yet, and can live without). Bale in the afternoon, again with the dew.  And haying is hot, sweaty, itchy, dirty, nasty, work. It requires you wear long sleeves, unless you want your arms all scratched up.   But filling a hay mow with hay is SO VERY SATISFYING.  And not having to buy junk hay is also very satisfying.  The animals agree.

While we've been doing the grunt work the last 2 years, we haven't run the machinery.  And that isn't something you can do by steps.  You either have the machinery or you don't.  So we've jumped in with both feet on this one.  I'm glad we've seen it done, and worked closely with our hayers, but now its on us. I think we are ready for it.  We have manuals or we are ordering them for all of the equipment.  We have a very healthy respect for these machines.  Kids have been lectured again & again that these are tools that can hurt if played with, but beneficial when used correctly, just like a car, or a blender, or a curling iron.  We have researched and read, and read again about the ins and outs of haying.  But now its time to do it.  Ready or not here we come!