HAY!!!!!!

It's that time of year! Actually, it's a little LATE for 1st cutting of hay, but it's been so wet it's been hard to get the timing down. Last week was IT! Hay was cut and ready to bale!! The neighbor has sheep and doesn't need a lot of hay, so after talking with my riding buddy, Julie, she suggested I ask if I could find someone to bale his hay for my ponies. He said "sure"! So Julie's brother and girlfriend came over last Tuesday night and we baled the "small" pasture that the sheep generally graze in.

I wasn't expecting a whole lot from that field and was pretty surprised (happily, I might add) when we pulled 185 bales out. WOW!! That's over 1/2 the hay I need for the winter. Many hands made quick work of the baling and stacking. How nice was that!!!! The neighbor pitched in for the unloading of the last rack and said he'd be baling more this weekend if I needed any more. I just had to help! WOW!! Color me THERE!! I told him that I would be home Friday and Sunday, but gone on Saturday. Based on the weather forecast, the plan was to cut on Friday, rake on Saturday and bale on Sunday. PERFECT!

Well, best laid plans and all that! We arrived home on Saturday evening about 6:30PM and we're getting ready to attend the Watkins fireworks with some friends. I'm finishing getting cleaned up and there's a knock on the door. Guess what, the neighbor is looking for trailers!! They baled today, Saturday, as it was suppose to rain tomorrow. They had 4 racks filled and we're needing some place else to stack hay. The only thing I had available was the stock trailer, so Bill, Alan and I headed for the field. So much for the fireworks!! Priorities and all that.....

The bales were all on the ground, so Bill drove, Alan stacked in the trailer and I walk/ran along side tossing bales into the trailer's escape hatch and into the back of the pick up when they were light enough. We filled that and still had a narrow row up the water way to go. It was getting dark and we didn't have time to unload the truck and trailer, so Alan decided we'd see how many we could get in the back of his S-10 pick-up.

I was a little concerned as it's just a baby truck, but Alan said not to worry as it had heavy duty shocks. Um....I sure hope so!!! This time, Alan drove, Bill walked and I stacked. Half way full, I asked Bill, "Don't you LOVE THOSE PONIES!!" Alan laughed and Bill said, No. G

We filled that little truck and and headed back home the 1/2 mile or so to unload it. It was quite an impressive stack job considering it was a short box and had a tool chest in the back. Alan tossed them out and counted (he's very good and didn't get distracted at all!!!), Bill and I stacked. 25 was the end total in that little truck! WOW!! Impressive!!!

We jumped back into the little truck and headed back down to get the last remaining bales. It looked like a LOT and I wasn't sure we'd be able to get them all. We were all hoping to still make the fireworks! So we started down the row with the same work posts. Halfway through I looked up and said, "there is no way they are all going to fit", but we kept on stacking. This time I had to ride in the jump cab of that little truck! Gee, wouldn't want to do that for long! Alan again counted to see if we would beat our first record! Yep, we did!! 26 bales!!! After some yipping and cheering (mostly by me, imagine that!) we went our separate ways to the fireworks.

Bill ran in and got the soda, I grabbed my camera and off we went. It was about 9:30 PM and we were guessing they'd start at about 9:40. Luckily we're only about 5 miles away. We pull into town and it's pretty obvious most of Benton County is HERE!!! G We drive down a street filled with cars on both sides of the road. Bill makes a right turn toward the baseball diamond and KA-BOOM!!! Um, they're starting. Honestly, what is a person to do but turn off the headlights and sit in the middle of the street. RED NECK!!! LOL

I didn't even bother with my camera, we were WAY TOO CLOSE!!! I can obviously say I've NEVER been that close! YIKES! It was like giant mushrooms over head, and the sound was truly amazing!!! Spectacular colors and sound. Occasionally you could hear the 4th of July music in the background, but no often! G What spectacular timing we had! We could NOT have planned it any better. Easy in and when it was all over, easy out!! Back to the thoughts of hay!!!

We got home a little after 10 and Alan was going to bring over the 4 hay racks and park them in the building over night. We would unload those at his house in the morning, hopefully before it started to rain. I headed for bed around 11 and knew it was going to be one BUSY Sunday!!

I got up around 5 and headed out the door to unload the truck and trailer from last night. No, I didn't wake up Bill, I figured he'd get his workout later. So another 150 bales later, the ponies are all set for the winter! YIPPEE!!!!

Alan didn't forget about his 4 rakes in the building, so at about 10am he came over and we started putting them up in his barn. It all went pretty well, but 1/2 way through the second rake Bill and Alan started talking about the benefits of Big Rounds! I tried to blend into the background and stay quite. It was hard for me to stay quite, but it was easy to blend in as I was covered in dirt, sweat and hay...not to mention I was up in the loft stacking. Alan explained that sheep or ponies for that matter don't really care what shape their food comes in, as long as it's there. After the 3rd rack, I must admit I was starting to see the light. G

Next year, who knows. By that time I might forget how much work it was. Obviously it was much easier unloading and stacking rakes with 6-8 people vs. 3, but we gott'er done! I'm pretty sure Alan won't forget and it'll be big rounds next time!! LOL