Look at this happy girl in the hay!
Morgan has never been so happy to help with hay in her life! She loved climbing on the mountain of hay. And she was so happy to see the hay elevator back in operation, too, since last time we were putting hay in the loft a few weeks ago, we were doing it the old-fashioned way up the stairs.
Not this time!
Also, importantly, this time we had help.
That’s my most excellent neighbor Jim on the trailer with Morgan, and Morgan’s high school friend Bradley at the loft window. Another neighbor, Bud, was also in the loft stacking. I was loading bales on the elevator from the bottom and was helping, too, swear!
It was amazing how quickly that hay came off the trailer with that much help.
It was under an hour, from start to stacked.
Last few bales coming off:
I love the feeling of standing in a loft filled with hay. It is one of the most secure feelings in the world when you have a farm, the knowledge that your livestock is taken care of for the winter.
Times like these make me think of how isolated we were at Stringtown Rising. Yes, there were neighbors there, too. In fact, a wonderful ‘hood of quirky characters that you can read more about in my book. Frank and Ed and Skip and the Ornery Angel–I miss them sometimes! Yet the way the house there was set up on the hill, blocked by the steep terrain and trees, it felt very remote. While the ‘hood was nearby, you had to come down off the hill to be part of it. Here, even though it’s still very rural, the farm is much more open. There’s no steep drive to access the house and farm. Neighbors drive by and wave, or just pull in to chat if they see me outside, and they can see the animals in the fields as they go by. It all lends itself to more of a community vibe, in a different way. I never feel alone here. I know my neighbors are watching after me, and jumping in to help a neighbor get hay in the barn is just a way of life, country life and country style, where neighbors still help neighbors. It’s a good feeling.
Like the feeling of standing on an empty trailer knowing all that hay is stacked in the loft.
Yeah. It all feels so good!
brendyblue says:
Now I want to move to the country.
On September 30, 2013 at 8:49 am
ibpallets (Sharon B.) says:
That’s wonderful, I know you must have been somewhat stressed about getting the hay taken care of.
It was much earlier last year when you did this, so I know the relief you must feel!
Good that you identified the players in this hay adventure- I thought at first we might be seeing MNIO
LOL 😆
On September 30, 2013 at 8:49 am
Luv2Quilt says:
I’m so glad you posted this today. I looked at a small farm yesterday and met one of the neighbors. What a nice feeling she wanted to meet who was looking at the farm. Guess she wants to approve.:D It was a little isolated but hearing how your neighbors are maybe I would’t be so isolated after all. Thanks.
Glad your hay is there and stacked. It is a good feeling knowing you’re ready for winter.
Happy Monday
Rhonda
On September 30, 2013 at 10:14 am
Ramona Slocum says:
When I lived on the farm, before retiring to town, I remember the hay in the barn and feeling the same way with canned goods in the basement. Let winter begin, I’m ready.
On September 30, 2013 at 12:05 pm
OregonJoy says:
Yes, neighbors are invaluable when homesteading/farming. Just in the past couple of weeks, one neighbor went over a field of mine that hadn’t been harvested correctly for hay. Another neighbor recently brought over straw bales. He had too many for his barn, so shared with me. Another neighbor, knowing I was going to be painting my old house, offered up his heavy duty power washer…saved me from renting one. Just yesterday, during a horrible storm, a neighbor walked over to see if my new sump pump was working.
On September 30, 2013 at 1:48 pm
Miz Carmen says:
We love living in the country. A city friend of mine was asking me today if the crime rate was better out here. The funny thing is – crime happens here too, but I know about it because the neighbors whose houses were robbed both walked around the neighborhood to tell everyone what had happened and the advice the cops had given them… in town, I can’t remember ANYONE who would have walked a mile or more to make sure I knew what was going on and how to prevent it!
Plus, our neighbors are great with helping out with spare parts for pipelines and that sort of thing. When one neighbor called to ask if I had taco seasoning (of course) to save her a trip to the store, I knew I’d been accepted! LOL
On October 1, 2013 at 3:08 am
Glenda says:
I understand completely. We had a very good hay year and are good for winter. It is a wonderful feeling.
On October 1, 2013 at 7:41 am
Rainn says:
I can smell that hay…….
:woof: :cowsleep:
Love it. 🙂 :duck:
On October 1, 2013 at 10:54 am
SpinnersEndFarm says:
Our barn is full too and it is a GREAT feeling!
On October 2, 2013 at 1:06 pm
TracyT says:
Hey, I know it’s a figment of photoshop, but I really like your hair shorter!
On October 7, 2013 at 2:42 pm