The 4th of July seems like such a long time ago after a busy weekend! We’ve been getting ready to put up oat hay and for wheat harvest, but we drove thirty miles Friday evening, with popcorn and cold sodas, to watch some fireworks. There was a storm brewing off to the south that provided some awesome “fireworks” in the sky and a double rainbow. We watched it form and dissipate before the local fire department put on a fabulous show celebrating our independence. In true red-neck fashion, we sat in our camping chairs in the back of the pick-up; I love the blue ones that shimmer long after the concussive sound echoes through the few streets in the little town.
Saturday came and we fired up my little Minnie Mo ZA, took it to the oat field and I raked the swathed oats, rolling them over into new piles so the hot sun could dry the underside. This also served to bring certain rows closer together for the different balers: small rectangular bales and large round bales. We were able to bale the small bales on Sunday with the John Deere A and the John Deere baler. It was over 100 degrees! I think we drank our weight in cold tea from the jug. Everyone worked hard to get this big job finished and the bales loaded on trailers and the hay rack.
Once home, we ran wheat trucks to town but then ran out of dry wheat.
Today, we stacked the 320 bales, putting about 80 in the barn loft and tarping the rest on pallets. Now, I’m waiting for the evening to go back and rack the remaining swathed oats ahead of the big round baler. I know the horses will appreciate all this hard work come winter.
Sally Gerard 