Down on the Farm

There's nothing better than watching hot, sweaty farmers bale straw. So that's just what we did yesterday. The kids and I sat comfortably in the Gator (much to the Boy's dismay) sipping ice water and taking pictures.

The straw has already been harvested, as you can see. Now the tractor comes through the wind rows to make square bales. They used to have to throw the bales onto a wagon at this point. They've since gotten all fancy and have a little machine that arranges the bales into a tidy square and drops them onto the field, waiting to be picked up.

Here are the kids standing on one of the bale clusters. Right after this shot, the loader came screaming at us to pick this pile up. I've never seen Little Miss move so fast in her life to get back on my lap.

Next comes the empty wagon for the bales to be stacked. This is the part that used to be the most labor intensive (or so I hear.)

But thanks to this little contraption, the bales are easily picked up. The black thing on the loader has spikey grabbers (that is a technical term by the way) that curl into the bales to pick the bales up in a clump and set them on the wagon.

Now the tractor drives the wagon to the barn and the grabber puts them up into the hayloft where 5 VERY hot and VERY sweaty men stack them into place.

Meanwhile, the kids are busy feeding the cows. Yes, Little Miss is in the trough. No, she is not the food.

Notice the pink dress and flip flops. Always the fashionista...even when leaning on manure covered fences.

Here is Tractor Boy in his element. Since he couldn't be involved in the bale work, tending to the cows is the next best thing.

Please note the sensible farm attire on the Boy. I love this shot.

After a long hot day in the hay loft, Farm Guy came home and immediately disrobed down to his underwear. Sorry, no picture. I retired to the computer and went a little Scrapblog crazy.