Getting hay in

Thank you all. This is the first year with the hay loader for us. It sure beats the hell outta loading it all by hand as we’ve done for the past several years.

I learned some years ago that if you want to use horses, get rid of the tractor. Force yourself to find ways to get it done with the horses. We’ve been raising livestock for 9 years I guess, and have never owned a tractor. I’ve learned how much hay we can get up in a day, and try not to mow more than that if there’s any chance of rain in the next few days. My goal is to get the hay cured and off the ground as fast as possible. I’ve learned when I can push my horses, when I should hold back a bit, and when to give them a day off.

And then there are times like yesterday evening when I trotted the horses home 3 miles with a load of hay in order to avoid being trapped on the road after dark. We had already brought home one load and headed back to the field at a trot to get the last load up and in the barn. They pulled the wagon and loader around the field and got us home because I asked them to. I doubt anyone has ever been as proud of a tractor as I was of my two girls when we pulled that wagon load into the barn with a few minutes of daylight to spare. They got extra oats, all the hay they could eat, and today we stayed out of the hay fields.

Of course, tomorrow we’ll be mowing more hay. 😀

@HeeHawHaven 28017 wrote:

No way! I got a ticket ther 2 summers ago! My mom lives in Woodstock and my sister lives right near you off Ridge Road in McHenry! We’ll hae to stay in touch so that we can meet the next time we’re out there! Does the team pull a sled? How close to the house with all the lighted up deer at Christmastime do you live?

dave

Ha ha! I’m on Ridge Road. Maybe a mile from the lighted deer property I guess.

I don’t really have a sled, but if it’ll move, my horses will pull it. I am thinking about getting a set of bobsled runners for my hay wagon.