The Hayfield Pt 1

Welcome to more of our busy farming week!

We have been in the hay field every day since Monday.  Dad and Mom began mowing the hay down on Saturday, and finished mowing Monday.  The Big Field as we call it is 30 acres, it is divided into 2 sections, I guess it is easier to mow that way.  It looks like 1 big field.  Now, I know to some like Ann Voskamp's family in Canada, a 30 acre field is very normal or small, but on our farm it is our Big Field.

Ok, since we have that down, Dad is mowing here, and sometimes when you have mowed for several hours you get tired of sitting and being jarred, so you can stand and rest and continue on.  He is driving an M Farmall, one of his favorite old tractors.  It is a 1951 model and dad loves his old tractors.  He normally doesn't mow hay with this one, but his 574 International was not working, and believe me if my Dad cannot get a tractor fixed something is wrong.  Everybody from the community comes to Dad for help or for him to fix whatever they have torn up.  He can really do about anything, but he would say he isn't sure, but will try.  He is probably the most humble, truly humble, person I know; anything he does would always be done in secret and he would never tell anyone else about it.  A man, a father, a grandfather, we are so, so blessed to have and desire our son and our daughters' husbands to emulate.  

Dad is trying to get Jenny to stop at the lower end of the field, and hand motions help lots around loud equipment.  The haybine he is mowing with is a 9 ft. New Holland.

Mom, on the other hand, gets to mow with the nice cab tractor, a JX95 International, the kids nicknamed Big T.  Yes, air conditioning and radio, pretty nice.  She is mowing with a 9 ft. New Holland as well.

The hay was pretty good throughout most of the field, thin in only a few spots.

That is how they mow together, laying the hay down so it can dry to be tedded and raked later.

I cannot remember what Dad was pointing at, but I am sure I knew exactly what he wanted at the time.  He's good with signals, however simple they may be.

Come back for part 2, the tedding and raking of the hay after it dries a bit.  Lots of sunshine is needed and we were blessed with that this past week; perfect weather for putting up hay.  God is so good to us!  Just to be outside in His glorious creation, breathing in the fresh, oh so fresh air, and working with what He created for us is simply amazing!

If you missed the beginning of our busy week, go to these links and farm right along with us:
Busy busy week
Beekeeping

Always Experiencing Him,
Jody