We are done with hay season. I have to say that this has been the longest, hardest year of hay I've ever done. We've done our own hay for 20 years and I did hay as a teenager in high school and college, but this year wins the ugly award. It started with promise, lovely green grass growing tall and staying green longer than usual. But with all our rain this year, it seems that just starting the swather and baler was as good as a rain dance. We have fought with troublesome equipment, broken tractors and balers, late employees (or non-existent employees), flash floods and lightning. All in all, very much work and most of our weekends(and a few all nighters just cutting between regular work hours) all summer long. But finally we are done. I may not be able to get out of bed in the morning, but I did keep up with my 17 and 12 year old kids, and I'm still the best stacker around, my loads don't tip or fall over. :) So there. My main concern is with our time. We have stretched our family to the limit this year. Granted we all have worked together and that has been a lot of fun. But still, an enormous amount of work. We took on growing for a farmer's market this summer, with every Saturday spent at market, (not to mention all the hours it has taken to maintain the stuff!) and two additional hay leases besides our own hay at the family place. It has been too much. We have had virtually no weekends off this summer to just sit and recharge our family batteries or take a trip or just enjoy watching the grass grow. And with hunting season starting in two weeks, we are facing the real prospect of very limited family time until the end of January. We are tired. And need to change some things. I'm not at all sure where to start. The economy is a fragile place to operate in right now when one has chosen the self-employment path, but I'm sure we'll find the right way.
Unloading at the back of the barn.
But as I was sitting outside tonight I was greeted by this sight.
There really is nothing more happy than a flock of ducks running around fertilizing the lawn and eating bugs and weeds.
The resolution is lousy because I dropped my real camera the other day and used my cell phone here.
And we're supposed to start school a week from tomorrow? Lord help me.