Hay Day Part II

In our post from last week, you might have watched as we moved 75 bales of Alicia Bermuda hay from our neighbor's barn into our garage.  We didn't want it to rain on the hay and we didn't have the manpower to hoist the bales up into the barn.  Although the words were not spoken aloud, there was some concern about the hay spontaneously combusting and burning down the house.  Fortunately, that didn't happen!

Since I'm still on a limitation for lifting heavy things as I recover from my surgery, my brother-in-law and sister offered to come help finish up the job and brought 3 of their 6 boys and Russ came over, too.  Dad and Mom came, and we used Dad's truck to load up the hay.  His truck is bigger than our red Toyota so we could fit more bales in it..  So Saturday morning after everyone was in from the teal pond, we met at 10 AM and got ready to work.  Loading the hay went very fast!  

We were able to get 17 bales max in the Toyota.  I wish we would have counted how many we were able to load Dad's Ford with.  He pulled away from the garage so we could throw more on top.  I say "we," but I didn't do much at all.  Tricia was cooking a lunch for the work crew and making homemade ice cream for the feed once the job was completed.

We had moved the cattle trailer earlier and rolled the round bales into one line in order to provide access to the gate to drive the truck laden with hay out to the barn.  It was a bluebird day, with low humidity and mild temperatures and the sun shone brightly through the trees.

The nosy cows (Rosie, Elsie, and LuLu) gathered round to inspect all the hoopla that was going on at the barn.  Shortly thereafter all 7 of the goats showed up as well.  It was too much!  I ran the goats into the barn.  They are just trouble - like a bunch of bad kids, just getting in the way and onto everyone's nerves.

Dad backed his truck up to the barn and we opened the doors to the loft and installed the pulley on the 4x4.  The hay bales are attached to the rope by bungee cord and then the rope is pulled through the pulley and each bale is hoisted up into the loft for stacking.

You can get an idea of the process from this shot from inside of the loft.  Once the bales were swung inside, the bales are slid on the floor to the back of the loft and stacked.  The 2x12's on the floor are worn smooth from pushing the bales on the floor year after year.

The bales are stacked 3 across and four high.  As more and more hay was brought up into the barn, the shorter the distance the hay had to be pushed as the loft filled up with hay that will sustain the livestock over the winter until the spring grass comes in.

Finally, the last bale was pulled up into the loft.  We figured we'd get a photo of the bale.  That's the one were were looking for to finish up the job!  The aroma of the fresh cured hay filled the barn.  It's a scent I associate with the anticipation of fall.

Top: Brett, Landry, Graham, Russ.  Bottom: Dad & Hayes

It really didn't take long at all with all the help.  We went inside, circled up, held hands and prayed.  Then we had nachos with ground meat and beans, cheese peppers, onions, lettuce, and sour cream with lots of visiting, telling stories and laughing, followed up by finishing off a cannister of homemade vanilla ice cream made with LuLu's heavy cream.  (It was her contribution for getting the hay for her to get her through the winter.)  We took one more photo with all the working hands:

L to R: Me, Landry, Brett, Jenny, Graham, Dad, Hayes & Russ.  Not pictured: Mom and Tricia who were photographers

Despite the work, we all had a wonderful time.  When you are laughing and cutting up and enjoying one another, time passes quickly.  I'll say this, I have been blessed by God to have an incredible family that supports you in your time of need, who prays for you without ceasing, who will drop everything and rush over to provide manual labor or encouragement when needed.  Thanking the Good Lord for all the blessings in our lives.  We are not worthy of all the blessings He's bestowed upon us.  Never, ever, ever, take family for granted.  Enjoy every precious moment you get to spend with them!