Late May and early June is hay season, which is an important and exciting time on the farm. Getting the hay done right, at the right time, has a big impact on the quality of the bales we feed all winter. If we do a good job with the hay, our animals will eat more and grow better.
During hay season, we work closely with two other small farms to get all the crop work done as quickly as possible. Leith helps these producers get their hay done early, which frees up some of their equipment and time to help us do ours.
Here you can see a row of freshly made green bales to the right, and several more rows of white bales to the left, behind the wrapper. The wrapper picks up each bale and wraps it in several layers of plastic. This keeps oxygen out of the bale so the grass can ferment without rotting. This fermentation process converts hay into baleage, which is a tasty source of energy and protein for our cows and sheep in the winter months.
Family plays a big role in making hay, and we appreciate all the help. We try to keep the hay crew well fed to boost morale on long work days. Norah was skeptical of the tractor at first, but she started having fun once she got to operate the loader.
Thanks for reading,
Leith, Mary Kate & Norah MacKenzie