Hay Saga 2022

June 20, also known (in normal places with normal seasons) as the first day of summer- hard freeze. Husbeast irrigated on frost.

July 10, two days earlier than the normal start date for haying- Husbeast cut small school field with no issues. Good start.

July 13- test run for one baler. No issues. Even better!

July 18, a few days past the latest we’ve ever started haying- Husbeast opened Buckaroo field. Had to stop because it was still too wet from beavers running interference.

July 21- take 2. Husbeast cut day 1 in Buckaroo.

July 22-30- Cut, Baled, Hauled Buckaroo Field. No breakdowns on any equipment. This…is unheard of….

July 28-Husbeast cut the first piece of the River Field.

July 31, roughly the normal end of haying, not so this year- Baled first day of River Field. Alice Chalmers blew a fan belt. Weebeast and Husbeast tried to fix. I finished baling….that’s more like it.

August 1- the weather app has called for rain so there’s just one day left of baling. Waiting out the promised storms before more is cut. Wrapped it up after robbing parts from the neighbor. Both tractors ran smooth. Hauled all the hay off the field.

August 2-4- rain not coming like it was promised. Husbeast cut hay in the River Field for two hours before monsoon storm rolled in and made chocolate milk streams run everywhere. Ah….there it is….

August 5-8- rain. Finally. Hay down, but willing to sacrifice a piece. It’s been dry too long.

August 9- Husbeast rolled hay to dry and got it baled late in the day. Dry, windy morning helped.

August 10-14- Weather forecast still calling for rain. Half the ranch still needs to be cut. We are now about 15 days past the normal end of haying season. Weatherman says “thunderstorms,” Pop’s voice in Husbeast’s head says “can’t make hay lookin at the sky,” the sky is darkening to the West and clouds are building. School starts for me tomorrow so the hay crew goes down by 1. Can you make hay at 5700 feet in September after the frost hits around Labor Day? It’s looking like we will know the answer to that. Weather app shows a three day break, more rain for three more days and sun again. We go back and forth…to cut hay or not to cut hay? That is the question.

“To hell with it. I’m doing it.” Husbeast rolls out of the yard facing a darkening sky as the rumble of distant thunder drowns out the swather motor. It’s a race against Mother Nature this year and she’s done her best to turn it into a marathon.

August 17- Will it get baled? TBD…