June 2008 - Making it while the sun shines

There is something about living amongst horses, farms and gardens. In Beverwijk I drove to a reasonably boring job in which every day was more or less the same as the one before, and was within my control and its procession somewhat predicatable. Out here it is different. In June, for example, everyone with a bit of land will be anxiously watching the sky and the weather reports. The nervous time between cutting and baling, when all can be ruined by a summer storm. Only the very rich farms and menageries can afford to have idle for most of the year all the tractors, cutters, trailers and balers needed for this short but critical grass harvest. The smaller must do as they have always done, that is to help each other. This increases the risks as the shared or borrowed men and equipment can only be in one place at a time. For each of them, the elapsed time of the whole process is longer and the risk of rain greater. It is a joy to see how these people work together for the good of all. Your scribe also played his part in this herculean task, although his 65 year old body sometimes wanted to give up. Only the shame of doing so while the 82 year old body of Opa strode over the prairie humping bales prevented it from doing so. This is a time when everone offers to help, but its like musical chairs to see if you can find an empty seat on a tractor. If not, it's bale-humping, I'm afraid. Jan has enough land to produce 2000 bales of between 50 and 80 pounds each. They all have to be stacked on a cart, 7 high. Then back at the ranch, they must be humped off again and stacked 30 high in the hayloft. In stifling heat and with only hay-dust to breath. A lot of pressing appointments are remembered at this time. But it was done, and it was fun. There are a few pictures in the slideshow. Enjoy.