'Tis the Season

to be haying. Busy busy around the farm. Yesterday (Tuesday) was CSA day. Got there early, washed all the produce, stuffed the baskets with goodness, put up the signs and then headed for the hay field. Jim's dad gave me a lesson on raking the hay - this is the last step before bailing. There are three tractors around the farm, and I usually drive Grampa's. Yesterday I was driving Wayne's. He showed me how to do it with a few laps and me sitting on the wheel well. Then I got in the driver's seat and Wayne got on the wheel well and coached me up. I did a bunch of laps and definitely got the hang of it. We broke for lunch, then I got back on Grampa's tractor with one of the hay trailers and followed Jim around (while he was driving what we call the "new" tractor). He loaded my trailer up while Wayne bailed. I took some video I will put together soon, as there is some seriously new and exciting equipment involved in this process. No longer are we throwing bails; now it is all done with tractors. I am, consequently, getting a serious tan (yes, a farmer's tan thanks to yesterday's T-shirt and shorts). Haying is very different than last season. I am excited Wayne picked me to become a seriously contributing force to the process. I used to only throw and stack bails, now I am driving the tractor with a trailer and soon, I will be tetting and raking. I like being useful.

The sky was amazing. Can you believe it never really rained? It threatened most of the day, but it never did. I could not stop taking pictures of the sky. Beautiful.

These two. God I love them both. They are so good-natured with one another and with everyone they meet. They are funny. And my god, do they look alike. Yesterday I noticed they had the same shirt on (same brand, same style) Jim's was red, Cliffy's was brown. They both had Carharts on (Jim's canvas, Cliffy's jeans), both recently had their heads shaved (I wonder if Sara did Cliff's like I did Jim's) and they both had their sunglasses on. I was trying to get one of both of them, but I did not want to make them pose. That smile of Jim's is legit, nothing to do with my camera. Love him more every day and love my in-laws.

To the left is the "grabber" (that is what Jim uses after the accumulator drops a 15 bale square), the truck and then Grampa's tractor with the trailer.

Wayne bailing. The big red thing is the accumulator. It collects 15 bales and then drops them all in one 3x5 15 bale block. It has removed almost all of the labor of haying. Wow.

After I worked awhile in the fields, I headed for Farmington (around 4pm) let out the dogs, took them for a short walk then met John and Jenn at the court house to carpool up to Kingfield for Al's Outdoor Athletic Conditioning Class. It was good -- a very good workout -- she had us doing all sorts of crazy stuff -- dripping sweat to be sure. All kinds of great stuff up in the Kingfield/Carrabassett Region -- wish chicks in my area (Farmington and Peru/Dixfield) were as active and kickass. I love to be pushed and I love pushing, but I gotta drive 20 - 35 miles from Farmington to do that with other women. Oh well, I will do it, and when I do not, I will do it alone as I have done for years now. I should try to see if I can get something going around the school -- but for as many women as I see (or hear about) kicking ass, or being athletic, I am not thinking my chances are that good. I will be okay : )

Looking forward to watching my nephew play basketball tonight (I cannot BELIEVE that kid is going to be a sophomore next year -- ahhhhhh!) at Mt. Blue HS. Pretty sweet that it is in town and we have nothing going on. Gotta love summer. And the 4th is just around the corner : ) Family, fun, food, flags, fireworks...wahoo!