Hay week has come to a close with our pastures being fully baled. The sun rose this morning over a field of haybales in our front yard and the view was a genuine stunner.
The amount of work and care that goes into this process each year is amazing. It brings with it an energy that is contagious through the family and friends that visit. However, it also comes with exhaustion and frustration as machines fail, fixes are needed, patience is required, breaks are few, temps are hot and, generally, harvest doesn’t wait.
Most farm kids grow up learning the ropes and knowing how the process will go after years of experience with their parents and extended families. But it’s a bit of a different beast for us since I never participated in this process closely and Aaron is new to it entirely. We’re very fortunate to have my dad and Duane nearby to guide us through the steps, help with equipment and “teach us to fish” so to speak.
Layer in our other commitments (most of which have to be ignored entirely during this time) and two kids under two years old – we’ve really signed up for a lot. A field full of hay in the sunrise is a lovely reminder that it really does take a village – and ours is one of the very best.