Hello... is this thing on?

Ok, I'm back, caught up, slowed down or whatever you prefer to call it. I haven't had time to read anyone, let alone do any writing, but I'm done for a day or too at least.

Things went fairly smoothly, no major equipment breakdowns to speak up, several minor ones (knotter problems, lost a tire off one of the wagons, the Ford kept running hot, blew a hydraulic hose on the Gehl, blew a hydraulic hose on the mower... in other words, just normal stuff), but the biggest issue was the weather, well, the weather and the fact that I laid down waaaaaaay too much hay.

I've still got about 10+ acres down that we simply could not get to. We ended up with around 900 bales give or take 50 (I keep forgeting to look at the bale counter), which isn't bad considering. If the rain had held up til today I expect we'd have 2000.

I tried to use the Gehl to roll a few, but only managed to wrap the rollers up with grass and break a chain on the pickup. We finally quit square baling when it got to drizzling rain to the point that the hay was getting to wet to bale. The last twenty or so bales weighed close to a hundred pounds or better. We threw those up on top of the stack so they'd dry down.


My view of the world for the past week.

We didn't get started baling until Saturday afternoon, if we'd got started Friday I think we'd have at least 1200 in the barn. Oh well. It'll roll this weekend. What's left in the field I plan to roll and give it to TC. His cows ain't picky and it'll help him out. As much as he's helped me, I figure that'll be good for both of us. I get the rest of the field cleaned up, get to try out the Gehl and get the bugs worked out and he gets a jump on his hay for next winter.