Make Hay While the Sun Shines

So this afternoon started like any afternoon, with a call to the bf. This time of year is very busy on the farm and you learn early on not to make plans because they can change really quickly depending on the weather, what broke and how long it will take to fix it.


During our chat I found out that the hay was ready and that he was going to be driving one of the trucks back and forth to the farm. He asked if I wanted to ride with him, I said, “sure.” You also learn to make the most of these opportunities because this could be the only time you get to see or spend time with him today.

If you know me at all you probably know that I don’t go too far without my DDP (Diet Dr. Pepper). So, I grabbed a glass (you also then know I don’t like to drink out of the can, weird I know) before I headed out the door. The bf is normally driving the tractor so I had never ridden in a tandem truck before. I figured the ride was going to be bumpy, but I didn’t realize there wouldn’t be any cup holders or seat belts (shh.. don’t tell).

Today the guys were cutting and chopping hay for haylage which is fermented, high moisture hay. This particular variety of hay is alfalfa. This is a great feed for the cows and heifers and they love it! First, they use a Discbine to cut the hay.

Then they rake the hay to helps remove some of the moisture. Then the Claas chopper cuts the hay in to smaller pieces and then blows it into the tandem trucks. Which they do while both are moving. I'm not gonna lie, it's kinda scarry to see because they are so close!
 

Then the trucks drive back to the farm and dump the hay into the bunker where another tractor "packs" (drives over) the pile. 

              

 
After the bunker is full it is covered with plastic. On one of the trips to the farm the bf dropped me off so I could go feed our show heifer, Polly. I took the Polaris (an ATV which had both seat belts and cup holders) to the barn where she lives only to dump the almost empty bag of feed in to a bucket and there it is. I screamed and dropped everything. If there is one critter I can't stand it is a mouse. As small as they are they creap me out! I kicked the bucket to the ground, screamed again and did the yucky dance, so the nastly little thing could run out. I still don't know how it got in there.
 
Well if that's not an exciting night I don't know what is!

I have a question, Mrs. Farmer!

I have been called many things through the years but over the past few weeks, I have been called: Cow Lady, Farm Person, You, Farm Worker, Cow Farmer, Dairy Lady, and my favorite - Mrs. Farmer!

I have had the pleasure of guiding thousands of boys and girls around our farm for our Spring Tours and yes - kids have LOTS of questions! I cannot even begin to count the number of times I have heard "What's that" "What's she doing" "Where's the milk" "Can I milk a cow" "What's that noise" and of course, "What's that smell." It's great! I've been accused of being a little crazy but I gotta tell ya - I love to see the buses of kids pull in to our barnlot!

I've always had a passion for youth education. It used to be my life off of the farm until I decided to stay home with my little ones and do some youth education at home! Now - I get the best of both worlds. I am home full time with my munchies but I also get to do some educating on our farm. Life is good!

We open up our farm in the spring and summer for group tours and then again in the fall for groups and to the general public. I am blessed to be a part of a 6th generation family farm. I begin every tour with telling the little ones that one of my favorite things to do is to share our farm with them! So, hearing "I have a question, Mrs. Farmer" definitely makes me smile!

Mooove Over we are Blogging

Welcome to our blog Two Maids a Milking. Just to clarify, we our not currently lacating but take care of 500 lacating bovines. Amy is our "Dry Cow" - after three lacations and Liz is the resident "Heifer." We will take turns giving you the "dirt" on all things on and off the family dairy farm and the in's and out's of being the "out"-laws.  

Amy is a stay at home with three beautiful children (Miss Bug, the Wild One and Bobo) and a busy hub who we will call Red Bull.

Liz is a communication professional in the dairy industry and is dating Red Bull's younger brother who we shall call Black Bull.

Stay tuned for more "dirt."



Definitions:

A heifer is a female dairy animal that is yet to have a calf.

A cow that is not producing milk (lactating). The “dry” period lasts 50-70 days when a cow is preparing to give birth to a calf, which begins a new lactation period.

For more dairy definitions visit the Dairy Dictionary at http://www.dairyfarmingtoday.com/