Make Hay While the Sun Shines

Throughout our lives I'm sure we all have heard the old adage, "Make Hay While the Sun Shines." Funny how living a legend makes it that much more real. In fact, Here I am doing just that!

 Makin' Hay While the Sun Shines

Now then...for those of you who've never raked or teddered hay from the back of a John Deere tractor, I'm sure you've always wanted to. Well, after just seven years of visits to Fink Farm, Mike has finally allowed me to begin my internship. Here were some of the stages:

• First, you must own or buy a western style straw hat and denim shirt. Denim jeans are a given (preferably Wranglers).
• Next, mow Gunner's pasture with a full-sized golf course mower sporting front, right and left retractable rotary cutters allowing for a 8-10 foot mowing swath.
• You're allowed one time to drop a cutter into a wooden fence, but you cannot damage the fence requiring repair
• You're allowed two times sinking the mower into the mud, but only once deep enough to require the use of another tractor to pull you free.
• You must offer to make drinks (preferably Old Fashoined) for Boss Mike and Bosstess Michelle.
• For each mowing or haying event, you must buy dinner for the Boss and Bosstess.
• After completing the aforementioned tasks successfully, you "may" graduate to piloting the John Deere whilst towing either a rake or tedder.
• Obviously, each day on the Deere requires more drinks and more dinners for the bosses!
• Don't ask me how I was able to negotiate such an amazing deal so heavily one-sided in my favor. Hopefully, Boss Mike will never figure it out. 

My Mentor - Mike is "The Man"

The truth about Making Hay While the Sun Shines

Once again, I'm no expert, but I think it goes something like this...
The process of making hay begins by growing a nice stand of grass (Bluegrass in Kentucky). Apparently, there's a science of knowing when to cut and bale during a window of time that allows the hay to be at it's highest nutritional value and maintain its best dollar value as well. Once cut, the weather plays a huge role in the next few days activities. If it lays around too long or gets rained on, it must be teddered or fluffed up before baling. If the weather is cooperative, sometimes the teddering can be skipped. It's interesting to watch as an expert like Mike visits his fields at different times of the day and determines not only what process, but which machine and what time of day is appropriate. During times when rain was imminent, Mike and his crew might bale until midnight to get the best yield possible.

Selfishly, I had a ball just learning the process a little bit better thanks to Mike allowing me to get up close and personal. Hopefully, I was able to help and not just hinder.

A Funny Observation!!

Keep in mind that I've only ridden a tractor once before in my life before Mike's internship. One afternoon I teddered from 1:15pm until 5:45pm non-stop. While riding old John Deere I had my iPhone in my pocket. It has an app entitled Health which, among other things, counts your footsteps and miles walked. Later that same evening, while recuperating, I glanced at said app. It read as follows:

• Walking/Running Distance - 5.4 miles
• Steps                                     11,532
• Flights Climbed                    10 floors

Keep in mind, I did no walking at all that day. The aforementioned data was recorded while the iPhone jostled around in my pants pocket while I teddered some 40 acres of cut hay fields. As they say, "Nothing Runs Like a Deere!" Nobody ever said it was a smooth ride, however. LOL - OMG!

Here's a few photos of Farmer Burton's raking adventures. Thanks, again, Mike!! The drinks and dinner were well worth it.

One of several properties for which Mike processes hay.

Lower left is cut hay - Upper right is hay raked and ready for baling

Mike baling hay that I raked into furrows

Loaded hay wagons awaiting delivery

Livin' Large!!