Lambing time is just around the corner, so I am trying to get the barn ready for the new lambs.
This year, every month seemed to have a major challenge, but what keeps me sane is knowing that we are building systems that will save us tons of work here on the farm.
I can’t wait for the day when there is no more building of systems for the sheep Two years into having sheep, and I can see the light.
This week was also a milestone in a very challenging, wet season. The final pasture of hay was cut, baled and brought into the barn.
The thing about hay that is so challenging is that you need a few days of no rain for the hay to dry properly in order to be baled. This year, it’s rained every third or fourth day, making it impossible to cut hay. And even when you do get a chance, it’s right at the limit of wetness.
Even the weight of the tractor left indents in the field, and other farmers I spoke to said the same thing.
The first cut of hay should have been done in June, so that there would be enough time for the pastures to grow back and give a second cut in the fall.
FYI, hay is super important because it is food for the animals in the winter. Making hay is actually a relatively new innovation that has allowed colder climates to produce much more meat than was done in the past.
It’s actually quite interesting to think that I use a number of machines to collect field plants, store them in a barn on the farm, and then have animals eat this stored-up pasture throughout the year.
