We're haying! Yesterday the Big Field was mowed, and once again Smilie goat got to roam. The grass had been so tall she couldn't see over it. All three goats stayed close to home, they know what's coming next.








The Big Field is about 25 acres that spreads, east to west along the banks of Oregon's Willamette River. Last year I got 1,085 bales, each weighing from 55 to 75 pounds, with a few going to 90 pounds. This year's crop is going to be larger and that means more bales to store.

It's most likely we'll be baling next weekend. I have a crew of teenage boys ready and waiting. It's a long, hot and dusty, two and sometimes three days of work. They'll follow the baler, in a pickup towing a low-boy trailer. When they come to a bale they stack it on the trailer. When they have a load of about 100 bales, they hop on for a ride to the barn where they'll stack the bales to the rafters. I feed them well, keep them hydrated and pay them. Even with all the hard work it's fun and the same boys come back year after year.




Here's my problem. I only need about 800 bales to feed my horsies and I still have about 300 bales of last year's hay left in the barn!

It's grass hay, horse quality and I 'm selling it for what it cost me, $2.50 a bale.

Wish me luck!