We hope everyone here in the US had a nice, long Labor Day Weekend last week. We had some sunny, hot weather that gave us a window to do the second (and final) cutting of hay, and we finished up on Monday. Alayne took these photos of me baling the hay. Here’s the rear view:
Here’s Alayne stacking hay on the trailer she drove out to the field:
Our first cutting of hay was over the July 4th holiday weekend, so we don’t know what it is that turns these “holidays” into “haydays.” Alayne and I have now put up 910 bales total for the summer (a bale counter on the baler makes it easier to keep track!).
While we were waiting on the hay to dry after each of the various steps involved during the several day process — the mowing, tedding (turning the cut grass in the field to expose more of it to the sun) and raking –?we were doing the other’tasks this time of year brings. Alayne harvested all the?onions she’d planted, and set them out to dry?in what I call her “onion tower”:
For those that couldn’t fit in the tower, she spread them out on tables to dry:
We also harvested the beans (Vermont Cranberry and Jacob’s Cattle Bean) and Alayne hung them out on these rolling carts to dry, while I had been working on firewood:
We have many more bean plants drying in a room in the back of the barn, so I know two people who are going to spend some winter nights shelling beans in front of the wood stove!
After we finished baling the hay and getting it in the barn on Monday, I dug up the last of the potatoes — the Katahdins — that afternoon. (We had harvested all of the other?potatoes?in the preceding two weeks.) Here’s Darla checking out the potatoes:
She was no doubt thinking, “Hmm, I’d like to have one of these for dinner tonight.” Except she wasn’t thinking about eating an individual potato but the entire basket. That’s my girl.
Alayne’s already put up 40 quarts of green beans in the freezer and dehydrated tray upon tray of zucchinis. (Yes, we enjoy them fresh, too, along with corn and other vegetables.) To add to the bounty, she brought in three bushels of apples this weekend. We still have winter squash, carrots and, weather permitting, one bed of Black Coco dry beans?yet to harvest.
But the haying equipment is parked in the barn until next summer!
Barb Ribinski says
September 14, 2015 at 11:17 amWow, that’s a lot of veggies. Lucky you. Where do you keep the potatoes and how long do they last? Also, making zucchini bread from some of those zucchini and freezing that is a good way to use them, also.
Steve Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 11:43 amBarb, we store the potatoes in the root cellar in the basement. We were still eating last year’s potatoes this July – the Yukon Golds were the best keeper.
Ginette says
September 14, 2015 at 6:02 pmAmazing all the work you did. Congrats on a good season.
Leila King says
September 14, 2015 at 11:52 amYou guys are amazing!! I’m exhausted just reading about all you have to do, but a bit envious of all the fresh produce! Praying you guys stay healthy and strong to continue to do all there is to do.
Miranda says
September 14, 2015 at 1:14 pmDo the horses get any of the carrots?
Steve Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 2:12 pmYes.
Linda says
September 14, 2015 at 1:29 pmA lot of work, and a lot produced! I love seeing all the pictures. Tires me out…… Hope you get a minute to enjoy the bounty and relax!
Philippa says
September 14, 2015 at 1:37 pmThat’s a gorgeous harvest! Thank you for posting the photos. The onions are beautiful – – what kind(s) are they?
Your readers know you folks work hard all year, but this provides an even bigger picture of the toil involved in keeping RDF running. You two are admirable!
Steve Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 2:14 pmThe onions are Dakota Tears and New York Early, with a few Rossa di Milano – a red variety that didn’t do well.
Barb Ribinski says
September 14, 2015 at 3:50 pmOK, that’s totally awesome. I read up on root cellars. It certainly makes sense since they’re been around before refrigeration. One last question – did you build it yourself in the cellar or was it already there when you bought the property? Either way, you are really lucky to have it.
Steve Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 5:23 pmBarb, we built it … just closed in one corner of the basement that already had small windows at the top of each wall, and that became the source for ventilation and cooling.
Tonya Allen says
September 14, 2015 at 4:57 pmThat’s an impressive amount of produce (and hay). Farming is hard work, especially in the summer when everything seems to need to be done at once. I’m glad you had such a good harvest. The onion tower is ingenious. I have that same set of snap-together shelves (several sets, in fact), but I never thought of using them like that. Good to see Darla doing quality control on the potatoes!
Diane Borden, Chehalis, WA says
September 14, 2015 at 6:41 pmWhat a wonderful full life. Wondering with all the haying you do, do you have to buy hay somewhere before the grass starts to grow next spring? So, how many bales do you store up from your hard work? Here in WA, those bales weigh somewhere between 60 and 80 lbs. Glad to see Alayne in a back brace.
Steve Smith says
September 14, 2015 at 7:35 pmDiane, we still have to buy some hay for the horses. Alayne and I put up 910 bales total this summer. They weigh around 40 pounds each on average.
Diane Borden, Chehalis, WA says
September 15, 2015 at 9:26 amWow, 910 X 40 lbs. = 36.4K!!! I can clearly see you two are NOT in need of a gym membership. But it’s way more fun getting your workout this way, and the satisfaction of seeing those 910 bales all tucked away for the winter. Impressive…..to say the least.
Peggy S. and Scooter says
September 14, 2015 at 7:37 pmWow and double Wow. What a great crop! In Florida we don’t have root cellars, or any cellars for that matter because the water table is very high, so Darla and I would have to eat those Taters quick. In the heat we’ve had, we could just set them out in the sun and bake them!
Shirley and James says
September 14, 2015 at 10:12 pmYou two are like the Energizer Bunny on steroids !!!! You truly are farmers and animal rescuers !! SO MUCH ADMIRATION!!!
Barb, Rowdy snd Munchie says
September 18, 2015 at 2:57 pmGREAT photos!!! You folis work hard. Accomplish an impressive amount of goodies to last til next year. My aunt in Wisconsin had a root cellar right under the floor in her kitchen. When I was kid, I would love to go down there with her. See what she had put up. We only saw her at summer vacation time. We’d for the catfish fishing. She had cabin across the street from her cottage on the Wisconsin River. I forget where… this was almost 60 years ago. She served up some great catfish dinners!!!
it’s been a few months , since I have come around, but you’ve been in my thoughts often. Looking forward to reading what your critters are up to. Loved Jake in the hole. That is a funny photo. So glad you share them and your stories. Also, do you send out your blog to interested folks? If so, I’d appreciate being added to your list. Thank you. Am off to catch up on your animals. Have a beautiful autumn. Hugs.
Phyllis Snow says
September 19, 2015 at 1:16 pmYou folks are amazing! Do you get time to sleep? Thank you for all you do for these wonderful waifs. They deserve a special place for all the good things they probably have done and now, for keeping each other company and you folks with lots of laughs and “gee whiz” antics. Phyllis