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Friday, November 8, 2013

Amazing


One of the biggest concerns heading into early fall, is making sure you have enough hay for the upcoming winter.  An empty loft in October is nerve wracking.  We've used the same hay man for many years now.  I trusted him when he told me that with the wet summer, our orchard grass hay was going to be late.  He's never let me down.  Still, the first week of November...

I took this picture walking back to the house the other evening after Lewis and his boys (every year a new batch of ag kids from the high school) had delivered and stacked the first load of hay.  

Whew.

Whew!

I glanced over at the setting sun and saw thousands of spider web threads.  The entire yard was covered and the sun glinted off every one.  It took less than two minutes to run to the house and grab my camera, but the sun had already started dropping down behind the trees.  The sun sets (and moon rises) fast if you take a minute to watch.  Even late, with only a few webs still shimmering, I thought it was  amazing.

The yearly hay delivery is a rush.  The rush of relief for us knowing we'll have plenty to feed, the rush of excitement for for the sheep knowing they'll have plenty to eat.  Our older sheep KNOW the hay truck.  Heck, they probably know Lewis himself and enjoy as much as I do hearing about the Kentucky Wildcats, what's going on around town and what we'd all do if we won the lottery...

After the bales are unloaded I scoop off any loose hay remaining on the trailer and toss it into the sheep lot.  As we still have quite a bit of green grass left this fall, it's not yet time to start feeding hay, so it's a special treat for them and I get just as much enjoyment watching them push and shove trying to hoover up every scrap.  

We have a lot of sheep.  Well, to me it's a lot.  We feed a lot of hay.  I remember being a kid with just one horse to support and being able to buy only 20 bales at a time.  Hay is expensive.  Our sheep will need 200 bales this winter.  That's a big check and it still makes me a little weak in the knees to write it.  

This year every bite of hay our sheep will eat has been paid for by calendar sales.

By you.

Every.

Bale.  

And even some of the grain we feed the youngsters and oldsters.

I'm not writing this to brag.  I am writing this to humbly say thank you...with a whole barn full's worth of gratitude.  Not only for all the orders, but also for all the kind emails that came with them.  I had no idea how far our little farm reached and the joy (and sometimes sorrow) that we all are sharing daily here, the sun glinting off each and every one of us.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Love, 

Saint Tim and thecrazysheeplady, Hank, Iris and Weaslie, Betsy, Eli, Comby and Claire Bear, T-Bone and Hickory, Ewen McTeagle, Buddy, Boudreaux, Elizabeth, Jester, Peabody, Popcorn Pee Pee Pants, Ford, Beanie Baby, Emily, Annabelly, Casper Belly, Baby Belly, Billy Belly, Clover Belly, Petunia, Woolliam, Rebecca Boone, Heidi, Henrietta, B. Willard, Daniel Not-Boone, Count Chocula, Hershey, Maisie, Blossom, Lila, Keebler, Graham Lamb, Allie, Mia, Renny and all our guardian angels.




19 comments:

Sandra said...

Hay can be a stress, especially when there is a bad hay year. Thankfully this year was nothing like last year and there is plenty!
I am glad you have your hay in the barn.
How exciting that your calendars paid for it!

Dreaming said...

Oh, I KNOW that feeling - the angst and then the happy replete feeling. Oh, and the smell - yum! I don't blame any of the critters for loving the hay truck!
Congrats on the sales supporting the sheep. Another good feeling!

small farm girl said...

I'm so glad we cut our own hay. There is NO way we could afford buying it all year. Plus the waiting would KILL me. Lol

Tombstone Livestock said...

Congrats on the calendar sales taking care of the hay bill .... Wish I could find a way to cover the cost better, had 80 bales of Alfalfa delievered 2 weeks ago at $13.95 a bale, I was hoping to have some grass to fill in with by now but not yet.

Tombstone Livestock said...

Congrats on the calendar sales taking care of the hay bill .... Wish I could find a way to cover the cost better, had 80 bales of Alfalfa delievered 2 weeks ago at $13.95 a bale, I was hoping to have some grass to fill in with by now but not yet.

Andee said...

That is amazing! All of it from webs to hay to calendar sales. I love all of it!

Alice said...

You count your blessings not in the green of dollars you make but in the farm life for which you are such a good steward. Thank you for sharing your blessings with all of us. We are much richer in so many ways for all you do.

MarmePurl said...


Here's to the Guardian Angles.

amyfibre said...

So glad that your fan club can, in a small way, contribute to the well-being of the farm. Even without the benefit of getting calendar(s), I would pay for the privilege of living vicariously through your stories and beautiful pictures. I appreciate the generosity of time and spirit that you exhibit in sharing your life with us. Hugs to you, Saint Tim, the whole menagerie and guardian angels too.

Christine said...

That's awesome! I know that must feel pretty good, it is such a worry until the hay is in the barn.

Unknown said...

This is such a touching email, and such a nice picture! Thank you for both, to all of you, human and sheepie, doggie, and other 2- and 4-legger farm family members:-).

Michelle said...

This post made me smile and choke up, all at the same time!

Spinners End Farm said...

Good on ya! :)

Stacey said...

We know your feeling of stress worrying about hay. Glad your barn is full! We're of the "buy five bales at a time" crowd, but then, our flock is only four (so far). It's been an excellent year for hay here too. Thank goodness!

The Dancing Donkey said...

Whew! I'd sure be worried if the barn wasn't full of hay. Of course, it's snowing here today.

I love those moments when the light shines on every tiny thread like that. It is so magical as are all the tiny, normally invisible threads that connect all of us. It is so nice when they suddenly become visible.

I'm very glad your barn is full.

Lori Skoog said...

You are set! Good job with the calendars.

Tanmoy Roy said...

You are totally set. Good job!

ROYSFARM

Susan said...

Whew is right! Nice that we can support each other in some small ways. (You support us with wonderful visions) And finally, I get to see all the names of your charges, except the angels and they are always in the 'wings' anyway :)

Unknown said...

Wonderful news!! I'm in my recliner with my cup of coffee and a tissue reading this post.

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