Timing is Everything

When the stars line up
  And you catch a good break
     People think you're lucky
        But you'll know its Grace
             It can happen too fast
                  Or a moment late
                                          Timing is everything!

                                                                                                                                             -Trace Adkins

It’s true.  Timing is EVERYTHING. 

Every aspect of agriculture is subject to many factors beyond our control, making it a challenging, faith-building way of life. Since we have no control over the weather, and forecasters are only able to give their best guess at a prediction, haymaking season is always a gamble for all those involved.

For our very small operation, buying hay is our best option.  However, that puts us in the uncomfortable position of being at the mercy of the weather AND knowing that we’re dependent on the skills and timing of others. I always feel a big sense of relief when that first load of hay makes it to the barn for the winter season.

Haymaking takes a stretch of several dry days in order to cut, dry, rake and bale the hay.  We haven’t seen too many dry days lately. If hay is “washed” (that’s how one of my farmer friends refers to his hay that gets rained on) the nutrition level drops, the possibility of mold increases and it just makes a difficult job even more time-consuming.

We’ve bought hay from one of the neighbors for more years than I can count.  He and his wife are some of the dearest folks I’ve ever met and getting hay is always more than a little entertaining as they tell tales on one another. 

Somehow, they hit the window of opportunity just right and got the hay cut and baled and in their hay barn before the rain.  The fact that when it did rain, the outer row of bales on the wagon got a little wet (it didn’t quite fit all the way in the barn) didn’t matter too much. Those will dry.  There was a load of hay for us...that was the important thing.

We picked up the hay wagon and hauled it down Mbrook Road.  One nice thing about buying “local”, we don’t have to haul it far!

The view from the top of the hay wagon was spectacular.  But, those big clouds were building…

Did I mention that it has to be HOT as well as dry during hay season? 

It was hot up there on that wagon, and I’m certain that the Boss was just as hot stacking the bales in the barn.

Hay stacked, lunch eaten, we headed out to return the hay wagon.  The clouds were lowering and darkening as we drove through the field to leave the wagon in the appropriate place.

this hay got "washed"

Shortly after we arrived home, the rains began again.

But, the hay is safe in the barn.

‘cause   Timing is everything!

While we can take absolutely no credit for it (nor can anyone else)…it does make me incredibly thankful on this Thursday.

Hay is a beautiful thing!