Summertime

We cut the alfalfa, and since then it's been overcast and cold.  This is not the weather you need to dry your hay.  The sun just came out this afternoon ... and it was a mad rush!  All at once, the farmers in the area got out and started chopping.  There was farm rush hour on our road!

Why can't you chop wet alfalfa?  Because it would get all gummed up in the machinery and not be the best quality feed for the cattle.  You try to harvest it at the right combination of moisture and yield.  This cutting, the weather is not fully cooperating.  When it dried today finally ... it was really dry!  Tomorrow will be another full day of chopping.

In other farm news, we have 44 calves out on pasture now, as we're filling up the barn with all the newborns.

And with the end of summer and vacations, scheduling is crazy for Kris and everyone.  We are so fortunate to have our great team members.

***

Today a crew came out to shoot a video about fresh food availability in Michigan, and they wanted a farming perspective.

It's always interesting talking to people about their jobs - they liked asking about our farm, and I liked asking about video production!  

They took some video of the boys, and I'm sure there won't be audio.  If there were, it would have captured this conversation - Cole and Ty want the same calf to show in 4-H.  After much negotiation, Cole traded Ty two of his toys for her.  They really have the bartering system down pat.

The people were delightful and had lots of questions about the farm.  (One I got twice was - what happens to cows when they don't give any more milk?  Answer - we sell them for meat, so they get eaten typically as hamburger.)

When they were leaving, Karen said, "I want to live on a farm!"  Matt said that his son would be torn - he loved tractors, but he hates the smell.  If only they'd been here later, when the air was full of the sweet, delicious smell of fresh-cut alfalfa.  It makes up for the manure!

My boys, on the other hand, are incredibly used to being on the farm.  So today we took a different tour - at TechSmith, where I used to work!  My friend Jim showed them around the office and they were duly impressed.

I asked if they wanted to work in an office, and Cole said yes, but in a skyscraper.  Ty said he wanted to work outside.  I said you don't have to choose just one - you can pick both.

As soon as Kris started chopping at home, they begged to go with him.

More chopping, more farming, more public relations tomorrow!  Let's hope for dry weather and good smells.

If you want to know more, you can like my farm page on Facebook, follow @carlashelley on twitter, or get the posts sent to your email by filling out the form on the right. If you have any questions, please email carla.wardin@gmail.com!