Sunday, June 23, 2013

Rakin' and Rollin'

Today has been a long day. Hubby raked and rolled the field of hay today. He started early and ended late.


                     As you can tell in this picture, the hay rake rakes the hay toward the left.


He goes one way down the field and then turns around and comes back. The rake makes, what we call, windrows.


     You don't want to make them too wide because it has to fit into the pick up of the hay roller.



                                          This is Hubby with the big tractor and the hay roller.



                                                   He goes down the windrows.



The roller has little teeth that catch the hay that is in the windrows, and picks it up into the roller.



Here's a picture of inside of the roller.  The bars that run horizontal, roll around and around and form the round bale of hay. Hubby just drives and picks up more hay, making the roll of hay bigger and bigger.


                Then he reaches back and winds up the roll with twine as it is being turned in the roller.



        When that's done, Hubby pulls a leaver and the back of the roller opens up and the bale comes out.





It's fascinating to watch sometimes, just not when it's 95f  outside. If anyone asks, I'll be in the air condition sipping an ice tea.

So until next time,

Small Farm Girl,  ice tea sipper.


4 comments:

Mary said...

Fasinating. Thanks for theexplanation and great pictures. Sart gal staying in the air conditioning when you get the chance. :))

Andrea said...

Girl, you need to get shopping for a second small tractor so you can rake and he can bale!

Frank and Fern said...

I have discovered and am enjoying your blog. I have linked you to our site: http://thoughtsfromfrankandfern.blogspot.com/
What comes after the hay is finished? I look forward to reading more.
Fern

small farm girl said...

Mary...I consider myself the smart one. hehehehe

Andrea....I would rake. I have before. But, Hubby is so picky about how it's raked that I let him do it.

F and F... Thank you! I just might have to do a post on us putting it in the barn. Thanks for the idea!!!