What Comes After Hay Season?

Hay season has come and gone. To me it seems like it was shorter this year than it was last year. Part of this is because the hay fields produced less hay this year. Another reason is that some of the CRP that was coming out this year was sprayed or burned instead of hayed.  All the same, we find all the hay ground that was going to be cut this year had been cut and baled. Tom finished in the baler over the weekend.

What comes after hay season? Harvest.

Let me tell you, there is definitely a buzz about harvest in the air everywhere you go. People comparing the ripeness of their crops and discussing who has and who hasn't started cutting yet. It seems like once someone starts cutting in the area, all the farmers feel like they need to be cutting and they are already behind. In some cases, people start cutting even before their  crop is ready to be cut.  They just get that itch and need to start I guess.

Jeff and I had a busy weekend in Bozeman this past weekend, attending the bachelor/bachelorette parties of some friends. It was a fun weekend and great to see some friends and family we don't see very often.  Now that we are back, we are in full on GET-READY-FOR-HARVEST mode.  Good thing we got off the farm for a few days when we could, because now it is unlikely we will leave the area again until after harvest is over, unless a chance rain shower should cause a delay.

Jeff and I went on a crop tour last night.  We evaluated the winter wheat and the peas for ripeness and determined that both probably could have been cut already, especially the peas. So now it is game on. Get ready for harvest as fast as you can. Don't delay a moment!

The guys have been busy today preparing grain bins to be filled with wheat and also prepping the combine.  I have to admit, when I see the combine out of the shed and being worked on, even I get a little excited. I guess it didn't take long to turn me into a farm girl!

All things considered, what I am most excited about is cutting our first crop on the land Jeff and I are renting.  Truly, it looks like a great crop. It is so encouraging in our first year of farming together to see the golden harvest looming on the horizon.