You think you're hot??????

I'll bet dollars to donuts, you've got nuthin' on these guys!

It's "real time" on the farm and this is what is going on....right now.....as I type.  I take it you can figure out that since I am posting this, I am not involved in this fun farm activity.  You'd be right.  I have 2 reasons for not helping:  1) I am an asthmatic.  This- well, it would send me to the ER, I'm pretty sure.  And B) someone had to take care of the calves.  And 3) well.....it's just stinkin' hot.  Ok, I have 3 reasons....and I bet I could come up with a ton more if you need me to.

Most of the summer is spent preparing for winter.  So, all hands are on deck and we are bringing in the straw.  We'll use this for bedding for the calves and for our horses. 

Here's how it goes down:  (and bare with me, cuz I am unfiltered right now) The Dairy Farmer runs out to the field with an empty hay wagon.  I guess, technically, it's not empty, because Jr Edition is in the back (giving his momma heart palpitations).

Meanwhile, as The DF is unloading his full wagon, they are out in the field, filling up another wagon.



Once The DF gets to the field, they trade wagons and he leaves the empty one for a refill and brings back the full one.....hope he remembered to bring Jr back with him.

Thank goodness.....I see him.  Jr is beside himself when he gets to work with The Dairy Farmer.  He has finally reached the age of accountability.  The age where he can hang on tight, do what he's told and not run off chasing butterflies.  As soon as he caught wind that it was straw baling day, he was up in the barn with the guys, despite the fact that he's in a walking boot due to a chipped ankle bone.  You just can't keep a good man down.

Once,  The DF gets back with the full wagon, he unhooks it and the guys start pulling it in to the barn.

He swings around quickly and gives it a bit of a shove with the tractor.  We don't want our hard working fellas to end up with a hernia.

In Jr's excitement, he shoves The Dairy Farmer out of the tractor so they can hurry up and start unloading. 

WARNING:  GRATUITOUS ASS SHOT COMING UP!

Sorry....that was very Pioneer Woman.  It wasn't intentional, I promise....but this is how it goes.  The DF rides the conveyor to the top of the straw stack so he can help unload.

And there they are......a few guys throw bales on the conveyor and a few guys stack at the top.  They've been doing this all the livelong day....and it's hot and it's humid.  They are sweaty and the more they sweat, the more straw sticks to them.  They have straw in every nook and cranny.....their pockets are full of straw, their boots are full of straw.....and I don't know if you know this or not, but straw is VERY dusty and VERY itchy.   I don't envy them one bit.  But, it needs to be done.    And once the wagon is empty, the whole process starts all over again.  So, if you think you're hot today, c'mon over and we'll show you what hot really is.