Most of the regulars at Tau House know that I'm up in Ohio being a farmer and landscaper for my regular 5 month stint. We've just finished getting in our first cutting of hay and I thought I'd share a few photos. Haymaking is prayer for me. Instead of beads on a rosary I have row after row of hay to deal with. With each row I call to mind a different person.
So here's the process... The machine below is called a haybine. It cuts the grass at its base. It only cuts it once (not like a lawnmower). It then pushes the hay through those big black rollers where it is crushed and bent so that it will dry more easily. It then spits it out the back.
On the 2nd day of the process the hay is "tedded". This machine spins around and turns the hay over so that what is still wet is exposed to the sun for a day or so.
On the 3rd day, the hay is raked back into rows and then the baler picks it up, compresses it, cuts it into rectangles, and spits it out the back. Our baler has a "kicker" on the back which throws the bales into the wagon that is attached behind the baler.
In the video below you'll see my faithful coworkers who accompany me in the tractor. They make sure the wheels keep going around!
Video
