One Evening at the Farm

Jeff and I grew up in Upstate New York. Both of our grandparents had dairy farms, so needless to say we both spent our share of time on the farm(s). Unfortunately, because we moved away our children haven't had much of a farm life. But when we do visit New York we try to give them a taste of the 'good life'!

This year we are visiting during HAY SEASON! When we visit at Christmas all they really 'get to do' is shovel snow! ;o)

These pictures are taken at my grandmothers farm. She is 83 and still bales hay! She has been widowed for almost 30 years and has managed to keep her home and 100 acres all these years. My uncle lives next door and they work it together. She has no livestock, just uses the land for hay and corn to sell to other local farmers.

Yes, this is Olivia proving you CAN do farm work in a skirt. lol... That is a hook in her hand that is used for grabbing the bales of hay.

Jeff taught Emma how to drive the Ford tractor, it is a 1951.
This is the same tractor I learned to drive on as a kid.Plan A was to use this baler that kicked the bales out toward the wagon.


Part of being a farmer is to know how to maintain and REPAIR your equipment! All of this equipment is so old it breaks down often, which is the case here!

So...Plan B: Uncle would drive the first tractor with a different baler on. This baler will drop the bales on he ground. The second tractor that Emma was driving with the wagon on it would follow behind...

...and Jeff would pick up the bales and toss them on the wagon.
Yes, Jeff had the short end of the stick on this job, or I guess you could say he got the heavy end of the bale! ;o) Olivia would stack the bales.

I am not allowed to do any heavy lifting, so I was safety monitor and photographer/historian...hey, someone has to record all these memories!
And just for the record, I did drive the tractor near the end of the night, but I won't post those hideous pictures.

Here we are getting it on the elevator and int5o the haymow just before dark.