It’s very Interesting!

What one see’s over the back fence.  When we purchased our new property a few weeks ago there were about 30 head of cattle grazing the paddocks over our back fence.  On returning from Tongariro we found that the paddocks were empty.  In the meantime the grass has been growing longer and longer and some of it decided that our backyard was worth investigating as it crept under the fence.  Derek was cursing as he looked at all the weeds taking hold and was reluctant to spray to kill it off in case the cattle returned.  Well no need, on Friday along came a tractor and cut it all down.

Hay bails in the paddocks behind the house.

Goody he said “ that saves me a job”.  Unfortunately they didn’t cut right along the fence line so we still had the invading grass under the fence, nothing for it but to spray. The birds were happy too as they returned to hunt for seed and insects.  A couple of days later a tractor returned with a hay rake and turned it all over to dry. 

Double stacking the bails in readiness for loading.

Yesterday afternoon a tractor with a much bigger machine arrived to rake the hay together in readiness for the bailer. The latter arrived a short time later to start the bailing process producing 64 bales. Once finished the bailer was parked in the corner of the paddock and the tractor driver started stacking the bales 2 high using the tines on the front of the tractor. Early last evening a truck arrived and was immediately loaded with 30 bales closely followed by a smaller truck which took another 18 bails. 

Loading begins.

At this point the tractor driver locked up his vehicle and hopped into the small truck. The vehicle sat in the middle of the paddock for about 10 minutes in which time some discussion must have taken place as the two drivers changed places with the truck driver now taking control of the tractor. The 2 trucks departed with the tractor driver double stacking the last few remaining bails. Half an hour later the first tractor returned with a 2 axle trailer in tow on which they managed to squeeze the last remaining 16 bails. They just managed to beat the rain by a few minutes, how lucky was that?

A tricky manoeuvre to place a bail on its side in the middle of the truck.Four high each side with 2 in the centre.

It was just as well because today has been very wet with constant rain which wouldn’t have done the hay much good had it been left out.