Tractor Driving-Hay Feeding Farm Girl

Mel and I decided it would be a good idea for me to know how to feed round bales of hay using the tractor just in case he needed to be gone or if he should be sick.  My great teacher, Farmer Mel, instructed me on what to do.

In the tractor ready to begin my lesson

Whew, made it to the bale of hay without running over anything!

Now I'm ready to "fork the hay" with the spikes.

 If there should be some daring "farm-want-to-be" ladies who want to know just how to do it, then here are the step by step directions from this "tractor driving-hay feeding farm girl":
After getting in the tractor, start the engine, raise the hay spikes off the ground with the front end gear adjust the amount of speed power,  press on the gas pedal and "off you go"!  Just be aware of your surroundings and don't run over anything!  Aim for the hay bales.

Once you reach the hay bale, raise the spike to the correct height (about 3/4 up on the bale and "fork it"! Depending on the lay of the land you may need to put the tractor in 4-wheel drive since the weight is on the front-end you don't want to sit there spinning your back tires.  Do that and then press on the pedal for reverse.  The height of the hay bale in front of you may be needed to be lowered so that it is fairly close to the ground to enable you to see where you are going - quite an important fact to remember!!  Back up, turn around and head toward the hay bunker. 

 Before you arrive at the hay bunker, stop, climb out of the tractor, cut the netting on the hay bale with a utility knife, unwrap the netting to the ground, climb back in the tractor and complete the trip to the hay bunker.  Later gather up the netting so that it is not left for the cows to become entangled in it.

 Being the amateur, I climbed out of the tractor (again) and checked how close I was to the bunker.  I needed to be close enough, but not run over it.  Practice helps me to know the proximity I need to be (according to by darling teacher and I agree).  Climb back in the tractor (Wow! a great way to get your leg exercise - why not accomplish two things with one action!!) and either get closer or raise the lever for the height of the bale to be over the bunker and then tilt the lever and DUMP!

 Time to cheer!!  I did it just fine and managed to get the bale in the bunker.  Adjust the lever for the spike then back up from the bunker, turn around and head back to the barn.  One cow couldn't wait to get a nibble of hay.

 Here I go back to the barn and maneuver around the cows eating  the droppings from the bale after the netting was cut.  Farmer Mel would not be happy if I happened to run over a cow.  Neither would I!!
These cows were too busy munching to notice a "new driver in the pasture" driving the tractor.

These did notice and did take off.  My trusty camera and I were not fast enough to catch them moving to another patch of hay.
Return back to the barn (believe it or not I did drive  through 2 gates successfully) and park the tractor.  My sweet darling teacher was very proud of me and my "tractor driving-hay feeding job.
I feel very honored that Mel trusted me with the tractor.  He does not let just anyone drive it! 
(Maybe I should re-think that - could he have been using psychology to make be feel honored and entice me to want to learn the tractor and hay feeding steps?) 
Regardless we now have more than one in our family that can  feed the hay with the tractor!!

Meet Freckles!

Meet Freckles, our new horse.  When you look at her coat, you can see all the red specks with the gray background.  She did not officially have a name so Freckles seemed a good choice.

 You can see why Freckles seemed appropriate for her.

We exchanged Trinket for Freckles.
Trinket had an issue of not wanting to be by herself.  If she couldn't see our other horse, Rosebud, she would run like a wild creature around the pasture.  Mel was concerned that she would try to go over a gate or through a fence and hurt herself.  Also, we did not feel comfortable with the grandkids on Trinket.  After talking to Phyllis at Greener Pastures, the horse rescue facility, all agreed it would be better for us to trade horses. 
Freckles is so sweet natured.  After getting her home Mel and I both rode her.  She handles very well and is great for an amateur like myself and for the grandkids.

I'm saying, "Whoa" here (in the barn on my terms, not hers).

PEC Day

Saturday was PEC Day in Ada. Every September PEC gives each member a check based on a percentage of usage for the past year and a gift.  This year the gift was a pie plate, apron and pot holder. A recipe could be turned in and the gift for next year's meeting will be a cookbook comprised of the members' recipes.

The program we presened to receive our check and gifts.  It automatically entered us for drawings for prizes.  Unfortunately we didn't win anything.

Pontotoc County Agri-plex where the meeting was held

Food and craft booths

Naturally we cannot pass up a food booth!  Mel and I shared a cinnamon loaf with lots of icing.  Yum!

Mel has to sample to make sure it is good enough to eat!

Grammy with her 2 friends

Blake accompanied Macie during 2 of her songs.

The pie plate, apron and pot holder

Mel and I had a good time.  We enjoyed 4 different performing groups  - Macie Snowden, A Servant's Heart, The Perrys and Southern Sonlight.

Jett Is On the Farm

Jett came to the farm so it was time for hours of fun and activity plus we did schoolwork in between our fun times.  Some of the things he did:

The swing - Jett found a way to stand on the ledge, get in the swing and then take off.

Playing with the cats - Jett sure likes cats.  His favorite is Bandit which allows Jett to hold him in any form or fashion.

 Jett with Midnight

Riding horses bareback

 I love this picture with Jett's hand on Grandpop's shoulder!

Petting the horses

Feeding

"Man talk" while walking out to check the cows

Gathering Eggs

Jett is trying to show-off the egg but Boots, the cat, is getting his loving rub against

Jett's leg.

Latching up the door where the nests are

Corralling the  chicken that was "out of the pen"

Climbing

On the hay

Visiting with Grandpop at the barn

The comfy chair that swivels all the way around - fun for kids and adults!

Using the "snitcher - snatcher" as Jett called them

Somehow Jett's hat ended up under the trailer ( I think he was trying to get Boots, the cat, out from under the trailer and throwing the hat at him would cause Boots to come out.).  The "snitcher - snatcher" was just what he needed to retrieve his hat.

A big milestone - training wheels come off Jett's bike!

Schoolwork - Grandmom becomes a teacher again!

Painting

Bandit, the cat, is right in the  midst of Jett's painting.

Adding designing touches to Grandmom's flowerbed

Jett has his  "treasure rocks" that he has gathered.  He decided to add a design to the edge of my flowerbed.

Building with Lego's

A dragonfly on a flower - pretty creative!

Grammy Visits

After going to the Senior Citizens' Center Grammy stopped to visit.  She had some goodies for Jett - card puzzles, word game cards, candy and a notebook with a pen.  The notebook became Jett's "Secret Spy Book"!!

 Jett is writing in his "Secret Spy Book"

Jett commented that 4 days on the farm was not long enough -  a week was better; however, he was glad to see his Mom when we met in Norman. 

A fun 4 days with Jett!!!