Thanks to the generosity of one the farm's really good friends, Paul Spanier we now have a new piece of equipment. For those who might not know, this is a small square baler. If you haven't ever worked behind one then let me tell you what a treat it is. I will do my best to paint a vivid picture. Imagine it is a very hot summer day. See you can only bale when the hay is perfectly dry so that means when the sun is at max power. As the baler works its way through the field it spits out roughly 80 pounds bales every 20 feet or so. Each of these bales has to be picked up and then stacked on a flat bed that will take them back to the barn for storage. The lifting and pitching of the bales doesn't get hard until you get to the 3rd row up on the rack. Now you're tossing them over 6' in the air. Each row will add two more feet to the total distance in the air that you will need to toss these bales. Arguably the best part, now that you are tossing them in the air, all the chaff from the bale dumps on you and because you're gasping for air and covered in sweat you inhale and wear a thick coating of itchy, dusty chaff. And all this is just for the first load! So who would like to come and volunteer this summer?
Really it isn't that bad. Growing up on the farm making hay as we called it was a time when neighbors still got together to help each other out. On our farm it was also when Dad would hire town kids to come out and help so that meant there would be a little more excitement to the job than if it were just us. Baling also formed a bit of a rite of passage you might say. As a kid your job was simple, maybe just bring water to the workers. As you grew you might get to drive the tractor or toss down the bales from the rack once it was back at the barn. To really be considered a worker you had to buck bales. It was a job that quickly weeded out the pretend tough. I still look back and find it fascinating how some big muscle bound guys would only last a rack or two before throwing in the towel and you'd have a farm girl or young kid gut it out and make it the whole day.
Wagner Farm's baler comes to us from Gangloff Farm in Chester, Il. Julie and Tim were good enough to deliver the baler. They found a little humor in the fact that the baler went from the rural lands of southern Illinois to the crowded confines of Chicago. If all goes according to plans, (which never really happens) we should be making hay in less than a month. Be watching for that post. Again, if you want to lend a hand let me know. We are always in need of "the willing". Thanks again, Paul.
