Picking up hay

We buy hay from a close neighbor and we get a discount if we go pick it up out of the field ourselves. Picking up hay often turns into a family affair, and it's something that most of us really enjoy. If the weather is nice, it's just intoxicating to be out in a field of freshly cut and baled alfalfa. The smell is like perfume! The kids love running around the field and watching the equipment. Scott and Maria enjoy the work as well--on this day they didn't want me to spell them as they stacked hay, so I decided to get out the camera. Only Chris dislikes this job--probably because of his allergies. That's why he gets to drive the tractor!

Here they are getting the loader hooked up to the trailer.

Our hay loader sometimes won't pick up bales that are on their sides, so the kids get the job of running ahead of the tractor to flip the bales. They were a huge help that day and they did their job with much enthusiasm.
This can be done with just two people, but it's nicer to have a second hand on the trailer to grab the bales as they come off the loader. Chris and I did it alone the other day and I really had to hustle to get them stacked before the next one came!
You get a break to rest when the tractor turns around for the next row.
The kids finally pooped out and took a break. This is why I always laugh when the kids want to go on hayrides at fairs, etc. because they do it all the time at home!
The last couple of bales. We picked up 86 bales that day, a lovely morning's work. The only bad part is unloading them later.