Haying Season - The Idaho Rancher's Wife

Haying on the Ranch

August 11, 2014 by Allison

The Rancher is out baling tonight. I told him that I was going to bed… but I have some pictures that just need to be put. Its 10:30 pm and he’s out baling, while I’m in bed writing about it.

We started second crop last week, slowly. We have been blessed rain this week. Not a lot, but enough to slow down progress. We did have a little hay down-its what happens when the weather man cries wolf too many times. He says that its going to rain, it doesn’t, we cut hay. Most of the time that works out but not this week.

94.7% of the time we have to work around Mother Nature’s unplanned schedule. We work around the storms, rake and clean up after the wind, and bale at night when the dew is on (or should be on… Its why I never have baling pictures!). We could just do it when things are convenient. The boys would get a lot more sleep, but we believe in doing things right. Even when Mother Nature tries to throw a kink in the mix.

Changing Sprinklers with The Rancher’s Wife (because I LOVE it!)

May 20, 2014 by Allison

My high school summer work was working for a neighbor on his ranch (no surprises, right?). Every morning we would start the day moving the wheel lines and a few hand lines. I loved it. Every part.

I’m not really sure why- maybe it was knowing that the work we were doing was growing the hay we would harvest. Maybe it was doing a job that I could do well. I would say that it was playing in the water, put at that time in the morning the water was COLD. I actually wonder if I didn’t love it because it was one of the times that my OCD-ness really came in handy- straight wheel lines, unplugged nozzles, the birds standing upright…

It has its bad moments- like when you have to get the heavy mover through the ditch and you fall in. Ya… not so cool. Or you have a riser blow its top, continually. In fact, I have an Instagram buddy say Irrigation=Irritation. So true.

But still… I loved and still love moving sprinklers. And The Rancher loves that I love it. Its not too hard to hard to get me to come help and make the work go a little faster (isn’t that what every rancher wants in a wife?). Thankfully, he does it in the evenings when I can help out (and not egg cold!). He’ll go in one direction to work on a line while I turn off another. We jump between the different lines to get them drained, moved and the pressured up again. Of course along the way there are seals to fix, drains and nozzles to replace, or lines to wash out. It seems that something always needs a little fixing…

Doing this together for a few years we have learned a few things- bring the bag of tools, have a stash of oil and gas, and always wear water boots- even when you shouldn’t be in the water… because Murphy’s Law is a part of changing sprinklers!

** Funny side note- when I asked The Rancher’s Sidekick what I should title this post he said, “Um… Lemonade!” Yes, it is a sprinkler changing, lemonade sippin’ spring day at our house. Summer is on its way!

Putting up the Grain

July 25, 2013 by Allison

Remember this spring when I posted pictures of the newly sprouting grain? Well it has sprouted, grown, been swathed, raked, and baled. I was super lucky to get a few snaps before it all ended up in the stack yard.

There is something about men that when you say, “Tell me when you are going to ____ (fill the blank with whatever) let me know so that I can take some pictures.” that it totally escapes them. Cowboy Pete had just started swathing the last field when The Rancher called to say that if I wanted to get any picture it had to be NOW. But I must admit, I am grateful that he called. I really should give him a break because coming out to take pictures is a new thing this year. And I know that when there is a job to get done the work must go on, even if the picture taker isn’t ready.

Sadly, I didn’t get any of the baling… Yep we missed that… You will have to look forward to it next year.

Here is the grain, just sprouting.

And here it is again as it is being cut down.

This is a crazy photo but I was trying to show just how tall it had grown. But several factors kept it from turning out how I would have liked. And it was too tall to get all of it if I took the shot from the ground like a did for the springtime picture.

First Crop

June 25, 2013 by Allison

We are full swing into our first crop of haying this summer. And the way that summers go it means that everything else is coinciding with it.

Rancher Sr was able to take a few days for a camping trip with his family (which meant that Cowboys Pete and E were gone). And The Rancher had church responsibilities to tend to a few nights. But the ever faithful Rancher’s Wife was here! Actually I did get a chance to help out. The Little Cowgirl and I got to rake(!) while The Rancher moved water and The Boss was in the swather.

(The Rancher has heard it SO many times, but don’t you think that it is AWESOME that he married a wife that not only knows how to drive a tractor and rake but also LOVES to do it!)

I have yet to get out to get pictures of the swather… Sorry… I know you are really disappointed. And I don’t have any picture of raking because I was the one doing the raking! And… The Rancher bales REALLY early in the morning (like 5 am!) or in the dark when I can’t get a picture so none with the baler…

But I do have some pictures of hauling them out!