Hay + Snow = A Lot More Work

So a week ago this past monday, we finally saw our first snow, and boy did it ever snow....

Ok it we didn't get near as much snow as we did a few time last year, but it sure did come down hard at times.

This was one of the first groups that we fed that morning and it was sure comin' down hard at this point.

I will say that all the pics in this post are a mixture of Monday though Friday pics....

and everyday was a little different.

I know there are people all around that get so excited about it when it snows cause....

A) They get to stay home from school

B) They get to stay home from work

C) It beautiful out side

D) They get to make a snowman

E) They get to make a snow angle

F) They get to go sledding

G) They are CRAZY

As you might have guessed I am not a huge fan of the snow. It just causes more work for use around here, and when you add the freezing temps it's even worse!!

Cattle chores take twice as long in the snow, cause we have a lot more that we need to get done.

Ya first must get the net wrap off the bales...

 

This takes some pulling and...

 

Some tugging but...

 

If you're not careful than you might get sprayed buy the snow....

I some times think he does this on purpose.

The easiest thing to do with that bale is drop it on the ground and throw a bale ring over it.

 

Sometimes it gets a little crowded around the hay bale and when there is all this snow on the ground we like to throw some hay on the ground to give the little calves something to eat and a good place to lay down.

 

Since we don't have a bale un-rolling bed on our truck we have to peel a little off at a time...

 

And by we I mean ME...

I pretty sure the only reason Caleb brings me a long is so I will get back there and do this and he can stay in the warm truck cab....

I know I have such a sweet husband, you don't have to tell me...

 

Actually it's not to terrible as long as the wind doesn't blow the hay back in my face.

 

Once we have I have gotten the bale down to a smaller size we will drop it off the back of the truck.

 

Usually I will lay on the bale to give it some extra weight and make sure it comes off. It can get kinda crazy back there when the bale doesn't want to budge...

 

but hey this is my cloest thing to a ride on a sled.

Some times it doesn't hurt to get some extra help.

 

Poor Jasper just not quite big enough to make it up there with us...

 

So with a little help from daddy he made it up there and we got to have our picture taken.

This was taken on Friday and as you can see from my lack of bibs It was a lot warmer!!

Once the bale is one the ground we get to use a big ol' muscels and roll it out the rest of the way by hand...

 

And we are usually followed closely by the Lady's.

When you get to the end of the bale it sometimes just eaiser to kick the bale rather and push it.

 

The Lady's love it when we un-roll the hay for them, it makes them feel special.

 

Now sometimes are job is a little eaiser...

 

Enter "Mr. George," he is one of our bulls.

 

George has a lot of pent-up anger which....

he likes to take it out on the bales...

This wouldn't be so bad if he would roll the bale the correct direction, but that's not the case here.

 

Now once he got it goin' the next day....

 

He did a lot better.

And when he was finished the bale was a lot smaller and a lot easier to handle.

Now if you want to talk about super easy....

Then just use the tractor and loader. This way you don't have to lift any of those heavy  hay rings.

So there ya have it that how it works around here when it snows, and since it snowed on us again the other night, you now know what our day yesterday was like only you must add in our chore truck breakin' down in the middle of choring and having to be pulled back to the shop.

Well I had better get back at it. I hope ya all have a great weekend.

Later,

JP