Friday 9 September 2016

The saga of silaging continued

By about half past three yesterday afternoon the cut grass had dried out and the silage contractors returned to finish their work.   The baler had only gone once round the field before a bearing went and he was broken down again!    I was pretty frantic but the farmer (who after sixty years at the job is pretty used to everything to do with farming) took it in his stride and said it couldn't be helped.

They said they would return this morning by ten-thirty, although the farmer was doubtful that he would get it mended by then.   However, it was a windy night so no dew and by nine this morning the grass was dry and by nine thirty the contractors turned up.   Now it is all baled and wrapped, the contractors have gone and the farmer is leading the bales back to the store in the yard.   He likes to get them in quickly because the crows and the rabbits both like to open up the plastic wrap to get at the contents, then he has to stick tape over the holes.

In the process of stacking them he has lost his penknife - an essential piece of farmer's hardware - so it is down to the Friday's only farm shop (market and cattle market day) to buy a new one.

He found time to take me down for our coffee meeting at The Post Horn and then - for the first time since I was ill- I took my shopping trolley and did my own shopping (up until this week the farmer has done the week-end shop with my list - I do have a major on line shop earlier in the week.)
I found the walking much easier than I anticipated and came home quite elated.

Last night's Buffet supper and talk by the author Gervaise Phynn was a most enjoyable night out - about one hundred and sixty people at a local pub - pleasant buffet meal and then a very amusing after-dinner speaker who kept us laughing non-stop for half an hour.   And friend W took me and another friend E there in her new car, only collected a couple of hours earlier.   Very posh.

Lunch today was fried bacon,tomatoes,eggs. sausage left over from yesterday's lunch and beans.   More like breakfast really but at the end the farmer said 'I really enjoyed that!' - praise indeed from a man who is not all that forthcoming with praise (but then what Yorkshireman is?)

15 comments:

Gwil W said...

Shopping Trolley. Now there's progress!

donna baker said...

I'd swear you never get to just sit and veg out. You are a busy bee Pat. I'd have been upset about the silage too as you seem to have so much rain there, but our tractors and farm equipment always breaks down, more than not.

Yorkshire Pudding said...

With regard to your final question may I say that I thoroughly enjoyed today's post. It was incredibly interesting and written by an erudite and very lovely blogger. Gosh! I wish there were more bloggers around like you Mrs Weaver! Brilliant!

Morning's Minion said...

My husband and I descend from a long line of farmers. Although we left farming in our mid-30's we still have the mindset of country folks--the weather forecast is very important. Breakdowns--isn't there always a truck or tractor to be fixed at an inconvenient time!

Frances said...

Oh Weaver, it's good to learn that on the third day, the baling was completed, and that the Farmer was able to get the bales properly stored. Perhaps the new pen knife made a good reward for all that patience and work.

It's also great to learn that you felt well enough to do that week's end shopping. Even though, the Farmer made a fine deputy, it must have been a relief to get back to the shop.

That lunch sounds good to me, too!

Happy Weekend. xo

Mac n' Janet said...

Glad you enjoyed the talk. Love breakfast for dinner. So good to hear that you're getting around better.

John "By Stargoose And Hanglands" said...

My late father used to lose a penknife most years when stacking bales; they always turned up again when we took the stack down. I now have several knives in various states of wear and disintegration which I've inherited from him.
My mother has some CDs by Gervaise Phinn, I'm not surprised that you had a laughter-filled evening.

Rachel Phillips said...

My yesterday's tongue in cheek remark was well followed today by the farmer's praise for his dinner, the food on the plate being recognisably English.

Simon Douglas Thompson said...

Sounds like a cracking evening, must have been a massive buffer to feed 160 folk. If it's anything like our cricket teas, a massive mess afterwards as well!

Joanne Noragon said...

My granddaughter can eat breakfast for any meal of the day.

Anonymous said...

Relieved to hear the silage is in safe. Dinner sounds good!

angryparsnip said...

Happy to hear the silage is safe and stacked.
We love breakfast for dinner especially if I make Pancakes or French Toast.

cheers, parsnip and thehamish

Alphie Soup said...

Hurray!! The hay's in.

Alphie

thelma said...

Good news all round, you are able to walk more easily, had a lovely evening and the farmer enjoyed a very English breakfast/dinner..

Barbara said...

All in all, it sounds like a successful Friday.
I'm so glad you're finding that walking is easier than expected.
It's always a good feeling to have the harvest finished.And, I'm betting that penknife shows up at some point.