tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post1751631052401742955..comments2024-03-18T16:37:38.930-07:00Comments on The Weaver of Grass: The Farming YearThe Weaver of Grasshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-51161515646648637972016-08-09T10:38:54.304-07:002016-08-09T10:38:54.304-07:00I miss the rhythms of farm life and the hustle-bus...I miss the rhythms of farm life and the hustle-bustle of getting in the hay and straw. Many times it was just my grandfather and myself; he on the tractor and me stacking on the wagon... an ungainly vessel on a golden sea.<br /><br />It's good to see you feeling a bit more yourself.The Crankyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11482237436135513483noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-36452208079592985262016-08-09T06:33:40.063-07:002016-08-09T06:33:40.063-07:00Rachel points out, quite rightly, that people don&...Rachel points out, quite rightly, that people don't always know the difference between hay and straw. Hay is dried grass, grass which has laid out in the warm sun until it is 'crackly dry' then baled and stored for winter food. Straw is the stalks of any member of the corn family and after it has been harvested it is baled and then sold for winter bedding (many animals also eat it as part of their diet whether they are meant to or not!)<br />Mid life Roadtripper - you did your best with those swallows - when I think of the distance those tiny birds have to fly in only another six weeks or so - they need to bejolly tough.<br />Thanks everyone - all your contributions have helped to get me back to normality.The Weaver of Grasshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13947971556343746883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-76574923253418586072016-08-09T04:05:39.530-07:002016-08-09T04:05:39.530-07:00So happy to see this 'somewhat bck to normal&#...So happy to see this 'somewhat bck to normal' post!Elizabethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03964291132366262298noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-37698625590854326062016-08-08T22:50:59.444-07:002016-08-08T22:50:59.444-07:00How beautiful the straw. I'm a gardener and an...How beautiful the straw. I'm a gardener and an animal lover, but I've always wonder how I would fare as a farmer. I spent today trying to save the lives of the current batch of barn swallows in our dock. Third set this year as the parents arrived early due to an easy winter. Five in the first, four in the second. I've photographed them all. But this third batch of three - not doing so well. Skinny. And today, they were dropping out of the nest in the rafters and falling onto the dock, then into the water. I saved them and put them in places where the parents would find them. One was ready to fly enough to get back to the nest. The other two? I had one in the yard and the parents were feeding him there. But I knew nightfall's predators wouldn't let him be. Back to the dock and in no time, a death in the water. I'd tried to get him back n the nest, but he dropped back out. The third's demise I watched from the cabin.That one was not my fault. I did save one == and I apologize for this long story of my day to you. Feeling bad. We love the swallows that nest in our dock each year and I can't tell you now many photos and how much time I have spent watching them. Perhaps I'd be okay with the plants on a farm, but not so good with the animals.Midlife Roadtripperhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06700277803842883251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-50061388919134850282016-08-08T20:51:46.188-07:002016-08-08T20:51:46.188-07:00All sounds good. My neighbour grew a lot of wheat ...All sounds good. My neighbour grew a lot of wheat (Triticale) this year, and as a result has masses of straw. Goodness knows what she'll do with it.Cro Magnonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06840670227576695352noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-61081949853349474242016-08-08T20:32:20.725-07:002016-08-08T20:32:20.725-07:00Straw.Straw.Rachel Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16053924416805878169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-39454817127880135212016-08-08T16:37:15.942-07:002016-08-08T16:37:15.942-07:00Thank you so much, Weaver, for your timely camera ...Thank you so much, Weaver, for your timely camera grab and the resulting wonderful photo of the arrival of the straw. I am so glad that you are feeling better. I continue to learn so much from your posts and become much more appreciative of a part of Yorkshire I would not otherwise know well.<br /><br />xoFranceshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08352407314710067616noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-36751272238674832682016-08-08T16:02:46.151-07:002016-08-08T16:02:46.151-07:00I love the photo of the beautiful stained glass an...I love the photo of the beautiful stained glass and the golden hay behind it.<br />Two different points of art on nature. Both lovely.<br /><br />cheers, parsnip and thehamishangryparsniphttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17236094827257446781noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-89175571464843895812016-08-08T15:49:13.437-07:002016-08-08T15:49:13.437-07:00Much straw has been baled here in my part of the w...Much straw has been baled here in my part of the world as well. Corn is suffering due to the very high heat and lack of rain. I love the beautiful golden colour of the fields after they are combined. -Jenncoffeeontheporchwithmehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17618627688821849806noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-91115946267577217862016-08-08T14:04:35.497-07:002016-08-08T14:04:35.497-07:00On our little mini farm we are getting ready for w...On our little mini farm we are getting ready for winter have now secured all our hay for feeding, straw for bedding and wood for the fires Dawnhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05213759909336433460noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-15556132453790826072016-08-08T14:02:33.618-07:002016-08-08T14:02:33.618-07:00I'm big on continuity, and your farm life post...I'm big on continuity, and your farm life posts are pleasant.Joanne Noragonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16601010208310707750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-57777298343230049652016-08-08T13:56:44.952-07:002016-08-08T13:56:44.952-07:00Noticed on my run today that the fields have been ...Noticed on my run today that the fields have been harvested here too. This year has rocketed by. Sad.Simon Douglas Thompsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16331409652996600049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-745449538280686232016-08-08T13:45:26.220-07:002016-08-08T13:45:26.220-07:00I like your photo - the black and gold- the dramat...I like your photo - the black and gold- the dramatic effect. Gwil Whttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03305768121713053837noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-69526315780746569582016-08-08T13:44:45.475-07:002016-08-08T13:44:45.475-07:00It has a wonderful colour, doesn't it! Thank y...It has a wonderful colour, doesn't it! Thank you for reacting so quickly and taking a picture as the straw was brought in. I hope your quick reaction also means you are much better.Librarianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05704656564078750607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-60008675389348584412016-08-08T13:35:29.187-07:002016-08-08T13:35:29.187-07:00I find it comforting that the farming year has suc...I find it comforting that the farming year has such a regular rhythm. That load of straw is beautiful and makes me think of the fairytale of Rumplestiltskin! Your piece of stained glass needs no apologies - it's lovely.<br />Good news about the hedgehogs. I haven't heard as many this year but I have been going to bed earlier owing to much busier days recently.<br />Hope you are continuing to make steady progress and beginning to get back to normal.Heatherhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06826501916623305535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-64314098440753626692016-08-08T13:19:16.110-07:002016-08-08T13:19:16.110-07:00We haven't seen any hedgehogs this year. Even ...We haven't seen any hedgehogs this year. Even prickly Pete "our" hedgehog has not made an appearance. It really is quite worrying. Glad to hear about yours.<br />GillxFrugal in Derbyshire https://www.blogger.com/profile/10221169113482164565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-24872356850062695762016-08-08T13:00:05.747-07:002016-08-08T13:00:05.747-07:00I like the piece of stained glass at the window. ...I like the piece of stained glass at the window. I think it rather enhances the photo.Suehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10787732343048847565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-36952110113306890952016-08-08T12:50:40.144-07:002016-08-08T12:50:40.144-07:00Lovely update on farming life - makes me think you...Lovely update on farming life - makes me think you are now feeling better Pat which is great.<br /><br />The hedgehog news is wonderful - those little guys/gals always seem to be dropping in numbers according to what I read, and they need to be cared for as they are so cute and special. . . . . . .just wish we had them here!Maryhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11915239653283205065noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-10711907784182302762016-08-08T12:25:53.054-07:002016-08-08T12:25:53.054-07:00I enjoy reading about your farming life across the...I enjoy reading about your farming life across the pond. It's very interesting, Pat.<br /><br />LindaTerry and Lindahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11016496778254072639noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-5320190253428951872016-08-08T11:59:18.603-07:002016-08-08T11:59:18.603-07:00A lovely little portrait of summer in the Dales Pa...A lovely little portrait of summer in the Dales Pat. Down here the wheat and barley fields have been ready for cutting for a couple of weeks, just been waiting for the combines to get round to them all. Next year's rape seed is already being sown as well. Cattle that have been out with the bulls for a couple of months have just been scanned to check on conception success. Derek Faulknerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05140363868104172311noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-80958976795194987532016-08-08T11:56:28.012-07:002016-08-08T11:56:28.012-07:00I wonder if it is straw from Norfolk; there are se...I wonder if it is straw from Norfolk; there are several straw merchants around here and I have seen the lorries loaded and setting off somewhere. Fresh straw has a wonderful smell.Rachel Phillipshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16053924416805878169noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-280582018791422638.post-34726376431756433882016-08-08T11:46:16.653-07:002016-08-08T11:46:16.653-07:00There's natural rhythm to a farming year, a rh...There's natural rhythm to a farming year, a rhythm that is sadly ignored in most other forms of work.Yorkshire Puddinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06019673884543913089noreply@blogger.com