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By: Jim Fitzpatrick |
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Email: jim@nunica.com |
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Local Farmer in Polkton Township writes for the Coopersville Observer. |
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Along Brandy Creek By Jim Fitzpatrick
The Coopersville Observer June 27, 2005- - No. 53 |
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The twelve acre field lays long, rectangular and flat along the "North Road". Good soil, well drained - makes for the perfect farmer's field of hay. At full growth by the end of May, it is time to get the work done. All you need is a few days of good weather. The cutting machine is all tuned up for the job. The mixture of alfalfa and grasses is laid flat on that piece of ground in hopes of no rain ahead. And then, the weather woman changes her tune! Says, "maybe a little rain tomorrow", now that she has thought it over a bit more. Too late, the crop is half dried out. The farmer watches the sky through the day, keeps his ear tuned to the open window through the night. Just one more day of sunshine and those little square bales of green will be loaded onto wagons headed for the barn.
The work along 88th Avenue becomes somewhat of a social gathering at times. Neighbors stop by the field as the work progresses. The talk is of the weather, the weather forecast, acres, bales per acre, tractors and haying equipment. John stopped by yesterday to put in his "two cents". Young Roger showed up at the same time to add to the conversation. Harlyn arrived later in the day; got out of his pick up truck and walked among the windrows, checked out the quality of drying fluffs of hay. Mark walked over from his place, told of how his windrows were faring. Doc Roger rolled in on his four wheeler late one evening to make sure all was going well. Said he had three fields cut down over on his buffalo ranch. He looked at the sky, too; without saying anything he headed on home. |
