Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Barn is Ready for Winter

 

The barn might be – but me – not yet.  I do love a snowy day, snuggled up in a blanket, working on a craft or baking – watching the white flakes fall.  Wisconsin is truly a Winter Wonderland.

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This is the top of our barn.  I didn’t blog about it, but we cut and baled over 1,200 small square bales this summer.  In fact, we ran out of room for all the hay.

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Looking down from top of pile.  We use 2 elevators (both were $10 each from farm auctions – excellent deals!) to stack the bales.  One to get the bales from outside to top and once we stack higher than we can reach, another to get them to my husband.  The system works for us.

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I am pretty high up there…the cats LOVE sleeping in between the bales.  When they had kittens, I can’t tell you how many bales of hay I had to move to find crying kittens…peeping chicks too….

We actually gave away 2 wagons full of hay (each wagon has 125 + bales) to our friends.   Neither family has the equipment or acreage to make their own hay.  So, we shared.   We were so surprised to find a box of “meat” – pork was delivered to our house from one of the families…we didn’t expect that…but it was a good “trade.”

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Here is one of the hams – I made for supper Tuesday.  I made fried rice with ham on Wednesday and today, I will make pea soup with left overs.  We’ve made chops and I can’t wait to eat the bacon!

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Lined up and waiting for next year!

Blessings from Wisconsin!

Linked to:






Farmchicks Farm Photo Friday

12 comments:

  1. So you've got a loose hay barn too?! Lots of fun when the big snow storms whip up, isn't it? Really, we shouldn't have to shovel out the inside of the barn!! We only put up 360 bales this year which is plenty for my little flock of sheep (but we're bringing home two beefers this weekend!). And our elevator looks like yours, too. Every year my husband swears he's going to get a new one. That and put a better deck on the hay wagon so his foot won't go through the floor boards. lol

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  2. oh, lucky you with your hay bounty this year. texas was in sad shape. nice you shared with your neighbors, and they in turn with you.

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  3. I envy you your snow. We have only had a few dustings here in Colorado and they melt off the next day. Can't wait for the first good blanketing.

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  4. Your pictures are beautiful. All the hay pictures really made me miss owning horses :(
    That ham looks yummy!

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  5. Very nice! We planted some hay 3 springs ago, still waiting for it to fill in nice enough to begin to cut and bale. So, we're stuck with buying it, we go thru about 12 tons/year.

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  6. This made me "homesick" for my childhood - baling hay with Dad and learning to drive an old pickup in the fields at the age of nine...I might have to find Ringle and sneak into your barn one day!
    :)
    Thanks for the memories,
    Jan

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  7. That is so kind of you to share your bounty. So many people struggle to find/afford hay for their animals. It's a good feeling to have a full barn going into the winter.

    Teresa

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  8. I would love to go in there and have a snack!

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  9. Thank you so very much for linking up to Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways:) I'm so happy to "meet" you! I am totally loving your blog and your posts! I really hope you make Frugal Days, Sustainable Ways a part of your Wednesdays! And keep the great posts comin'
    Very sincerely,
    Andrea @ Frugally Sustainable

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  10. How generous of you to share your hay...and what a pleasant surprise with their gift!! Many blessings abound~

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  11. You are such a blessing!!!!!! To share so freely and then receive such a sweet gift back!!!!!!! Loved the pic's, but you wouldn't catch me so high up on those bales!

    I am home for two weekends and 5 days from the college!!!!!!! I am so excited I can hardly contain myself!

    Hugs sweetie friend, Linda

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  12. Jacky I love the pictures of the barn! How brave of you to climb all that way and how sweet of you to give away hay! You are a sweetie!


    Hugs!
    Jade

    P.S. I have a Ringle area question for you if you could shoot me your email address when you get time.
    jadarie21@gmail.com

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