Sweat, Sunsets, and Summer Hay: Life on the Ranch This Week
There’s nothing quite like the hum of a tractor, the smell of fresh-cut grass, and the golden rolls of hay dotting the pasture under a wide Alabama sky. But when the hay gets ready to cut right in the middle of the hottest week of the summer, things get really interesting really fast. Cutting it can’t wait, either. The longer Bermuda and Bahia grass is left uncut past its prime, the more stemmy and fibrous the hay becomes. It becomes far less palatable to the sophisticated tastes of those big Angus mommas. If you cut it too late, the cows won’t even touch it. They’ll turn into the hungriest, pickiest eaters you’ve ever seen until you put some better quality feed out. Hay MUST get cut when it needs to get cut. You can’t afford to compromise the whole crop by waiting past harvest time—even when it’s sweltering heat and the weather man calls for a heat advisory.
Hay getting raked into windrows is a sight that truly makes my heart happy!
When we cut this hay, the forecast was showing at least 5 to 7 days of sunshine and not a drop of rain in sight. But as any farmer knows, the best made plans are just that—plans.
Instead of blue skies, we spent the week dodging pop-up showers and watching dark clouds roll in when we least expected them. All we wanted was to keep the hay dry, get it baled fast, and get it tucked safely into the barn where it would be ready and waiting for winter feedings.
Out here at Crooked Creek, we’ve learned to pivot quickly. Plans may shift, but the mission still stays the same: feed our cattle, steward the land, and make the most of every moment. Work still has to get done, so pivoting is a must.
And honestly? We kind of love it that way.
There’s a strange kind of thrill found in racing the clock, competing with ourselves to see how fast we can move and how much we can knock out in a day. It’s exhausting, but its completely energizing too. When you’re running against weather, daylight, and breakdowns, every pass across the pasture counts.
This old Ford tractor just keeps on keeping on! It’s an oldie but a goodie.
Can you spot the tractor off in the distance? It’s playing hide and seek!
A Quick Lunch and a Tractor Chat
One of my favorite parts of this hectic week? Riding in the buddy seat with my honey. I brought him lunch and stayed a little while—just long enough to ride a few rounds, talk about the game plan, share our frustrations, and soak up some much needed quiet time in the cab with my best friend. These simple moments just riding around talking are the ones I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. They are what makes life so rich.
Our nice, shady lunch spot under an oak tree.
Wrench Time and Late Night Grit
Our oldest son rolled up to the shop with a smile on his face and a wrench in hand. The baler needed new clutches, and instead of groaning about it, he just got to work helping his dad. I just love this kid! We all stayed late making sure everything was ready to roll first thing in the morning.
I just love this kid. He always shows up-even when it’s late, hot, and hard.
I love hay season.
Long Days, Big Yields, and Bigger Payoffs
Hay season doesn’t leave much room to breathe. The equipment is always running (or breaking), the temperatures are always climbing, and something always needs your attention. But there’s nothing quite like the reward when it all comes together.
When the hay is dry, the bales are stacked, and the pastures are crisp and clean, you realize every bale is a victory. They are all a payoff for the blood, sweat, and tears that it takes to push yourself to get ahead before the next weather shift. And somehow at this cutting we ended up with more than we even expected. God is good.
Hauling gold: There’s nothing like the sight of a full load headed to the barn.
A Sunset Like This Makes It All Worth It
After days of pushing hard in the heat, running equipment until well after dark, and catching lunches on the go—this is what we end with. We get blessed with a sky so beautiful it stops you in your tracks. A reminder that even the longest, sweatiest days lead to something breathtaking.
A Sunset like this is why we do it. Not just for the hay in the barn, but for the satisfaction of a day well spent. For the reward of hard work and the quiet that settles in when the last hay bale is safely stored away in the barn. That glow on the horizon? It’s our reminder through all the heat, sweat, and frustration: its all worth it.
