The late summer weather has not been easy haying weather. If we waited for 4 or 5 days of sunny weather in a row, as is commonly suggested as needed for hay making, we wouldn’t have made much! In fact, there have only been two occasions which might qualify in the last two months, 7th – 10th July and 15th -18th August, and neither of these occasion were wall to wall sunshine. However, this is better then some parts of the country have been doing, so I hear.
The weather has marginally improved of late and we are taking a second cut from areas we cut / grazed in May and early June. Using all the tricks at our disposal we are dodging the showers and making hay. We are aiming to get as much up on racks as we can manage, then bring it in once it is cured when we get a dry day or two. The grass is often only getting what we consider to be minimal field drying before further showery forecasts force us to rack it.
While we are still hay making, others are using the scythe to harvest grains. SABI member and grower of ancient grains, John Letts featured in this episode of Country File on Sunday, mowing wheat with a scythe.