Will had layed down two fields of hay and was just gearing up to bale it the next morning when our neighbor, Jerry, called and said his baler had blown up. Well, not really, it was the gear box, but lots of expensive pieces and no baling for him for a while. He, too, had cut hay, five fields worth! Four were pretty small, but one was pretty big. He asked Will if he could bale for him. EEEkkkk!
Of course Will said he would and the next morning David raked Jerry’s big field and Will hooked our old New Holland baler onto Jerry’s big tractor (more horsepower than our Oliver so it would bale faster) and started baling. He finished the big field by 3 p.m. and then did two of the little fields on the same farm. So far, so good… We were praying our old baler would hold together.
Then Will drove the tractor and baler over to our field, parked it, and started raking our hay. By five, he’d raked about all he could manage to before dark so he started baling. When he finished what was raked, he was baling in the dark by tractor lights. But it was done. Today, David raked the rest for him and he finished and even hauled a transport load home — nine bales.
But on the last bale, POW! The chain broke. I guess the angels God sent to hold it together figured he was done and so were they! So Will’s out working on the beast even as I write.
I’ve been canning steadily in the meanwhile. The corn is ripe and, boy, is there lots of it! Yesterday I finished corn mixed with peas and carrots and today I’m putting up Mexican corn, which is corn with mixed red and green bell pepper dices. It’s real pretty and puts our corn and peppers together in a nice combination. My next project is corn salsa. We ate every bit I canned up last year so I’ll sure make lots more. It’s sure good on tacos, enchiladas, and nacho chips.
We just ducked a frost again last night. Whew! There was no way to cover everything and we sure hated to have it all go. Now the forecast is for warmer weather again. We’re getting a beautiful Indian summer and are enjoying every single day. — Jackie
Robin,
NEVER put seeds in a dehydrator!!! That’s cooking them! Just wait and keep your seeds in a warm, dry place and they’ll dry fine. I usually put mine on a cookie sheet. Be sure your seeds are in a single layer so they dry quickly. In a pile, they’ll usually mold.
Sharon,
I’ve never had bitter bell peppers. No. I don’t skin them before putting with the corn.
Jackie, I have had my Hopi squash seeds on paper plate to dry for about a week. They still are sticky. What am I doing wrong and do I need to put in dehydrator? Thanks so much.
How do you keep your bell pepper from getting bitter? Do you skin before you put in your corn?
What is with balers!? Ours would ALWAYS breakat some point every haying season. Of all our farm equipment the baler was the most unreliable.
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