After they cut the hay they let it dry for four or five days then they rake two windrows into one larger windrow. It also turns the hay over so it can dry some more. But the trick is to rake it early in the morning when it's dewier so all the leaves don't fall off the stems. Cow's don't like just stems and all the nutrients are in the leaves. Raking has been Laura's job this year. She's been a little trooper getting up between 4 and 5 a.m. taking off in her tractor until 10 or 11 a.m. She's been alone in the dark in some fields far from the main road let alone anywhere near the house. But she has seen some awesome sunrises and a lot of wild life; a moose, a few deer and a den of coyote pups running and playing through the field and she loves watching the Osprey and Eagles flying around when she's working near the river. She also likes to listen to a good book on tape while working. 
Then after the hay is dry but not too dry, Roger comes in and bales it. Again there's the tricky timing of not too wet or to dry. He usually starts about 11 at night and has been baling until 2 or 3 in the morning until it's too dewy. He comes in and sleeps a few hours then heads back out about 9 a.m to check water and when the dew comes off he will bale again until it's too dry. He bales it in the 3 by 4 by 8 foot size bales. We have had larger bales or round bales, but this size is easier to truck and still works well for us to feed our own cattle with.
It took Roger about a week to bale 1,500 bales which was a record time for us. The no rain issue helped there. The little wagon on the back of the baler is an accumulator. It holds three bales as they come out of the baler then he can dump them at the end of the field making it so they don't have to drive all over the field when loading them on the trucks.
Then they load them on the trucks. I thought it was strange when they started using the semi for hauling hay out of the fields. But it sure beats the old little wagons we used to use. They can move a lot of hay with it. 
They also use this trailer behind the flatbed pickup. It holds a fair amount of hay itself. 
Roger used this trailer last week to pull the red tractor up to the ranch to do some work. It's not very often we take the tractor to the ranch. But it's nice to be able to when needed.
They then unload the hay in one of the many stack yards where it sits until it is needed or sold. The machine Alan is using here is called the Telehandler. I guess because the arm can telescope longer and shorter as needed. I wasn't sure this was a necessary piece of equipment when Roger brought it home but it has become indispensable to our farming operation. They use it all the time from loading hay, hauling manure and pushing snow. Roger even used it to lift Uncle Les up high to fix his yard light a couple of weeks ago.
They finished baling and hauling the last field June 30th. It's a good job to have done. Only two more times to go this summer. 
Oh, I had to add this picture of Tanner. We like to start training the help while they're young.
He has been able to attend the Orlando Temple several times. 
Elder Adams & Elder Clark at Desiree's baptism.
Adam told us in his last letter that last week almost everyday was sunny until about 3 or 4 in the afternoon. Then a thunderstorm would come in and then leave as quickly as it came leaving the air very humid. So the Elders are either wet from the rain or the humidity. This is last year's picture but it gives you an idea of how wet they can get. I wanted to add some more recent photos, but my scanner decided not to work. We are very proud of Adam and hope his next six months are just as successful if not more so than the first eighteen. We love you Adam!
Balancing bear.
