Let The Hay Roll

bales of hay viewed from my in-laws' backyard

In summer, bales of hay are a common site in many fields here. They are made in preparation for winter. Since livestock cannot feed in the prairies during cold season (in any case, there aren’t much weeds to feed on), stocked dried hay is given (aside from cereals and corn) as their food. Farmers usually stack hay into rolls or rectangular blocks for easy transport and storage. And they are left in the field for sometime to really dry them. Because if not, the heat produce by bacterial fermentation might induce a fire which can spread fast.


We helped some friends put “bricks” of hay inside their barn twice. I used the term “brick” because despite their seeming lightness (one will think they’re not heavy for they are just dried stalks of wheat or other cereals), they are in fact heavy! And it’s not only me. Even our big-bodied friends find it a strenuous task. It was really exhausting even though we just rolled/transported “for domestic use” bales of hay. It’s quite understandable why big land farmers and herders use tractors and forklifts to move and stock hay nowadays.


It may be a tiring task but it was a nice experience. I felt like a kid again, frolicking in the field. And after sweating off some calories, nothing beats a hearty lunch/dinner shared with your friends, coupled with some good bantering and snickering. We haven’t seen these friends of ours this year, but hopefully we’ll find time to get together again, even without the bale moving scenario. In any case, I have these landscapes around to remind me of past summers of being in the country and escaping the rush of daily life once in a while.