Supersuite

Friday I didn't have to work at the flower shop, but Farmall Man needed some help in the hay field, so I eagerly joined him. One of the two paying jobs I've ever had was raking hay. I grew up driving tractors for my families commercial hay baling operation. When I met FM, I knew he was the one for me when we talked tractors on our first date! His family was hay balers as well, so we had a lot in common.

Of course I never had a cab tractor to rake hay with - only the actual baling tractor was air conditioned. I grew up driving "Little John", a 1520 John Deere tractor. I loved Little John and would sport a great "Farmer's Tan" by the end of the summer! It was hot work, but I know that my job on the farm has taught me a responsibility and work ethic that so many people are missing these days. I appreciate all the days I drove a tractor for my family and was thankful for the job and opportunities it provided.

Its been a few years since I've done much tractor driving or hay raking. FM and his Dad usually do all the hay baling, but his Dad had a prior engagement Friday and I was off, so I went along to drive a tractor. My father-in-law recently purchased this newer New Holland tractor and I got to rake hay with air conditioning! Shoot, I've never been so clean or cool while working in the hay field! Mind you its only been a 100 to 109 everyday this week. I think its been hotter in the flower shop than in the tractor some this summer!

I had fun while working...I had my ipod a jammin', took a few pictures with my phone, and did a lot of thinkin'. That's the thing about driving tractors - there is lots of time to let your mind wander and dream. With tinted windows, getting a tan on my legs while raking, just didn't happen!

We were fortunate to get more rolls of hay than we expected, as drought and grasshoppers are taking there toll on crops. We should be on at least the second to third cutting of hay by now, but this was the first hay that we baled this year. Farmers are really starting to suffer and hay is in real shortage this year. Rain would be a very good thing.

Here are a few of my pics from our work in the hay field.

My "office" on Friday!

It was a "Super Suite" Cab Tractor  with tinted windows, a/c, cd player, cup holders, and cruise control!

Once a hay raker...always a hay raker!

Farmall Man driving a Massey Ferguson Tractor baling hay

Baling hay is a dusty, dirty job.

Moving a roll of hay across the field to be loaded on a trailer and transported home.

The view out of my tractor as Farmall Man is baling the row beside me. (Please excuse the dust and dirt on the windows!) 

Part of our harvest.

A view from my tractor.