Hay bale

The previous two hay bales lasted exactly one week.  This afternoon it was time to put out another large hay bale for the cattle.

Only Beulah was in the corral but Mama saw me and came in the corral before I could close the gate.  While Beulah can be insistent on having the hay now, I was able to carry the 60 lb hay bales with my one good arm to the feeders without dropping them.  I didn't use my broken arm to carry the bales, and therefore no pain, but I could feel the muscles pull across my back from the right side over to the left side.

Once the bales were spread in the feeders I opened the gate and let the cattle, who were now patiently waiting outside the gate, into the corral.

Once the cattle were in the corral I closed the gate so I could now move a large hay bale into the north pasture without interruption.

It is warm and melting and sloppy.  Time to move a metal feeder to a new location.  Using my good arm I used a shovel to push snow away to make a clean circle in which to place a pallet, a bale on the pallet, then a feeder around the bale.

I was unwrapping the twine from the bale, and complaining to the sky when the twine would get wrapped up around one of my feet, when Donna showed up.  I got a disapproving look at me doing all this by myself.  She helped me unwrap the rest of the twine.

Then Donna watched the bale spear and guided me when it came time to flip up the metal feeder and move it over to the bale.  With her help I didn't try to poke the spear through the side of the feeder.

I only put out one bale and not two as I didn't feel like shoveling a spot for another bale to go.  I also didn't feel like switching the spear and bucket to use the tractor to clear an area.  I should be good in three or four days to move another bale out myself.