Field finally planted

Today I finally got my hayfield planted.  I finished discing the field in early April but it had rained 25 of the 30 days in April.  The farmer, Chris, I hired to do the planting had other fields to plant also.  All the farmers are behind schedule due to the wet Spring.

He arrived this morning and it didn't take him long to actually drive around my 15 acres and plant the seeds and add some fertilizer.  I planted a mix of barley hay, oats and chickpeas.  I can cut and bale this and feed to the cattle this Winter.  Then next year I can replant a grass and alfalfa mix.

Next week I need to add more fertilizer: potash and more potassium.

Chris's drill that planted the seed is 44 feet wide.  Folded up it is 18 1/2 feet wide and 17 feet tall.  My hayfield gate was 16 1/2 feet wide.  Weeks ago I made the gate larger: 23 feet wide as Chris also needs to turn from the road into the field with his long unit.  I also had to add dirt to enlarge the approach to the gate.

I am very happy to finally have this done.  This is a major project and will provide feed for my cattle this Winter.  I wish it was done weeks ago as that would mean that much more growth come the time I cut and bale the crop.

16 1/2 foot wide gate

23 foot wide gate

Optical illusion: a 44 foot drill looks as wide as a 23 foot gate.

The drill folded up.

The contraption's length and the drill's width and height makes it a challenge to drive down our narrow roads, especially when the telephone lines across the road are so low.