Nothing Makes a Farmer Feel Richer..

         A barn loft full of sweet hay. To me it's what heaven will smell like. Some bales have wild mint in it. Some have the wild bergamot. And some just have the sweet smell of orchard grass and timothy. Yes, it was a wonderful feeling to finish the hay season last night. Tim worked in the hay field for the last three days and was able to get it dry enough to bale yesterday. So as soon as I got off work, I dashed home, changed clothes and headed to the hay field. Working in the hay field in late August is a completely different feeling than June. The grass has a different feel and smell. The crickets are jumping all over your feet and legs. The cicadas are singing loudly in the trees at the edge of the field. The humidity is much lower. The crows are circling over head, cawing at you. The ironweed is nodding it's huge purple heads when you walk by. But I think the biggest difference is the sense of urgency that you feel. Fall is in the air. You can feel it, you can smell it and you can hear it. You know the animals are depending on you to get this hay for winter feeding. Tired as we were, the feeling of gratefulness was almost overwhelming, when Tim tossed up the last bale. As he closed the huge doors at the end of the barn and latched them down for winter winds and storms, I thanked the Lord for the blessings He has given us. We may be poor, humble farmers but today I feel rich.