Turning grain into feed

 Yesterday the guys were busy with grain. With the wheat harvest finished last month, people in the village were expecting the farmer who rents their share to deliver 2 tons of grain to them, along with straw,  a few liters of sunflower oil, which is part of the traditional rent payment each year. However the farmer decided because of the drought and poor harvest to only give them half a ton. Many people with animals to feed will be in trouble this winter with only a quarter of what they normally have on hand. Garry and Maxim have been buying grain from people with no animals for cash, making a good deal for both sides since we have only 10 tons of corn still in storage from last year, and Garry thinks we will need about 20 tons of  grain to get to springtime, and there may not be grain available to buy this winter.

 They have been storing it in bags in the top of the barn, however, yesterday they had it ground into compicorn in the village. Max, Andrei and some boys from the village were taking the wheat in buckets from the precept (wagon) that they had put it in at the farm and driven to the mill. The buckets were poured into the mill, as you see in the photo, and the ground grain went into bags, which were then put into the trailer and taken back to the barn. They were then put back upstairs with the help of the tractor and loader. The boys weren't strong enough for moving bags so Garry helped with putting the heavy bags upstairs.

Andrei (Max's brother) posing with one of the boys

It was hot and dusty work on a day when the temperature was nearly 40 C (100F.)   Later in the afternoon, Garry the guys and the milker ladies went to the the irrigation basin to cool off. Then they shared a nice cold watermelon. Andrei had to cut a hunk of bread to go with it. He can't eat anything without hleb (bread)!

The milker ladies are thinking about getting in- Yana on right side

  They all went swimming one hot day in June, and Yana thought she'd be funny and push Maxim in when they got there. Unfortunately his two cell phones were in his pockets....no they didn't work afterwards, we even tried drying them out in the rice container...this time all cell phones were kept dry.







You might notice that Yana and her friend are milking this week, her mother is off this week to their hometown. 







 Today Tuesday August 7th the temperature got to 42 C, like 110 F for the American readers. They went swimming again, while I enjoyed the air conditioning in the house after our trip to Dnepro where I almost beat Garry one game at bowling - the score was 136 to 134...

Sunset over the sunflowers