Make hay while the baler's working

Well the baler was working, anyway... until about 5 o'clock. Turns out the problem that broke a part yesterday caused another breakdown, so there are repairs to be made and parts to get from somewhere. I don't think anyone is sure where yet... but they are going to get another farm to round bale some of the hay fields, since it will likely be Monday before parts are here.


Yesterday they did about a thousand bales and another 1200 today. This is off the old alfalfa fields, last year's seeding is mowed and it looks like there will be twice as much in the windrows. It is beautiful green stuff, and the house is getting a fine coating of green fluff from peoples' socks as they walk inside.


All the male  students have been working really as hay loaders and unloaders. Karina and Julia have been working at the 'new farm' and helping with milking instead of the boys to free them up.

 Today I made lunch, noodle soup and hot dog melted cheese sandwiches for all the guys. I think everyone ate except tractorist Sasha who only likes to eat bread with ketchup! The students were very happy, but they will have to get used to plainer fare. This morning I went to buy groceries for making sandwiches for lunchtime for the next days and to buy more drinking water; since my bags are packed and I'm ready to go home. I fly out early Monday morning so I'd decided  (since Garry is so busy, he was going to drive me -7 hours of holey roads, each  way) to take the bus but the schedule didn't work, so now I have a train ticket. Garry will be coming next month, closer to the weddings. I am going for the preparations.

Unless the parts for fixing the baler are between here and Kiev... maybe



This morning was the day all the cows in the village get blood tested by the state veterinarian staff,  including ours. First they do the one or two or five cow farmers so they can get the cows sent out to the field with the herd for the day. So they were doing our cows in the barn when I got home from Dnepropetrovsk. The lady was sticking the needle in the neck veins and filling the test tubes which the guy would cap, write the number on, and put them in the pail. Maxim Borodin was assistant for holding the cow somewhat still during the procedure. The lady got squashed a bit by this little cow after I took the photo.