Is there really always a silver lining? Yes, I'm an optimist, but sometimes it's hard to find the positive. Yet, here's a little story this week where a small experience changed my mood.
As all of you in Ontario know, it's been a wet spring – too wet, really. Some crops are thriving, while others are struggling with soggy conditions. For all the farmers trying to make hay, this rain has turned it into a nearly impossible task. To make hay, you cut it and leave it in the field to dry for a few days before baling. The weather forecast has been unreliable, and many hay fields have become overgrown waiting to be cut. Overgrown hay is not a good thing. The smaller, succulent grasses and alfalfa make superior feed for the animals compared to tough, long stalks. Hay that has set its flowers or seed heads is well past its due date, with energy now going to flowers and seeds, which isn't good for feed value. It's been depressing watching my alfalfa field bloom into beautiful purple flowers.
Well, yesterday finally came the weather forecast we had all been waiting for – it was time to make hay while the sun shines. I showed up to the field (with the bale spear on the tractor, I might add 😉) and got out to inspect the situation before cutting. That's when it hit me, like walking into a flower shop and burying my head in a thick bouquet. The smell was amazing – five acres of blooming alfalfa, a scent that really should never be smelled but was incredible. As I gazed over the yellowing, stringy field dotted with purple flowers, the pleasant smell literally changed my mood from disgust to amazement at the beauty nature can bring. Who knew hay could turn into an impromptu aromatherapy session?
So yes, a silver lining found me yesterday, and I appreciated it. Sometimes, even when things are a bit haywire, nature has a way of surprising us.
Wishing you a weekend filled with unexpected joys,
Farmer Rod
🌺Take time to smell the roses ( Or the Alfalfa ) 💐🌹
