We’re somewhere in the trenches of what we call hay season number two. It doesn’t deserve a more glamorous name than that. By this time of year, hay accumulation has long ago lost its allurement. Dustin and his father have been working long hours for weeks to ensure that the cattle have sufficient haylage for winter. The end of the chore is in sight. It may be way out there on the horizon, but we can see the end of hay season.

When you’re a farm family, sometimes the only available family time is “in the field.” We’re always glad to see Dustin and we like to think he’s glad to see us, too. Especially when we bring food and cold drinks for him. Nearby hay bales to play on are always a plus.

While Dustin is working long hours, we usually handle as many chores without him as we can. One evening, we came across this Angus bull of ours. We think he was trying to look pretty for the cows. He grumbled at us when we spoke to him, so we drove on.

The boys and I are back in school these days. We work quickly to get our schoolwork and errands completed so we can help out in the fields.

Along the way, no matter what we’re doing, the boys observe everything and learn a lot. I’ve got a feeling that these days filled with “field trips” are pretty important.