Hay 2022

For the past two weeks the weather was only good for one thing - hay - so we took the opportunity to harvest ours. The temperature hit 32 degrees Celsius outside, and 54 degrees in one of our polytunnels, so this was very hot work. Because of these horrible weather conditions it was our fastest hay harvest to date, as it was dry before we even cut it, so didn't need turning or drying in the fields. There was not a drop of moisture anywhere. We cut the ragwort out of the fields on Tuesday, Clive cut the hay on Wednesday, then baled it on Thursday, we brought in 5 trailer-loads on Friday, and the final 2 on Saturday morning.

We couldn't access Hotel Field this year because of the allotment drainage channel being dug through the gateway, so we left that field standing, and cut Carn Field, Top Field, Far Field Middle, Far Field South, and Standing Stone Field. Top Field is a small field and had so little hay in it that we didn't even bale it, but the other 4 fields yielded 418 bales between them. 

Byron and Ross loading hay in the field.

The final 61 bales of hay loaded and ready to lead to the barn.

Team stacking in the open barn.

"Fiesta del campo" at the end of Saturday - drinking cold cider on the hay stack - with Abbie, Warren, Polly, Toby and James.

This year's hay is now for sale in the farmyard, at £3.50 per bale, and some of last years' too. Local delivery is available by arrangement.

Many thanks to everybody who helped with this year's hay harvest - Sim, Caedmon, Abby, Warren, Toby, James, Heather, Bea, Ross, and Byron - and also to Rosie for putting St. Just market together by herself because we were too busy, Polly for delivering the bulk of our veg boxes by herself because Hugh was on the tractor, and Holly for not only delivering veg boxes on the St. Just to St. Ives route, but also for buying all the cider!