Harvest & Thoughts of Winter

Farming like most of life is cyclical. So while we are picking summer fruit and enjoying being outside in the back of our minds are preparations for winter. This week saw barley harvested in the neighbouring field.

Modern machinery is enormous. This combine is 350hp and cuts 24 feet at a time and given our weather you need to be able to cut as much as possible when the sun shines.

The number in the window indicates that this combine took part in the 'Combines for Charity' event last year which broke a world record and raised over €300000 for 4 Irish charities.

Barley being unloaded into the trailer.

This is feed barley which along with most of the grain grown in the area goes to a local pig producer who has his own grain handling and feed compounding facility where he makes a feed ration for his pigs and cattle!

All the straw is bought by local farmers, including us, for bedding animals in winter!

Gone are the days of small square bales. These round bales are the equivalent of approximately 10 small bales and have to be handled by the tractor.

Bales stacked up in the shed ready for the animals in winter, alongside turf and logs ready for us and the B&B.

A buzzard surveying the scene from his new perch. They have only been in the area about 5 years and are a wonderful sight soaring effortlessly in the sky.