The Farm

quail on Grandpa's chimney

Years ago my two oldest brothers took over our family farm. Those of us not farming, still consider it a family farm. So when my kids and all of the nieces and nephews are old enough, they go the farm in June and work together to harvest the first cutting of hay. This has been going on for several years now, and even though some kids may grumble about the long hours on a tractor, or the heat of they day, they have some great memories they can talk about with their cousins. Here are some highlights...

Woods' barn



Kittitas Valley facing Northwest

Baling as long as they can

With Timothy hay, it has to be very DRY to bale. So when the windy hot weather has dried it, they go out and bale it up as long as the dry hay will let them. Once the dew sets in, it is time to stop. This year they stayed out as long as 10:00pm.
The boys had many long days on tractors....like 8-10 hours.

 

The Rope Swing

 

 

Fourth of July annual kickball game--so many boys!

{Cousins making friendships}

Aunt Jessica, Sarah and Sean

Cousin Joel eating his pie...and loving it!

Kaleb on a tractor with the baler.

A local 4-H group in the Kittitas valley made these Barn Quilts as a fundraiser for their group.  The quilts are beautiful additions to the old and new, stately barns around the valley.

Ryan, Kameron and Kaleb [friend of Kameron's visiting from Colorado]

Taking Bull Grease off of skin with Aunt Susan's grainy-Mega-Soap

Climbing Grandpa's Trees

Nicole and Stan's little girls, Mikelle and Hailey...Trevor peeking in behind Sadie

Manual labor at it's best.  Taking off the roof of an old milking barn.

 

There are just some things that can only be learned by good ol' work.

The kind of work that comes from a farm.