Saturday, July 19, 2014

Pass The Peas, Please

Farmer John spent much of this past week working in the "kitchen." No, he wasn't preparing our family breakfast, or lunch, or dinner either. 
He was making meals for our cows.
The oats, peas, and barley that were planted in early May are now 
ready to be made into "meals."

Oats ready to be cut.

The oats are cut into rows and ready to be chopped.

This is what the oats look like when cut down, waiting to be chopped.


The barley and peas are planted together, and are cut into rows also.
Now in rows, the barley and peas are waiting to be chopped.
 
The oats, barley, and peas are all chopped and blown into a wagon like this which is pulled behind the forage chopper.
You can watch a video of chopping haylage here. It is the same procedure as the oats, barley and peas chopping, only done with alfalfa hay. It will help you get the idea though.


And lastly it is stored in our bunker (kind of a cow-food pantry) until it is time to be served.

We have two 24' x 75' concrete bunkers to store our haylage, oats, barley, and peas.
After several days (and nights) of Farmer John's meal preps, there are many meals prepared. So ring the dinner bell. Let's get another meal on the table.


We take meal prep very seriously, since dairy cows must be healthy and well cared for in order to produce high-quality milk.


6 comments:

  1. I just found your blog and excited to read it all the way! We are Lutherans as well. LCMS in North Carolina.

    I look forward to more posts and getting to "know" you better!

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    1. Welcome to my barnyard! Glad you found me. How is Summer going in North Carolina? I read your bio, and I also enjoy murder mysteries. Wow, mysteries and Lutheran... 2 things in common!

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  2. I don't know if this will double post. North Carolina has very hot humid summers that seem to last forever. I prefer Fall and Winter.

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    1. 77 degrees, sunny, and no humidity today. My kind of weather!

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  3. And..........one of our former pastors, Pastor Bob Bremer was originally from Minnesota. When he spoke of growing up there it sounded so idyllic. I would love to visit sometime.

    I love farms but sadly we live in a neighborhood and we can't have chickens!! Can you believe that?

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    1. Don't know Pastor Bob but wouldn't that be funny if we were related...small world story for sure!
      I'm glad you found my blog. Since you love farms, you can enjoy farming via my blog, without all the work!

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