Two whole days as a bona fide civilian. It is a little strange, perhaps even a little melancholy, but I figure it would be melancholy 12 years from now too, so I won't fret it. Anna and I went to Beaumont on Monday night to celebrate and I'm still trying to decide what kind of nonregulation facial hair to grow. (Provided I get permission, of course).
Dad came out yesterday morning to move the hay that my truck could not. Anna followed him in the car as he took the tractor to the field. Here's a summary of how equipment and assets are currently disposed. Dad got all of the hay moved out of the old hay field except for 12 rolls. 5 will be reserved for a guy who lives down the road from the hay field. We sold them at well below price, but he's a neighbor and a friend. Community relations are important in our business. There are a good 100 rolls in the new hay field. This hay field is in the pasture, but can still only be accessed by truck and trailer by going through town. 40 some odd rolls are scattered in the hay storage place at the end of our camp road. The Kubota is in their, but the bucket doesn't work because it is low on transmission fluid. The John Deere is still in the hay field. So, we have to put fluid in the Kubota, move it, and at some point spread the dirt on the culvert bridge so vehicles can cross. We have to move 5 rolls of hay to the farmer down the road, put out the rest of the hay from the hay field, then start putting hay out from the new hay field while trying to figure out a way to move the new hay field hay to the hay storage place. I am wondering if my truck can pull 3 rolls or so on the flat bed trailer. The question then is can it get through the Bobcat Woods with a trailer attached.
We have a lot to do and figure out. It is one of the things that I like about ranching. It is a combined lateral thinking puzzle and Leadership Reaction Course. Leadership Reaction Courses are the training tools used in the Army to train thinking outside the box. Example: "Take this rope, this barrel, and this paper clip and transport this ammo box full of radioactive material across this pond of water." Ranching is one giant Leadership Reaction Course.
I still have to do a lot of home stuff the next couple of days, but after that we will begin putting out hay. Probably at the end of this week. I will, of course, start a spreadsheet keeping track of what we put out and how fast it is getting eaten.
I will try to post some pictures and maybe a map.
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