[Rupert the bear]

Well a massive thunderstorm yesterday afternoon thoroughly soaked my cut hay...no panic at present, but the forecast now looks less settled ...ho hum.  I think Friday was the earliest it would have baled now we are looking beyond that and there is definite rain Saturday.

On the up side I progressed painting the steelwork for my new shed...so we are a step nearer to having a shed to put the hay in !

Always a silver lining if you look for it  well done

[Fieldfare]

Just a reminder to watch out for the wildlife. I've still got a few broods of pheasant chicks I;m seeing and leverets young enough to stay hiding.
In my case a local farmer takes my hay in exchange for keeping the roadside hedges and tres tidy and generally being about if I get into trouble (tows my tractor out fo thr swamp most years, tops the steeper bracken sides etc) But he'll have to wait  while longer for the cut.. lots of wildflowers in ym meadows and dozens (if not hundreds) of early purple orchids just coming into full flower.
Last year he got 136 large rounds and several hundred squares off my flat enough bits. there'd be at least half as much again of the slopes were workable without bales running away.

...yes good point. We are trying to revert our meadows to being 'proper meadows' so won't cut until later when wildflowers have seeded and birds have fledged!

[pgkevet]

I really must learn to type slow enough for my brain and fingers to stay in sync!
Quite apart from all the typos last time - it was common purple pyramid orchids (not early purples) that are thriving.

A stroll along the most prolific section yesterday and I counted just under 100 flowering orchid spikes. I have two other fields with them in at lower density; so at least 200 and possibly 3-400 in total...