B – They’re Back… Bales, Buffalo, and Barley

I made my weekly trip to the town closest to us, to deliver a pile of clothes that are much too large for me now, since I changed my eating habits, to the “slightly used” clothing store in town. I also bought groceries because we anticipate some guests later this week. I enjoy the 25 minute drive on the off-freeway road, to view the mountains in the distance, the farmland, and the activity at the small aircraft airport. On this trip, I suddenly realized that I was enjoying material for my next blog.

It has been an excellent year for the ranchers because the hay crops are tall and thick, and the machines were busy cutting and baling their crops… lots of feed for their cattle this coming winter. On the opposite side of the road, a large herd of buffalo were up against the roadside fence. More often now, we here about the bison ranch just west of us, but they are still buffalo to us. I was also reminded of the fields of barley we saw when we traveled to our hometown last weekend. They were ripe, tall and thick, and so far have not been visited by hail, heavy winds, or downpour of rain. Farmers are dependent on the weather. No wonder they are always making comments … it’s either too hot, too cold, not enough rain, too much rain, etc. We’re hoping the crops will be undamaged at harvest time.