It is that challenging time of year when we put the hay into the barns. This is the first 5 tons of hay Tom and I successfully moved into the hay barn. Mavis, the goat kid, and the chickens approved of the new hay.
The second 5 tons was much more problematic. First it sunk into our soil to the axle and got stuck.
The hay needed to be moved off the trailer to get it unstuck. The only positive thing about this was that the chickens loved the worms in the ruts.
Unfortunately shortly after this, when we were using the hay elevator to move this hay into our hay loft, Tom got his hand pulled between the chain and sprocket. We quickly went to the hospital, and he broke two bones and had a deep cut requiring 6 stitches. He is at high risk for getting a bone infection so he received an IV antibiotic. He is now bandaged, splinted and on Vicodin and antibiotics. And cannot help with the remaining 15 tons of hay. But so far it looks like he will keep all of his parts.
So today we recruited his son, father and nephews to put up 5 tons with me. Tom supervised. Here he is showing us his injured hand while supervising our work.
And we will be getting a new hay elevator.
Oh, OUCH! What a blessing that you have family to recruit, though. Last Friday we came home with yet another load of hay and were thinking we’d leave it on the truck and trailer for awhile to rest, when a neighbor knocked on the door and offered to help unload. How amazing is that? It wasn’t until this week that we learned that Rick fractured his wrist back in early July while we were horse-camping. He has loaded and stacked FOURTEEN TONS of hay with a distal radius fracture and a just a wrist brace! He’s going in today for additional x-rays (he took the initial ones himself) to make sure there aren’t other fractures that could result in serious arthritis if left untreated.
Thanks Michelle! It was a motley crew of adolescents and elderly, but we got it done. It sounds like Rick should not have been stacking hay either. I hope he heals OK too.
that sounds so painful. glad you have some help to call on to get the rest done, and that he still has the finger!
Thanks Denise! It appeared to be very painful. It was nice to have the help and that he kept his finger. I was not sure initially that he would.