LAZY SUMMER DAYS

Nothing like a big shade tree on sunny day. Perfect of watching the world slowly pass by. This is one of my favorite spots to take a blanket, a snack and a good book and spend some time on a Saturday afternoon. No phones, no internet, no crowds, no nothin', just a clear sky, a soft breeze and warm sunshine. Perfect!

HAY FOR SALE

One of the great things about rural living is the abundance of fresh produce available at the numerous roadside stands. But many other items and services are also available from the talented hardworking people living out in the country. No big fancy signs or storefronts here- just some great sunflowers and an American flag to alert you to the rough-hewn homemade board and a phone number. This farmer has extra hay for sale although I suspect he or she is selling it by the ton instead of the small bales most people would think of.

NIAGARA RIVER

While the inverse is not necessarily the case, it is inevitable that living out in the country will occasionally necessitate a visit to the city. In this case that city is Buffalo, NY, one of the grand old cities whose glory days have long since passed but whose hidden grandeur lives on in many ways and in many forms. Once the seventh most populous city in America and boasting more millionaires than any city of its size, Buffalo has long been in steady decline.

Nonetheless, a drive down Delaware Avenue in Buffalo one can still see block-after-block of the mansions that are left behind. Most of these homes are astounding in size and stature, many approaching 20,000-square feet of living space and even in today's economy could not be built by all but a very few and in nowhere near the numbers that exist on Delaware Avenue.

This photo is of the mighty Niagara River which feeds the famous Niagara Falls. The photo was taken near downtown Buffalo and offers a wonderful spot to spend some time. The Niagara River is a powerful force of nature which of course is what leads to the spectacular spill over the Niagara Falls.

YARD SALE

If the old saying that "One man's junk is another man's treasure" is anywhere remotely true then there are plenty of opportunities to add to your treasure chest. Every weekend brings an abundance of yard sales, barn sales, garden sales, you name it.

This particular sign caught my eye as it seems to epitomize what one might call being "thrifty." This yard sale magnate had a few leftover sign letters, not many apparently, but just enough to put to use rather than toss them out. One wonders how long they were sitting around until the idea sparked to use them this way.

WINTER HAY

One thing about farm life is that looking ahead and planning is something that one must constantly do. Even though it is the middle of summer this cattle farmer is already preparing ahead. In this case hay for the cattle is being mowed and stored so that the cattle will have plenty to eat during the cold winter months.

This particular farmer chooses to store his round hay bales in long plastic-covered tubes with black plastic caps on each end. This wrapping protects the hay from the elements while also preventing hungry deer and other creatures from getting to the hay. It costs more to wrap the hay in this manner but it also means the hay can be stored outside as opposed to taking up valuable barn space while also allowing easier access to it in the cold winter months.

The circular shape of the individual hay bales are visible through the white plastic sheeting. Each of these individual round hay bales weighs between 1200-1500 pounds and each of these white tubes are approximately the length of a football field. So you can see this is quite a lot of hay!

QUICK FIX (HOPEFULLY)

Well, as these things go it was inevitable that things will break down. In the middle of cherry harvest one part of the tree shaker has broken down. In this case it is a blown fitting on a hydraulic hose and has been rolled into our shop for (hopefully) a quick repair. Until it is repaired the cherry harvest has stopped, the tractors that pull the equipment and the crews that man the equipment must now wait for the repairs to be done. Added to this is the time that it will take to transport and reposition the shaker in the orchard, which adds to the downtime.

CHERRY HARVEST TIME

Right about the middle of July is harvest time for cherries, both sweet and tart. Our farm has both varieties. Sweet cherries are for eating straight or for juice while the tart variety often end up as fillings for pies, muffins and other baked goods.

There is a small harvest time window when cherries can be picked so they must be picked rapidly. Cherry picking is done using a two-part piece of equipment we refer to as a "shaker." As it's name implies using hydraulic arms this piece of equipment simply grabs the trunk of the tree and rapidly shakes it for about ten or fifteen seconds. With this hearty vibration the cherries fall off and are caught in the canvas-covered V-shape of the two pieces of shaker equipment.

The cherries then roll towards the center of the V-shape where they are transported by way of conveyor belts out of the shaker and dropped into large plastic containers of ice and ice-water. Quickly chilling the freshly dropped cherries ensures their freshness as they are transported to market or processors.

In these two photos you can see both halves of the shakers and perhaps can visualize how they come together on either side of the cherry tree trunk to form a V-shape. In one of the photos the shaker's canvas has not yet been fully stretched over the frame but you can see the large notch in the middle of the equipment. This notch is where the hydraulic arms are located which grab the tree and shake it. The other half of the shaker does not contain this notch but you can see the conveyor belts along the bottom and side that transport the fresh cherries to the awaiting tub of ice water.