Donkeys with Hay and Flies

I've mentioned before how much I like hay.  I like the weight of it on the end of my pitch fork, and I like the way it smells like summer and tea leaves.  I even like to look closely at the individual pieces, and identify what plants it is.  The donkeys really like hay too, but they get to appreciate it's flavor.  They aren't picky about their hay, like the goats, and will eat hay that the goats have rejected.  I frequently pull all the big tough stems that collect in the bottom of the goat hay baskets and feed it to the donkeys.  They always appreciate it.  

I think Brandon likes hay too.  He likes the challenge of harvesting and storing it.  We have these circular thoughts about hay:  

We can buy hay - it's about fifteen dollars for a giant roll of not great quality hay, or three dollars for a bale, but it's a hassle to go get it.  Good hay grows for free in our fields, and we have to mow them anyway.  

With our tiny old tractor and the pull behind trail mower, Brandon can cut the hay.  It's not a clean cut with nice long fibers, like we would have if we used a real sickle bar cutter.  

We have an old hay rake that we borrowed from Joe.  Brandon can pull it with the jeep, and make long rows of cut hay in our fields.  He doesn't have as much control with the rake as he would if we had a powerful tractor.  

Once the hay has been raked a few times, we can scoop it up with pitchforks, and pile it on our wagon, then transfer it to the hay racks.  It's more labor than we would have to do if we had a strong tractor with a baling machine.  

Just imagine how much hay we could harvest if we had the right equipment!  Just imagine how much hay we could buy for the cost of all that equipment!   

Our hay racks are working out okay.  The original tarps we bought only lasted a year before they started to disintegrate.  This year we ordered a giant used billboard tarp. It advertises Planet Fitness on one side, and is black on the other.  Its very heavy duty material, and we got enough to cover all four racks from one big tarp.   With the billboard tarp draped over the top of the rack, our hay is staying dry.  We have a plan to upgrade our hay storage for next year.  

In this picture you can see the bald patch on Hattie's face were her tears run down.  She rubs her wet skin on things because it itches, which wears the hair off and makes her skin raw.  I think she itches because the wet skin attracts fly bites.  The vet says she has no tear ducts (I'm still unconvinced).  But, I think Hattie and I have figured out how to manage her leaky eyes better.  I've been rubbing coconut oil mixed with drops of lemongrass and eucalyptus essential oils on her face, twice a day.  It's the same concoction I use on myself to repel mosquitoes.  I hold a treat in my left hand and while she tries to pry it from my fingers with her lips, I rub the oil under her eyes and all over her face and on her ears.  She's not a great fan, but she's greedy enough for treats to allow it.    

Our little treat and face oil ritual is nice.  It guarantees that I spend a few minutes each morning and evening with the donkeys, feeding treats and giving hugs and pets.  They love to have their chins scratched and sometimes we end up in a big pile, with arms and necks draped over each other.  We all appreciate that the oil isn't toxic, and doesn't burn, too.  

To make sure we don't have more than our fair share of flies, I've maintained my monthly subscription for fly predators.  The box with tiny cocoons arrives in the mail each month, and I distribute them around the farm.  The teeny little wasp like insects that emerge from the cocoons are supposed to lay their eggs on the fly eggs in the manure piles, and kill the baby flies before they ever get old enough to bite Hattie on the nose.  I also ordered a couple of these sticky fly traps, which were recommended for stable flies, the kind that bite the animals on the legs and make them kick their feet.  

The traps sure have captured lots of insects.  Most of them appear to be flies, but there are a fair share of beetles and other bugs stuck to the trap too.  I really hope none of these are my fly predators!