We didn't ask for alfalfa

The last alfalfa patch we had was killed in its second year by a late freeze; Cliff said, "No more alfalfa."  
Alfalfa has to be cut four times a year.  It makes wonderful hay, but Cliff decided he could do without all the work, not to mention the stress of hoping it wouldn't rain while the hay cures.  He is such a perfectionist, he worried himself silly every cutting, until that alfalfa was in the barn:  Was it too dry?  Too dry means the leaves fall off when you're feeding it and you lose nutrients.  Had it cured long enough?  If not, the hay bales might mold in the center.  That isn't too dangerous for cows, but it wastes hay because they won't eat it.
My husband resolved never to plant alfalfa again.  

This is what red clover looks like.

In the fall of 2010, we went to the MFA to get seeds that would make a good permanent pasture mix, which normally consists of a couple of grasses and some red clover.  The guy at MFA didn't mix the clover seed with the rest, telling Cliff it would last a year longer if he waited till sometime in the winter to sow it.  Red clover does very well broadcast on top of snow.  So, Cliff sowed the grass seeds in fall and the "clover" seed in winter.  
  Last spring with all the seeds came up, we were surprised to find very little red clover and a LOT of alfalfa plants.  Someone must have mixed up the seeds.  The peculiar thing is that the alfalfa came up and thrived so well, because you do NOT sow alfalfa on the snow in wintertime; you sow it in August or September.  
Last year Cliff mowed it a couple of times and then let the cows graze it.  He did not intend to be slave to four cuttings of alfalfa a year.  

Look at our alfalfa crop!  This year it came on even stronger.  It's almost ready to mow for the first time.  I think Cliff has resigned himself to his fate.  I hope we can find a place to store all that hay.  
Of course, I am counting my chicks before they are hatched.  We could still get a hard freeze that would destroy the whole crop of alfalfa.  It happened once before.

Spring must be here (and other short stories)

Sadie and I went for a walk in the woods today; she's so grateful when we go back there where she can run free.



We played her favorite game... Stick.


Over and over.


Oh yeah, by the way... our alfalfa is already growing like crazy! Let there be hay.

Cheap horses

I don't know why I'm always reading the horses-for-sale classified ads. I already have two horses, which is one more than I need. But this winter, there are such apparent bargains (evidently as a result of a hay shortage), that I've become addicted to reading ads. Like this one:

NEED TO SELL NO HAY!!! CHEAP!!!!!!!!!!!! $ 100.00 or best offer Description I need to sell 8 of my horses. I will trade for hay as well. All prices are FIRM! I have yearlings to 10yrs old. Some are registered, some are not. Prices range $100 - $650. QH bay yrling stud $100, QH sorrel stud coming 2, $150, sorrel/white yrling filly $250, QH Grey 2yr filly $200, yrling reg blue roan paint filly $500, 3 yr stud pinto $350, 9yr sorrel QH mare in foal to pinto $450, black 10 yr old reg paint in foal to palomino/white paint $650 broke to ride.

Wow. Then there's this one, which even got Cliff's interest, and he has no need for, or interest in, horses:

BOMBPROOF 7 yr Bay Gelding for sale. Description I have a 7 year old bay gelding who I must sell due to a need to downsize. The horse is a great trail horse who doesn't spook at anything. I am asking $700.00 OBO for him, but no reasonable offer will be refused. Must sell. ALso willing to trade for 100 bales of good alfalfa. Lee's Summit Area

We have lots of good alfalfa in the barn, which we've been selling for $4 a bale. That would make this horse cost $400; if he's really "bombproof", that's the buy of the century.

I simply have to stop reading ads, or we'll wind up with a pasture full of horses. This is how I ended up with Libby, my filly. Of course, I've never regretted that purchase! So far she's shown herself to be worth every penny of the $150 I paid for her.