Loading hay is a relatively simple process. Remove a bale from the stack and place it on the back of the feed truck. Repeat until the truck is loaded.

(Normally, we use a John Deere tractor to load hay. But it broke down last week, so in the meantime we are using the backhoe.)

Occasionally, though, things don’t go as planned.

At this point the kids are yelling “Avalanche!” That was quickly followed by the chant, “Dad broke a bale. Dad broke a bale.” (Ahhh…just one of the many lessons learned at recess.)

A broken bale isn’t uncommon, but it does make a bit of a mess. Fortunately, my husband seems to have had some experience in this area. He knows exactly what to do. Tie the broken strings together, wrap them around the bale and hope they hold.

Then, gingerly pick up the bale with the backhoe again and cross your fingers that it doesn’t fall off before you reach the cows. Crossing your fingers is the most important part of the process. The kids kept all of their fingers crossed while we drove out of the stack yard and into the field AND IT WORKED! The bale didn’t fall off!

If nothing else, we learned that our kids cannot cross their fingers and chant at the same time. Sweet (and silent) success!