The Mindful Farmers Daily Diary Day 81

Good morning everyone and welcome once again to Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens. Another beautiful morning thank God. Another of a day in our life. Today I am going to talk to you about the gravest. Our harvest commences each year in the first week of June, weather permitting. We usually cut and save hay as it suits our organic type of farming and my father always said “hay is warmer in the winter time for all animals” and I believe this to be right. In the winter time when I roll out a bale of hay for the animals it is always exciting as there is a burst of flavour, wild herbs, flowers and grass. It reminds me of the opening of a nice Sauvignon Blanc and the aroma bursts out of you. That’s farming in my opinion and the excitement is the same for every bale of hay. So yesterday we cut our first crop of hay. It will take about 5 days or so and we turn it every day to dry it out then we bale it into big round bales and place them in the barn for the winter. How nice that we can bale this June flavour to be consumed over the winter months. That’s what makes Ballinwillin House Farm so special – only the best for my animals on the farm that bring me so much joy.

As I walked the fields yesterday of freshly cut grass there was a gently flow of fresh air and sun but as well as having to harvest the hay I was always mindful that I was harvesting the sounds, the moments, the history and the memories of the farm. I have been so lucky to have been taught that my first lesson for a home through the medium of nature and I was taught to walk lightly and naturally and mindfully along the land. I always say to visitors at Ballinwillin House Farm and gardens when they come to stay in the Bed and Breakfast that “The interplay between farmer and the elements is a poem without words”.

Continue to pray, bless and heal each other.

The Mindful Farmer

Patrick