The solution

 Heres the problem . 

And the problem is there is no grass for the sheep to graze - its all under a couple of inches of snow.

And its been like this for a couple of weeks and the forecast is for a couple of weeks more .

 

So we are getting through the hay at a rapid rate. 

 

So Michael to the rescue 

And stocks replenished

Delivery

Before

We need some hay for the winter to feed the sheep - the grass doesn't grow well enough in the reduced daylight to sustain them . 
The weather has been   dry here so  people have been making hay. We have a small amount (~90 bales) left over from last year and so it need topping up.
 And we got some delivered

During

After

|Its quite hard work climbing up the bales and stacking it to the roof !

Our own hay

We havent had the really really dry weather they have had 'doon sooth'   - the grass in the fields is still green.  And  this year, as we have a shed that is big enough, we decided to make and store our own hay.
Well, we didn't make it  - Davie did .
It was cut and baled, stood in the field for a couple of days  adn then brought down.
On the way , some branches had to go

And then some deft maneouvering

And we have a load of hay bales stacked, to keep until the winter.

The shed needs to stay open to ensure ventilation, as the hay dries out and we try to keep the bales  cool.

Ive stuck a thermometer into one of the bales.  54.6 degrees C

The hay Store

So polycrubbing has been delayed since before Christmas .
We needed somewhere to store the bales, as building  the bigger shed  to take them has been delayed.
So its the east end of the polycrub. We are fortunate that strong easterly winds dont bring much rain with them  so they are OK uncovered.

Weve been awaiting a delivery of hay to  feed the sheep throufghthe rest of the winter.
It comes in a big bale,  brought by one of the neighbours with his tractor

But I can't put the ends on the polycrub because we wouldnt get the bale in .

As soon as we are sure we wont need any more hay deliver , or the new shed to store it in get ererected, it will be back to polycrubbing.

A delivery

We need some hay.

Some hay arrives

Hay gets unrolled in a stored in barn

Not the Hay Wain

So we need some hay. Sadly we dont have a cart and horse and a stream , as Constable did.
We've got a trailer. And a car. And a neighbour with hay.
So we need to put all three together.
 

A trailer

A hay bale

  And with much huffing and grunting and pushing  and the help of the neighbour, we got the bale in the trailer.

A very tight fit.

 So getting the bale in wasn't that easy ( we should have put some cardboard on the trailer floor. Its corrugated, to stop things (ie sheep) sliding about.

And we transported it home.  it took three of us to get it in . ow there were only 2  to get it out.  and it too long to reach in and pull.
So the answer - empty enough hay from the side door.  Get in the trailer. Lie on the floor . And push .

Mission accomplished.

So for next time, some big sheets of cardboard. get the thing on the cardboard , leaving enough to pull vigorously to extract the hay bale.