Thread by @homemadeguitars

I didn't take any video today. I had hard dangerous work to do, I had to do it with donkeys, a cart, and a pitchfork, out in the sun.
The reason it was dangerous is because

2. I had pretty much set myself up for this on purpose, with my eyes wide open.
To live like I live requires commitment. But I believe it to be possible, climate change and all, old age and all, within certain limits.
I bought hay this year. 200 square bales. That's not a year's

3. worth of hay for 3 standard donkeys on dry lot, or just barely.
I bought it, delivered and stacked inside my barn, from an honorable hay professional. Cost me $1075.00
I spend more than that on mower and tractor gas every year.
And now I'm safe. I do all I can, it's enough.

4. For those who might be new readers, I'm 74 and not in the greatest health, but the major systems function OK, and it is my firm belief that the work I do extends my healthy lifetime. That if I quit doing this it would physically harm me.
But I accept my limitations.

5. If I had a couple kids, and was about 35, I'd break these two donks onto separate carts, and I'd have one kid fork hay onto carts, one kid lead donks back and forth, the Ms. and I would stack and we could load as much loose hay in a day as we could square bale, or close to it.

6. And we could do it on zero ongoing fossil fuels. The donkeys could mow it, rake it, and haul it.
I'm working on getting the mower and rake now, but it will take some time to get it done.
But I'm not going to get over being old. It's OK, but I've got to be real.

7. I make hay a little bit at a time as life goes on. I used to make firewood the same way. All the responsible adults had next year's wood under a roof; I had next week's under a tarp. And wood heat was all I had. For years.
So now, I've usually got a couple of weeks of loose.

8. This is an under 4 minute video of the process. The pile I'm working out of is a couple weeks worth. That's the pile I added to today.
It's like going to the feed store, only I don't have to drive somewhere.

9. I've standardized to where I try to mow about five or six cartloads at a lick. I can pick up and store five or six cartloads in a couple-three hours depending on the weather.
My biggest time loss is walking back and forth. That's why a kid leading carts back and forth would

10. increase output so much. But - I'm working in the hayfield right behind the barn. It's so close that the last two nights I've walked out with my pitchfork and gotten hay out of the windrow to feed. And this time I'd only cut 3 cartloads. I knew it was going to be hot. Brutal.

11. I took four, 17 ounce, stainless steel vacuum insulated bottles full of water, along with three frozen plastic bottles of water, in my cooler, up to the barn. Always do. I plan to buy at least two more. Maybe four more.
I dress in white. People don't know what a big differenc

12. I opened up and propped the walkthrough doors on the east and west ends of the barn, and two on the south, to move air. We had a decent breeze, which was fortunate. I broke the whole thing down in segments. Getting the girls up and harnessed is easy, little waste motion.

13. But doing anything when it's 97° outside is hot sweaty work. I harness them in the lane the breeze blows through, inside the barn, and it's pretty slick, but... It's 97° out there.
So, harness one, drink water, mop sweat. Stand in the breeze and evaporate. Harness other one.

14. Mopping sweat helps a lot. The thin layer evaporates more quickly, I get a little burst of coolth. And - I can't stand sweat in my eyes. You'll never see me working in warm or hot weather without a big bandana tucked in a belt loop.

The unloading process is in the shade. This video isn't today, but it's the same process. In fact, the hay we're gathering is the tall standing grass in this video. I cut a few passes, gather that, cut a few more, gather that - about 5 mins here.

16. I'm having to waste some steps right now, because Clara is a rookie and they have to be tied. This pic isn't today, but recent. Today I had them tied to the 8N. I tie them in a spot along the windrow, and carry forks full of hay to them.
Once they learn, they'll walk and stop

17. Today they stood in the barn not tied while I unloaded. This was a first and makes the day easier for me.
So, we went and got one load, unloaded it. Didn't fork it onto the stack.
I drove the girls around the barn into the shade - this spot here.

18. After just one load. Not even stacked.
And I took a break. Sat in the shade in the breeze and drank a bottle of water. Mopped sweat. Whew.
Went and forked it onto the stack.
Took another break.
This three cartloads took longer than six. And I expected and planned for that.

19. In all cases, under all conditions, speed is energy. Quite literally.
In order to enable this old body to work, and not malfunction, on a day one degree below its design parameters at 48% humidity, requires minimizing the energy burden on my cooling system.

20. We have chosen to do this to our Earth. We continue to choose, intentionally, to do it. We forbid public discussion of any action which would reduce emissions today.
Therefore, I have to work within this set of conditions.
If it was 100° I wouldn't. Couldn't.

21. It's all energy. There's really nothing else.
Later, y'all.