It's all happening in the field

Over the last few days we have noticed that the maize crop has been disappearing from a lot of the fields in the vicinity, and this morning I had an inkling that today could be our day. So in the early morning light I took a couple of snaps to remind us of how enclosed part of our garden had become over the summer.



And then, late this afternoon, we heard the noise of machinery in the field, and a glance from our upstairs window revealed three tractor/trailer combinations, together with the cutting machine, badged as the Forage Cruiser, at the gate to the Hendrerwydd lane.


We admit to considerable apprehension as the beast approached our fence, but we need not have feared. Expertly driven, it took a swathe of corn, including the line of plants which had grown immediately next to the fence. No damage to the fence!


The driver was equally careful in removing the crop to either side of our projecting garden:


In a first for this blog, here is a little clip of the beast on the move:


Soon, there was daylight between our fence and the remaining crop, which was further harvested until darkness fell.


And here's the evening equivalent of this morning's two snaps:


Which reminds me, I really must get the raised beds built.

Postscript 1:

I was completely wrong about work stopping for the night as darkness fell. After a brief lull, they are at it again with some skilfully choreographed Cruiser and tractor/trailer driving by headlights - not least, I now realise, because tomorrow's weather forecast is for heavy rain. The choreography aids speed: at the start of the operation the Cruiser towed a trailer, into which it shot the chopped corn from its chute. When enough space had been cleared, it worked without a trailer, shooting the corn instead into a trailer towed alongside by a tractor. When the trailer fills, the tractor zooms off, to be replaced by another tractor/trailer combination coming in from behind. Sadly, the contractors have a reputation for driving at similar speed but with less attention as they head off along our single-track lanes to the farms where the crop is stored.


Postscript 2:

A local drone photographer has posted a video to Youtube - fascinating to see the process from above, including night-time shots. Not 'our' field, but very close by. 





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