Hay bales in Tuscany, Italy

© Chris Ryan/plainpictur

What the hay?

Is it harvest time where you live? Perhaps you spent this season bucking hay with your family growing up. If you’re not familiar with the practice, it involves stacking hay bales that weigh up to 150 pounds–-often throwing them up onto higher levels. These days, farmers use sophisticated machinery to handle many aspects of hay production. These round, uniform bales of hay shown here in the fields of Tuscany were likely produced by a baler machine. And the round shape, while not as easy to maneuver as the rectangular style, is more resistant to moisture, which can damage a crop. Happy harvest!