Hay for horses

In Finland the months have describing names: February is "helmikuu", "Pearl Month" - ice and snow make pearls and diamonds when the sun is shining...

December is "joulukuu", "Christmas Month"

Most of the month names have to do with agriculture and the name tells what is done in the fields that time a year. It might be not difficult to guess how July is called... Yes, "heinäkuu", "Hay month".

It´s fantastic to see that some people have started to make the traditional hay stooks again. It´s hard work to build them and most of hay is gathered with machines, of course, but these "nostalgy stooks" you get to see now and again - countryside "entertaining" city people... 

After reaping the hay is lifted up on a stook to make sure it dries up well.

Done!

Well dried hay is taken to the barn.

When the hay work is done without the machines, you need more people

to work together - even the children can help!

Heikki with his Finnhorse Koda. Koda has done a good job

and during the winter time he gets to enjoy his well earned hay.

So it looked like in the old days. This picture is from Mustiala Manor house .

 Mustiala was Finland’s first agricultural college.