MrB to the rescue

Early morning call from Farmer Franz .... the precious hay needs to get off the ground after yesterdays rain. So as soon as Angie returned from early shopping, I set off again with the car trailer, leaving behind the horse trailer still loaded from yesterday and with the helpful suggestion that the only one who could help was MrB.

Got out to the track and was dismayed to see vehicles had used the track yesterday and best of all the had driven up and down on the grass verge to avoid the puddles. Further up the track is the new village water source which contractors are finishing off. The hay was now totally flattened and covered in mud. Knowing Franz likes to keep things tidy (even though it is a parish track), I raked and loaded it, destined for the muck heap. Just as I finished, Franz appeared having walked out, although I had told him I would do it myself. He was naturally horrified at the sight and waste.

As I drove back to the house, saw the sight in the Blip. Angie had called MrB and he came around with his trusty narrow gauge Eicher tractor with the extra long pallet forks and they had managed to lift it out of the trailer. Luckily we have a double length hand pallet truck and with that, we got it into the chicken run.

I had mentioned to MrB a few weeks ago that I had not been able to pull out the larch stump from the 25m high tree that fell over in an autumn storm. Although he didn't have the winch, he said he would give it a go using the straps I had attached for my failed attempt. Chance seemed remote as everyone, including Farmer Franz, reckoned one needed to dig out quite a bit first.

Attached the straps and sure enough MrB's 4WD Eicher mini tractor did the job. It was a close thing but he pulled it out and was just able to lift it on the front loader and move it to its new home (in the forest to join the dozens of other uprooted stumps). Some views on Flickr. Thanks, MrB, two good jobs done despite the heat.

Then I fled for shade for the rest of the day, while Angie, despite my saying the hay was for the muck heap, carefully unloaded it and placed it on the Hoinzas to dry off. She is getting more Swabian by the day, even farmer Franz had come to terms with it being thrown away.