Thursday 21st August 2025.
Nigel and I have been working up at Uncle Ken's today. I thought I would be after getting finished with our straw baling yesterday. I don't know if dad had forgotten that I promised to let Nigel have a go on the baler but I had to remind him this morning over breakfast. He pulled a bit of a face as though it was a problem, so I also had to remind him that it was his suggestion that I sort the Nigel problem out.
"You can't ask her to do something then complain when she does it." Said mum sticking up for me.
Dad did agree before saying he didn't mind, he just wanted him moving bales with Steve.
It's recycling week this week so Eric and I had to do the bin carry on, which he managed to win on account of him putting this huge stone on top of my bin as he managed to get out of the door before me. By the time I rolled it off Eric was half way down the path.
I found Nigel sitting on his tractor waiting to see what to do. When I told him to bring his lunch and anything else he might need, as he was coming baling with me, he couldn't get off his tractor fast enough. And just as I did a few weeks back he leapt off the wrong way. Of course I stopped him and made him get back on and do it properly. He started to say something and I think thought better of it, as he did as he was told.
I drove to Ken's place, it was my place to do so. I owned everything about this project, he was simply there to do as he was told when I tell him. To be fair to him he was happy with that.
As usual there was some hanging about waiting for Ken to put in an appearance. To be honest he was there, it's just that he was supervising Kimbely who was doing something with some sheep in the race. I kept well out of the way, but on spotting Kimbely Nigel suddenly developed an interest in sheep. So much so I was beginning to think I was going to be doing the baling by myself, because even when Ken came to me Nigel didn't! I had to call him in the end. It seems that Kimberly is a nice girl according to Nigel!! I reminded him that he thought the same thing about Charlotte the other day when he asked her out. He grinned and pointed out that Kimberly is a farmer thought. I didn't bother asking what different that made.
When in the field I showed him how set the baler up for working. I did the outside rounds with him just watching and me telling him things.
"I don't know why I'm having to tell you this stuff, I thought you were an expert?"
"I have done loads of baling but not with a baler like this." He said.
I took that to mean that the one he used was a different brand. It turns out though to be what we call a conventional baler, or small baler. It's the sort of baler that makes the size of bales you can handle manually. Which explains how he was able to make so many more bales that I was able to in a day. There's probably fifteen or more of his bales to just one of mine. Honestly, if I wasn't supposed to be his mentor for the day I would have strangled him.
After I did the outside rounds I set him off doing the up and down rows. I was quite pleased actually because before jumping in to the driving seat he removed his boots. I thought it was cool that he had taken account and was respecting my workspace.
He did alright and I could tell he was enjoying himself because when Ken had finished with Kimberly he came to fetch Nigel who expressed a lack of interest in going. I explained to him that it was out of my hands as it was what dad wanted. So it was that he had to go helping Ken to move the bales from the field back to the yard.
I was sort of pleased as this was to be my last day on the baler. Finishing off the way I'd spent most of my first harvest was the best way to finish. I was quite sad when I shut down the baler for the last time. I'm sure most people would be thinking, thank goodness for that. I enjoyed every minute of it though, and would be quite happy to start all over again tomorrow.
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