After the alfalfa was cut into
windrows
and left to dry just so,
the baler gobbled up the hay,
spitting out square packages
wrapped with twine.
Picking them up required three people,
one to drive the tractor followed by the trailer,
one to walk alongside and throw the bales,
and
one to stack.
Stacking always seemed a bit of an art form --
building bale levels higher and higher.
Sloppy stacking led to inefficiency,
too many trips back and forth.
A few too many bales could mean
an unsteady load,
an accident waiting to happen.
And so it is with bales
and
life,
we all must learn how to
stack the wagon.