Waterford farmer Kevin Looby is about to bale straw in February.

Yes, you read that correctly, February.

The Cappoquin man has turned a field of straw that has been lying on the ground since 31 August.

“We had 30 acres not baled. Eight acres had to be pushed into the ditch so we could set winter barley back in October,” he told the Irish Farmers Journal.

“The other 22ac was left, but only 16ac are now left because the flood came in from the river and swept it away."

Some 22ac of barley straw was left on the ground in Conna, Co Cork, since 31 August, 2017. Some of it was washed away by floods but 16ac are now being baled up in February 2018.

The barley was cut on 31 August and 1 September 2017, turned on 25 September and 10 October but it got rain soon after both times and lay on the field until Saturday.

Some 22ac of barley straw was left on the ground in Conna, Co Cork since 31 August, 2017. Some of it was washed away by floods but 16ac are now being baled up in February 2018.

“The straw is black but quite dry and is certainly better than no straw!” he said.

“It will be baled Monday now as I’m struggling to find a contractor to do it at this time of the year naturally.”

For sale

“We will keep some of it for our own dairy cows at home and sell a bit more to regular customers who we left short last harvest,” he added.

Unsure as to whether it is best described as early season straw or late-season straw, Looby has catalogued all of the crop’s trial and tribulations online.

“Only got 589mm of rain, only turned three times, survived a hurricane, two storms, three floods and a few inches of snow,” he joked.

“Cows are colour blind so they won’t mind. The early bird catches the worm but the second mouse always gets the cheese,” he said.

“This is seriously tough straw for seriously tough operators. It must be worth €15 off the field for surviving this long.”

Driest bales

Meanwhile in Co Louth, contractor Paul Shevlin was in action with his baler.

Shevlin baled up wheaten straw at Togher, Drogheda, today, telling the Irish Farmers Journal: “It was cut on 25 August and turned yesterday for the first time. It’s the driest we ever baled.”

Co Louth contractor Paul Shevlin baled up whaten straw today. \ Paul Shevlin

“We have 200ac of barley still to bale but it's not near fit yet,” he added.

In Cork, tillage and beef farmer Brian Crowley joked about listening to the Six Nations instead of the All Ireland while baling straw at the wekend.

Even MEP and European Parliament first vice preident Mairead McGuinness got in on the act. She posted videos and pictures of straw baled on her home farm ahead of the snow.

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