Haymaking Season: Farmer in Alsunga Municipality Works Non-Stop
Madars Gulbis, a farmer from Kažoki in Alsunga Municipality, is busy preparing hay for winter for his own herd and helping other farmers without equipment.
July has traditionally been known as the hay month, and despite recent rainy days, Madars Gulbis from Kažoki in Alsunga Municipality is in the midst of one of the most intense periods of the year. Using a tractor and a baler, he collects hay both for his own needs and for others who lack machinery.
This season's work is nearing completion. Gulbis says he has only five hectares left to bale, which will bring the total to 400 bales. The bales are then transported home, stacked, covered with tarpaulins, and stored for winter to feed his livestock.
The farm in Kažoki raises 23 suckler cows, with a total herd of about 40 animals. However, Gulbis also provides services to smaller farms that lack equipment. He mows grass and bales hay for others, and this season he has been particularly busy, sometimes working from morning until three at night.
Although the weather has been mixed – a week of rain followed by a dry week – Gulbis views the summer positively. He works alongside his wife and children. Still, farming alone is not enough to make a living, so he also works an additional job. Besides haymaking, he grows potatoes for his family and relatives. The weeks have flown by in a rush.
