Out On Bale Panorama

A couple of times a year, the prairie landscape changes from flat fields of waving crops or mature alfalfa to a strange vision of either flat land or small rolling hills that are dotted with these giant bales of either hay or straw.

The hay is cut once or sometimes twice a year and is rolled up into 2000 pound bales of feed for livestock. In the fall after the combines roll through, the left over stalks from the crops are rolled into straw bales which are typically used for livestock bedding over the cold winter.

These beautiful bales of straw were glowing in the final moments of sunlight on a warm October afternoon. I was travelling to an art show when I noticed them across the highway. I pulled my truck over and ran across the busy Trans canada highway to get into the field before the warm light faded leaving them looking bland.