The Lazy Aroma of New-Mowed Hay

There is going to be plenty of hay for fodder this winter in Holmes County.  The farmers have been taking in record crops.  For tourists like us, drives through the countryside, with the top down on our Miata, have been as aromatic lately as they can be.  It’s a small treat, really, and some would say it is trivial.  But the aroma of new-mowed hay is one of the best lazy treats a summer drive can offer.

It’s an aroma that is difficult to describe.  It is sweet, and nutty, too.  It is sharp clover spiced with herbs.  It is fruity and sometimes pungent.  After it has been turned to dry more, it has a hint of fermented richness.  And it all depends on what the farmer has planted for the mix.  The smart farmer remembers – the livestock needs to like it.

Mostly hay is an artful mix of grasses of one kind or another - rye grass, timothy, orchard grass, and Bermuda grass.  Alfalfa is popular, and so is red clover.  Some farmers keep a little thyme planted in with the mix, too.  Once mowed, it all grows back for another harvest, weather permitting.  And when they are out cutting or turning the hay, the aroma is wonderful – if you like that sort of thing. 

After a long day of writing, or after a stretch of rainy, indoor days, there’s nothing I like better about Holmes County than a top-down ride through sunny valleys, when Amish farmers are out working the hay.  The aroma is the best lazy treat in Amish country.  It makes you want to stop at a bed and breakfast and put your feet up on the porch.  Just don’t get carried away and put straw between your teeth.  Locals can spot a tourist a mile away.