This morning as my son and I were eating breakfast (dear girl was fast asleep) I asked my son for help building a vertical hay feeder that would hold one bale of hay at a time. I had the design and the tools, but I needed help. He willingly offered help.

We sketched the basic idea. We assembled necessary tools. We brainstormed techniques and plans. And then we commenced to build the thing. Basically, we cut up a cattle panel, turned the pieces vertically, folded them into L shapes, hinged them together, and took the whole thing into the goat pen. We made a square out of two Ls, hinged together on one side, and planned to attach the open side to a T-post. Sort of like this: <>.  Very simple. Very pleasing. Only, clipping and bending cattle panel wire is precarious and difficult. But WE DID IT!

I want the hay holder in the middle of the pen so goats can access it from all around and more importantly, so every passing dog won't pee on the hay. Dear boy carried our new hay holder into the middle of the goat yard and I followed with a T-post and a pile driver.

Pile drivers are intense. They are intentionally heavy. And unwieldy. I'm pretty sure they are the reason construction workers use hard hats.

It was all going so well. We were nearly finished. It was before lunch time. And I was minutes away from giving my goats a whole fresh bale of hay at one time, in such a way that they could eat through the entire middle without fouling the hay at all.  Wahoo! I was blogging in my head, silently bragging, as I pounded the last few pounds into the T-post. Oh happy successful designing, building, homeschooling, cooperating, while being practical innovative and thrifty!!! Brag brag brag went the voice in my head.

Until CLANG! The happy bragging voice was obliterated by the sound of the pile driver hitting my head. Yes, I over lifted the thing and dropped right on top of my noggin. What a stupid fool!

I dropped the pile driver, grabbed my head, and started walking inside while calmly telling my son to get my friend on the phone. He did so and got me a bag of frozen spinach to use as an ice pack. I sat, chilled, called my husband and my mom, my friend came over, and everyone agrees I'm fine. I didn't bleed, lose consciousness, or even swell much. (I'm hard headed?) I don't think I have a concussion. But, maybe only because I'm LUCKY. Sheesh.

All's well that ends well. My husband will come home and drive that piling for me. Then my goats will have vertical hay, by God. And I've learned two good lessons: focus on the job AT HAND, and shut your brag hole while you're working!

p.s. My husband got home and sank that T-post in 10 seconds. Then he filled our new feeder and the goats began eating happily. It works like a charm and I am so delighted to finally have a proper clean non-wasteful way of putting out hay.

pps. For those interested in the usefulness of this design, I should mention I cut two holes on either side to make it easier for them to get their heads through. I cut through the bars like this: +