Whuffling.

Making our way back down the Caldon.  ONe of the joys, for me at least of canal cruising is seeing the countryside changing,work being done and getting very close to nature.  Birds which would take flight at the very sight of a human on foot often sit and let you cruise past.

Talking of work being done I have been surprised at the amount of grass I have seen being  cut.  By now in our part of the world farmers have usually had third cut silage, assuming they need to take a third cut.  It isn't possible to tell when the grass is in this stage whether it is designed to be silage or hay.  I assume silage, risking making hay, apart from the fact little hay is made nowadays, at this time of the year would I think be unusual.

Whether the grass is going to be silage or hay it is usually allowed a little time to loose some moisture.  Hay obviously needs a  long time to get very dry, silage is generally just wilted to reduce the moisture content a bit.  Here the farmer is "whuffling" the grass to allow air through by lifting it up.  The process will also bruise the stalks a little allowing more moisture to escape.  I am sure there is probably a correct term for the process but I have never heard it called anything other than whuffling.