LIVESTOCK FED GOLF GREENS

Golf anyone? The Waverly Hills Golf Course is was a municipal course that was abandoned by the city of Lansing a few years ago. Since then its use as a golf facility has twice been a referendum before the voters, and both times the citizens voted to have it continue as a golf course rather than selling it to developers to turn it into a housing complex. Of course, by now it would take a huge amount of money to return it to playable condition, and of course these days the city doesn't have any extra money for such things. It was abandoned during the height of the recession as too costly to maintain; however, the city also abandoned two other courses, which is one reason the voters wish to retain Waverly Hills. The green space is nice and there are too many vacant houses and apartments already - besides as a golf course it can generate funds for maintenance, etc.

In the meantime, a nearby farmer - who claims to have only organically-fed stock and needed feed that hadn't been treated with chemicals - made a deal with the city to cut the grass and haul it away for his livestock. Guess it's a win-win situation. The residents bordering the property - and passersby - are pleased to finally have it cleared - although it's far from 'manicured' - because the growth got to be nearly two feet tall and was an eyesore. Prior to the farmer's offer, the city cut the grass twice a season at a cost of thousands of dollars each time.

This picture shows the farmer tying down the bales - I imagine there is a wagon just over the rise that wasn't visible from my vantage point. The scene was quite a distance away (thanks to my telephoto lens!), and I didn't choose to hike that far to get a different angle. (As it was, to get this shot, I had to go through a hole in the fence and walk quite far.) This may have been his last load because I couldn't see any more bales given the hills and the trees. I'd meant to get a more 'farmer's field' type shot with the rolled bales lying here and there - but glad I didn't miss out entirely.