I love hay season. It has arrived here in Northern NM with full force. Fields of the beautiful rolls and rectangular bales line the highway as we drive to Questa today. I feel a flutter of gratitude for and pride in the farmers, ranchers, balers, and knowledge-holders here in Northern NM and world-wide who are continuing this ancient tradition of harnessing and harvesting the fruits of photosynthesis for the four legged community to eat. I admire the rows and imagine walking in them, the texture in my fingers.

Fond and fascinating memories arise of Ignatius McGuire, the extraordinary, traditional, old school farmer in Northern Ireland that Anna Keleher and I met during our Radio Dreaming residency at Marble Arch Caves Global Geopark. Ignatius taught us to scythe, shake, ruck and spin hay-and he made it all look easy!

Here is an image from our Dreaming Place Blog of him and Anna and one of his hay stacks. You can see this and listen to audio recordings exploring his process at our blog post "Transformation of Materials: Part 2, Knowledge and Action" linked HERE.

#clairecotearts #quicksketch #hayseason #Questa #newmexico #claireandanna #radiodreaming #dreamingplace #actionresearch #borderlands #Ireland #learningtraditions #IgnatiusMcGuire