Making Hay While The Sun Shines

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Wildflowers Along The Side Of A Hayfield

One of the most attractive and enduring treasures of the Arkansas Ozarks is the diversity of the geography. I was raised on the western shore of Lake Michigan, between Milwaukee and Chicago. As kids we had the lake for our recreation, but there were no wooded areas to hike in or explore. In that area, rural Wisconsin was a row of single trees, then a big corn field, then another row of single trees, another large field of corn, onto the horizon. There was no opportunity to just go off for a walk and explore. In this area of the Ozarks we are blessed with a national river, several wilderness areas, large national forests, and man made lakes. I love the ability to just take off and go, heading down a dirt road that I have never been on, just to see what is there. I never can get enough of the beauty of our area. 

One of my favorite times of the year to travel the back roads is when the farmers begin to harvest their hay. Depending on conditions, first cut can come anytime from mid-June to early July. I just love the smell of freshly mowed hay. Farmers here can usually get two cuts each year. I always like to take a drive at that time, soaking up the scent and seeing new sights. This year I decided to make a loop from Harrison to Everton to Zinc and then back home, as much as possible staying off the main roads and pavement. 
The first leg was to Everton and I decided to take an entirely different way than normal so I could see more of the countryside and less pavement. It was a very nice day, and the sweet smell of fresh cut hay was in the air. I slowly made my way until in the distance I could see grave markers. I usually try and stop at these small community cemeteries. They are usually very well maintained and are in a picturesque area. I like seeing how far back the "residents" go. Many are quite old and date to the original settlement of the area. As I pulled up I could see the Community building marked "Crawford" and the sign on the fence said Crawford Cemetery. I spent a little time wandering among the headstones. Some were so weathered you almost needed to make a tracing to see what was written, I tried to take pictures of them but they didn't turn out too well. Once I was finished I took a small snack break at the entrance, where there was a small shaded pavilion. Then I headed north towards Zinc. 
Zinc is a small town with a historic footbridge over Sugar Orchard Creek. As I consulted my county map to take the road less traveled, I stopped many times to check out the hay being harvested. I stopped to visit one man, and he told me it was a very good crop this year. As we talked the fragrance  of fresh cut grass permeated the air. It was delightful. I finally came out at Zinc. I hardly recognized it, since the last time I was here was January, 2018 and all the leaves were off the trees. 
The bridge is the only way home for several families when the creek is up and running. I walked around it and even went up the steps but did not venture across, even though I knew it was safe. A couple residents came over to check on why I was taking pictures. Of course, Zinc is the home of the national director of The Knights Party, also known as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan, so I was not surprised. We had a nice visit and I showed them my website on the cellphone. They seemed to be impressed. Once I was all finished at Zinc I  made my way home. It was a 4 hour drive altogether and quite enjoyable.
As summer makes it's way to the hottest times here in the Ozarks, there is always a road trip you can take to see some very interesting sights. A destination drive to see something like Pedestal Rocks or just a drive down any dirt road is always an option. If you are going to get out and hike we would encourage you to start early and drink plenty of water. It does get hot out there!