Sold on the tedder

[tessiers]

Man I finally got a hold of a decent tedder, first time I have used anything more than junk. It is getting harder to make hay here in the NE, shorter days rainier forcasts this time of year, the tedder saved me a day easily and probably more if I timed things a little better. I only do 30 acres of so and I always thought I didn't need one. I won't be without one again.

To top the whole thing off, I had it given to me. It is an early 2000's tonutti, 4 basket hydraulic fold, with a box of extra teeth. A farmer friend of mine had it as a spare and after repeatedly offering me to use it I told him I don't borrow equipment. A week later he told me I could have it on the condition if his breaks down he can use it, and if I decide to get rid of it he gets first refusal. He has used some of my equipment in the past and has helped me out in a bind so we have a good working relationship anyway but that is an expensive thing to just give away.

Just a little excited and had to spread the word, so to speak.

 

[Rustyiron]

Nice to have good neighbors, a good tedder yeah, sometimes saving one day makes the diff between good hay or bad. Very usefull on rained on hay also.

 

[tessiers]

made the difference this time, baled yesterday, today would have made mulch.

 

[Verticaltrx]

I've been a firm believer in tedders for years. When we used to mow only with a mower conditioner it wasn't as needed, but now that we often don't condition it (disc mower) going over it with the tedder really speeds drying time. We just got a new 4 basket hydraulic fold Krone tedder for the farm, 18' wide, it's quite the machine.

For my personal operation I have a little old 2 basket 3pt hitch tedder, which I also got free. It's not much but does a good job and is small enough I can pull it with my B3200. First part of the week I made our second cutting hay, mowed it Tuesday about noon, tedded it Wednesday morning and baled that afternoon. Talk about quick drying, also when you can get the hay up really fast like that it makes much better (and better looking) hay.

 

[aczlan]

Wouldn't be without one. We almost always use it at least once to get a 2.5 day dry time (cut on Thursday afternoon, Spread with the tedder shortly after cutting, tedd on Friday, tedd (if needed) on Saturday morning, rake (side delivery) late Saturday morning or Saturday afternoon, then bale Saturday afternoon). Otherwise it takes at least an extra day to dry.

Aaron Z

 

[AKfish]

I'd be pretty tickled, too! Good fella, that neighbor of your's... you hang onto him!

Yep... tedder can be a maker in a breaker hay season. Wouldn't be without one.

AKfish

 

[slowzuki]

Not optional up here unless you're making mulch hay. I finally got a good rear fold one, a NH 163 / Kuhn. What a deal you got!

 

[Dill]

You just flat out can't make hay in northern new england without one. Especially with this summer of 3 day windows we are having. And the supply of used tedders seems to be pretty tight around here this summer.

 

[Barry Bowen]

You guys have only found half of what you need to get your hay to dry faster here in the Northeast. Tedders are great, and yes they are a tremendous help, but if you really want to help speed things along, you also need a rotary rake.

Y'all are simply happy with the tedder results. Get a hold of a rotary rake and you will be completely beside your self. This gets to be even more critical as the days are getting shorter and the ground is getting wetter.

Tedders spread out the hay nicely, and this is fine for drying when the ground is fairly dry, or at least not soaking wet. After the hay has been teddered and dried for a good day this time of year, then you want the rotary rake to stand the stuff up off the ground and really let the air get to it. Also, when you rake an existing wind row, you will always have what was on the bottom of the windrow on the side of the new on. No more just flipping it over right back onto the wet hay on the bottom. How much the windrow fluffs when you rake it is as a great indicator as to how dry the stuff has become. Get enough experience with one and you can tell how dry the hay is right off the bat. I have only ever had one regret about the rotary rake I bought 6 years ago, and that is I did not do it sooner. Point blank, I WILL NEVER EVER EVER use a roll bar rake again as long as I live and do hay. (Wheel rakes are a complete joke up in this area. They may be okay down south, or where you have really flat ground but that is not here. They pick up all kinds of green stuff in your dry hay.)

Rotary rakes will really allow you to save much rained on hay. The problem in rain wetted hay is that the bacteria and micro organisms are trying to reclaim the hay to the soil. Tedders spread the hay out and give max exposure to the bacteria. Now do not get me wrong here, you need the tedder to start to get the excess water off the hay, but once you start to get that smell in the air that they hay is starting to go south, this is when you need the rotary rake to stand as much of the hay as possible up off the ground and away from the bacteria.

Good tedders are great, but until you get the rotary rake you still are not doing the best you can for your hay.

 

[AKfish]

Good tedders are great, but until you get the rotary rake you still are not doing the best you can for your hay.

Agree - whole hog-eddly!

Finally got one too! A Kuhn 300 something or other... Fantastic rake! Tall, fluffy windrows that dry really fast.

I think that rake actually helped to save alot of the color in my hay this summer. After a whole day of rain! The hay was in windrows during the rain and after tedding for a good afternoon of drying out, I raked it again before the evening dew and baled it late in the afternoon the next day. Popcorn dry and good color.

Now what I really want is a disk mower - impeller conditioner! Gonna have to pay down that tractor for a couple years before that happens, though...

AKfish