How late is too late to cut and bale?

[atsah]

The old ones were cutter bars, i believe new ones are disc cutters . from what ive seen, disc mowers perform better in down hay.

Not from what I have seen them do.. Maybe some newer discs do IDK..

 

[buckeyefarmer]

We only use cutter bar, but a guy made hay for dad a few yrs ago and cut with a disc, they cut much faster.

I mow my small 2.5 acre field with RFM. It rained so much, i hadn't mowed in about 2 months. It was tall and thick when i mowed last week, finished it monday. It was wet from dew when i mowed. Had to mow twice, high then lower.

 

[atsah]

Sounds like you need a new cutter bar..

 

[John Fitzgerald]

It's still not cut but neighbor still seems inclined to hay it sometime......

 

[John Fitzgerald]

If it's not cut before a hard freeze, how practical would it be to bush hog it (6.5 acres) with my 5 foot RC? Most of the johnson grass is 5-6 feet tall. The bermuda grass part is about 15" tall but thick. I don't think it would make hay of any value after a hard freeze, unless cut right after.

 

[atsah]

Raise your bush hog up and cut it, lower it and cut it again, that’s what I would do..

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I figure it will take about six hours. The field is pretty rough. Two MPH might be a good speed. No five day windows for making hay in the long range forecast.

 

[atsah]

I figure it will take about six hours. The field is pretty rough. Two MPH might be a good speed. No five day windows for making hay in the long range forecast.

Yikes.. Too bad he didn't cut it already.. There are fewer and fewer people with the equipment and the drive to hay others property's, it's been dwindling around here anyway..

 

[John Fitzgerald]

He gets free hay, and it's a good, nearly weed free field. It makes about 90-100 large round bales annually. A good part of it is bermuda grass.

 

[D2Cat]

It sounds like your haying farmer has other problems in his life. No farmer who is focused on his farm lets the opportunity to obtain 100 large bales of hay at no cost other than time, fuel, etc. get out of his control.

Without seeing the layout, I'd leave it alone until about March. Then mow the outside 40' with a bush hog, and do a controlled burn.

 

[powerscol]

Do any other neighbors have cows? If so see if they will pasture then on it? Maybe trade some beef for the grazing. If he does not cut it find someone that can, maybe someone who has cows. Wet hay can be fed to cows

 

[John Fitzgerald]

It's not fenced.

 

[Gator6x4]

If it's not cut before a hard freeze, how practical would it be to bush hog it (6.5 acres) with my 5 foot RC? Most of the johnson grass is 5-6 feet tall. The bermuda grass part is about 15" tall but thick. I don't think it would make hay of any value after a hard freeze, unless cut right after.

You have a mess. I would recommend setting the Rotary Cutter in a high position and mow the field. Wait a week or more and then mow again with the Rotary cutter at a lower setting. You do need to something quick or the field will be degraded. I would also look for someone to mow the field.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

It looks like we will have 4 days of sunny weather. The neighbor cut the hayfield today. Probably be baled and taken up by about Monday or Tuesday. The first fall frost is yet to come.

 

[atsah]

Glad to hear it.

 

[John Fitzgerald]

Now we're having an unexpected hard rainstorm. Wonder how that will affect the cut hay?

 

[atsah]

Now we're having an unexpected hard rainstorm. Wonder how that will affect the cut hay?

That wont be good but the hay was probably in rough shape to begin with laying down etc, we get a way with cutting hay in the rain because it's green at that point but a day later with rain is not good and it normally ends up as mulch/construction hay..

 

[John Fitzgerald]

I hope he doesn't decide to just leave it lay to rot. That's a lot of mulch.

 

[atsah]

If he does I would rake it to the sides at the very least to get it off the field..

 

[John Fitzgerald]

If he does I would rake it to the sides at the very least to get it off the field..

I hope he takes it up as I have no means to move it off the field. Guess he could round bale it and feed it immediately. Probably will make about 35 large round bales. I think he has over 100 cows.