The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

More stacking today.

I mowed for a few hours towards the end of the day.

I’m set up for another 40 acres of mowing tomorrow.

 

[Hay Dude]

Getting some mushroom hay mowing done along East Penn’s Wilmington freight line. This is one of my fave places to mow because it’s high yield and really interesting with the freight rail traffic and nice scenery. The people who own this property have an amazing family legacy.
Their father invented the tracer bullet in the early 1900’s. The laboratory and rifle range is still on the property. He also started a Wilmington Bank and owned an aviation company.

A view in the other direction. You can still see some of the trees destroyed last August, many of which I cleaned up last summer/fall/winter even into this spring.

Then there’s our many dead ash trees, including this one. This one keeps dropping branches in the grass, fouling up my mower. You can see the Pottinger 302 in the (very dirty) side mirror. Also, you see the dead trees beyond the East Penn RR tracks. They are also victims of the wind storm. Most having their tree tops ripped off in the 100+ MPH winds.

This property has 4 fields and you have to travel over some mowed areas and between tree lines to get from one to the other. I think they own 128 acres. Probably worth 20 million or more, but it will never be sold out of their family.

Here’s a few deer getting ready to bolt as I pass through one of the bale storage areas. The groundskeeper here and I have become friends. He keeps this “pad” mowed so I can store 80-100 bales there. You can see some bare spots from last year’s bales.

 

[civilian]

We moved onto this property 5 years ago. Built the house with wood boiler for heat. Have been trying to get all the dead ash collected for firewood. Jon

 

[Hay Dude]

You could literally make a business in my area simply taking down dead ash trees and selling firewood.

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm not familiar with Ash Trees, so I looked them up. Everything I saw is about the Ash Borer. It sounds like those trees are in a lot of trouble all over the Northern States!!!

 

[Willman]

I'm not familiar with Ash Trees, so I looked them up. Everything I saw is about the Ash Borer. It sounds like those trees are in a lot of trouble all over the Northern States!!!

Pennsylvania has lost hundreds of thousands, maybe millions of ash trees due to the emerald ash borer
My back yard area was like a park until we lost five very large trees (24 - 35 inches wide on the stumps)
On the rest of my property I have 15 - 20 standing dead ash trees in the woods and around the field lines

 

[japody]

Same situation here in Virginia with the ash trees. I've lost dozens of them.

 

[Hay Dude]

Back into a few fields today for some rotary mowing with the CX-15.

Here’s a water detention basin I have to cut 4 times/year. It’s about a steep as I like to cut.

This 15” snapping turtle survived, but didn’t look too happy….

Finished the detention basin. That standpipe is about 10’ high.

Completed another field in the same group of fields. Same customer. Big HOA property.

 

[LouNY]

Back into a few fields today for some rotary mowing with the CX-15.

View attachment 878526


View attachment 878527

Here’s a water detention basin I have to cut 4 times/year. It’s about a steep as I like to cut.

View attachment 878528

This 15” snapping turtle survived, but didn’t look too happy….

View attachment 878529


Finished the detention basin. That standpipe is about 10’ high.

View attachment 878531

Completed another field in the same group of fields. Same customer. Big HOA property.

View attachment 878532

Now if you had cracked that shell off the snapper the Hawks could enjoy turtle on a half shell

 

[Hay Dude]

Yesterday, I got into some of the more nasty crap I have to cut.
6-8 foot tall stickers.

This customer actually only cuts this place ONCE a YEAR. I talked to them early spring and told them their “meadows” were now patches of invasives, trash & stickers. Long ago, these were productive hay fields. Then “environmentalists” and “biologists” and other “experts” decided farming needed to go away. Now look what it is….

After mowing this place once in January or February, I have convinced them to increase it to 3 cuts per year indefinitely. The hope is to beat back the trash and encourage grass regrowth. I have done this for other customers with good success.

 

[Hay Dude]

Today, despite nonstop rain warnings, I was able to get some baling done. I’m in a field in N. Wilmington 1 day early. Just dropped this field Monday and it was very thick & heavy. Since rain was in the forecast, I decided to start baling a day early, rather than run a tedder after it rains.


First, I had to run the Massey back home with the hay mowers in order to return with the baling tractor. One thing I may have never shared with you is that being a hay farmer involves a lot of “logistics”.
Here I am in North Wilmington heading across the border back to get the Challenger tractor & Krone baler.

OK, I’ve dropped the Massey off and heading back with the Challenger & Krone baler.

Made it back to N. Wilmington & now baling….

Thunderstorm warnings have been issued, but they are passing to the south of me. Nothing like having doppler radar in the cab! I’m near the blue dot/Wilmington. Worst of it appears to be sliding off to the south.

It’s now ~6:30 and time to stack some bales….

Finished with baler. I like these bale weights in the 1500lb range. I didn’t get the whole place done, but the day is over. Tomorrow is another day.

It’s now 8PM. I am heading home in the small Challenger. When you are tired and really want to get home, 30+ MPH speeds are really nice.

I feel blessed by such a generous Lord & Savior.

 

[sixdogs]

Nothing beats baling hay with rain all around you and you stay dry. In Maine I once baled 1200 small squares while a neighbor a half-mile away got an inch of rain and another in a different direction had intermittent downpours.

I figured every bale was the last and despite wanting to quit just kept going and got every one in the barns without a drop of rain.

 

[Hay Dude]

we are forecasted to have similar weather tomorrow

 

[Hay Dude]

Today was another day where we would get a 10-20 minute “spritz” and then 5 hours of hot, oppressive sun. No problem baling. In fact it helps put just a touch of “dew” moisture in the bale, not harmful like stem moisture.

On my way over to the Customer’s Farm/Estate, I snapped a quick picture for y’all that might interest you. Can you guess what this ~100’ tall stone tower with windows and a door is for?

Here I am at Customers gates in small Challenger.

Now up in fields raking. It’s about 92 degrees and pretty oppressive.

View out the front of the Challenger MT535B while raking. Note wheel rake in side view mirror.

Thunderstorm clouds threatened, but never rained

A couple baling pics. Here’s a 1,700LB block of hay. Krone Baler in side view mirror.

Climbing a pretty steep hill. The big Challenger gets better traction than the old Magnum 270, but it also has better tires.

Finishing up a section.

 

[number two]

Good stuff!
Thanks for posting,and Good Luck!

 

[Hay Dude]

Submit your guesses on what the stone castle turret is for

 

[RjCorazza]

Today was another day where we would get a 10-20 minute “spritz” and then 5 hours of hot, oppressive sun. No problem baling. In fact it helps put just a touch of “dew” moisture in the bale, not harmful like stem moisture.

On my way over to the Customer’s Farm/Estate, I snapped a quick picture for y’all that might interest you. Can you guess what this ~100’ tall stone tower with windows and a door is for?
View attachment 878815...

With a door and windows I'm going to guess it's for people, rather than agriculture.... A monument / memorial?

 

[Runner]

It reminds me of a water tower in KC.

 

[sixdogs]

Submit your guesses on what the stone castle turret is for

if near ocean, a lighthouse?
Watch for advancing British?
Stone tower to make round lead shot?
Silo?

 

[EddieWalker]

That tower would make a great deer hunting blind!!! But I'm gonna guess it was made for something a lot less exciting. Probably a lookout for Red Coats!!!!