The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

I have a customer with a small hay field, maybe 10-12 acres. They only allow it to be hayed 1x/year during 1st cutting. Second cutting just stands there and dies-off. Looks like 5’ tall dead grass hay.
I have asked why only 1 cut and the HOA member told me “because I like to see the dead grass stand over the fall and winter”.

 

[CH4Ohio]

I have a customer with a small hay field, maybe 10-12 acres. They only allow it to be hayed 1x/year during 1st cutting. Second cutting just stands there and dies-off. Looks like 5’ tall dead grass hay.
I have asked why only 1 cut and the HOA member told me “because I like to see the dead grass stand over the fall and winter”.

If he'd ever let you mow the second time, you'd get less but better quality hay, and he'd never know the difference by the time winter hit.

There's just no explaining it to some people . . .

 

[Hay Dude]

If he'd ever let you mow the second time, you'd get less but better quality hay, and he'd never know the difference by the time winter hit.

There's just no explaining it to some people . . .

Here's another head scratcher.
I have a 40 acre rotary mowing customer. Will not allow hay. It's a Conservancy.
I have asked (nearly begged) for them to allow me to cut hay off of it.
They have repeatedly said "no".
I finally said "may I ask why no hay"?

Their reason is because they think "it's a natural habitat for deer". That may be true, but even if I did first cutting only, it would grow back in a matter of 5 weeks and be a deer habitat again.
I guess they'd rather pay $2,000 to cut it than get it hayed for free?

 

[CH4Ohio]

Everyplace is a natural habitat for deer -- regardless of how it's mowed. They're everywhere all the time. In hay fields before, during, and after mowing too.

I do find it a little nerve-wracking trying to watch out for fawns. You almost have to get off the tractor and walk over and kick them in the butt to get them to move.

 

[EddieWalker]

...
I finally said "may I ask why no hay"?

Their reason is because they think "it's a natural habitat for deer"...

I've found on my place that the deer show up after I mow. I think they prefer the fresh growth after it's been cut. Once my pasture gets over a foot tall, the deer disappear.

 

[hayden]

Everyplace is a natural habitat for deer -- regardless of how it's mowed. They're everywhere all the time. In hay fields before, during, and after mowing too.

I do find it a little nerve-wracking trying to watch out for fawns. You almost have to get off the tractor and walk over and kick them in the butt to get them to move.

But aren't most areas overrun with deer?

 

[CH4Ohio]

But aren't most areas overrun with deer?

YES!

 

[CH4Ohio]

I've found on my place that the deer show up after I mow. I think they prefer the fresh growth after it's been cut. Once my pasture gets over a foot tall, the deer disappear.

If there's alfalfa in the field, they'll be there non-stop.

 

[BackRoad]

You might suggest he give it a try for a year to see if the deer actually show up more.

I've said it in another thread. My neighbor has lived here over 30+ years. He said there's never been as many deer as we have since I started mowing my acreage. They congregate in my eight acre "front lawn" 20+ at a time, near daily...grazing the lawn like cows...

 

[Hay Dude]

You might suggest he give it a try for a year to see if the deer actually show up more.

I've said it in another thread. My neighbor has lived here over 30+ years. He said there's never been as many deer as we have since I started mowing my acreage. They congregate in my eight acre "front lawn" 20+ at a time, near daily...grazing the lawn like cows... View attachment 3419167

I’ve tried everything. Trust me.
On the HOA and Conservancies, I’m thinking there’s probably someone who dislikes farming and is insisting it be mowed.

I just picked up another small HOA with about 2/3rds field mowing and 1/3rd hay. About 40 acres total.
I tried to get them to hay more of it, but again, access to the open space between houses is the problem. I’d have to drive between 2 peoples homes to access one of the fields. The HOA says those 2 homeowners will complain too much. I see their point.
Just surprised that when these large open spaces are created, proper access to them isn’t dedicated.