Hay Making on a Different Scale

[EddieWalker]

Looks nicer than some public golf courses out there!!!!

 

[LHF2019]

New low 4.96 bales/acre. Not sure if the last 3 fields are worth it if we do get the weather.

 

[Tx Jim]

I feel for your problem. As you're probably already aware 4.96 small sq bales per acre isn't really worth the effort or expenses.

 

[Hay Dude]

I just put $3,000 worth of parts + calibration cost by a tech to make like $4,000 worth of hay.

Bad ending to my hay year for me.

 

[Tx Jim]

Aw just think that $3k is tax deductible!! Parts are extremely high $$$$$ & quality is down!

 

[LHF2019]

I feel for your problem. As you're probably already aware 4.96 small sq bales per acre isn't really worth the effort or expenses.

It absolutely is not worth it but we tend to put the customer before ourselves right or wrong. We will sell these 124 bales then turn around and buy someone else's hay that is not up to our standards or worth the money to make sure our animals are fed. Not sure if we really need to but would rather buy now while supply is good then find out later. Something most customers don't think about. I want 200 bales of baleage going into winter to be comfortable. We only made 140. It is Aug. 1st cutting so not even quality. On top of that I don't normally start feeding hay until about this time of year or for a couple more weeks. I've been feeding some for couple months now. Just a bad year all around. To much rain. Then no rain. One extreme or the other one can deal. 2 in the same season is a recipe for disaster.

 

[Tx Jim]

I feel your struggle. We had too much rain earlier in the year & now it's turned off too dry. I still have good height of grass in my pastures but I've been feeding my cows hay for over a month. My theory is if my cattle eat the hay they must need it. I want my calves to gain every # that they can before I sell them.

 

[Hay Dude]

Today (The Lords Day) is my last day of hay for 2025. I will really miss making hay until next year.
I am going to finish with a few more bales in a HOA that has 2 small “pea patches” and I am DONE.
I don’t like to work Sunday, but with rain coming tomorrow and the equipment ready & waiting to roll, I am going to finish no matter what….unless something breaks

 

[LHF2019]

Today (The Lords Day) is my last day of hay for 2025. I will really miss making hay until next year.
I am going to finish with a few more bales in a HOA that has 2 small “pea patches” and I am DONE.
I don’t like to work Sunday, but with rain coming tomorrow and the equipment ready & waiting to roll, I am going to finish no matter what….unless something breaks

I think we are done. Maybe in November I'll change my mind but the weather pattern is shifting so expecting rain to continue in near future. Just not much growth out there still. The worst thing though that can happen is we get enough rain to cancel out the Sept/Oct Rain insurance. That would hit me hard.

Bought our 2nd load of hay to feed our animals yesterday.

 

[Hay Dude]

I am seriously contemplating some 3rd cutting this year. I went back and looked at my earliest cut 2nd cutting fields, but they’re loaded with the little tiny “baby” foxtail. I wonder if that is a non-starter for feed? The seed heads are so tiny.