Anyone mow hay yet?

[Rockbadchild]

This is a section of the field I worked and seeded early last year, it is very healthy, notice how long the hay is and how close the bales are from each other. I am very happy with the results, it pays to put fertilizer!

 

[Hay Dude]

This is a section of the field I worked and seeded early last year, it is very healthy, notice how long the hay is and how close the bales are from each other. I am very happy with the results, it pays to put fertilizer!

View attachment 881842

Nice tonnage per acre!
Still has some color in it.
I don’t know how you guys do the rainy/cool weather.
I complain about rain/clouds. Nothing compared to my friends from Canada.

 

[EddieWalker]

Do you just cut and bale small areas at a time? Then pick them up as quickly as possible? Is that because of rain?

 

[Rockbadchild]

Nice tonnage per acre!
Still has some color in it.
I don’t know how you guys do the rainy/cool weather.
I complain about rain/clouds. Nothing compared to my friends from Canada.

I am not home so not sure what are the exact condition are right now my dad is doing it, but we make sure there is no rain in the forecast we usually get a few solid stretch of a week of hot weather and no rain so we wait for that window some years is easier then other and we wait for a heavy dew within that window which is a good indication that it won't rain. But ya rain extend the process and add a few cycle of raking.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Do you just cut and bale small areas at a time? Then pick them up as quickly as possible? Is that because of rain?

It depends but yes, you don't want to bite more then you can chew... and yes if it rains on it then you have to rake it many times to dry it off and there is a risk to ruin it, then if you cut and bale more then you can pick up and if it rain on it you ruin all these bales, separating the field minimize that risk. The issue is you have to rake it once around 9 to 10 am you can't do it too early because the humidity from the night need to be evaporated then once the row has been rotated you give it enough time for the humidity of the hay that was in contact with the ground to evaporate as well, then you can bale. So realistically it is 2-3pm by the time you start baling, you can leave them there after but it can't rain on it... any humidity in your bale cause the hay to heat up and rot causing lungs issues to both animals and humans.

 

[Hay Dude]

We never rake too far ahead of the baler if rain is in the area.
Made that mistake a few times. Painful to get that fixed.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Nice tonnage per acre!
Still has some color in it.
I don’t know how you guys do the rainy/cool weather.
I complain about rain/clouds. Nothing compared to my friends from Canada.

my dad figures we have 400 smalls square bales in that 3.7 acres area