First ever cut

[Draagyn]

i have no advice as i am a new hayer as well.

just wanted to say "good job!" . i did my first hay cut last month. i am now figuring out how to connect my cat 1 rake to my cat 2 tractor.

Thanks. Hope yours went well too. What are you running for equipment.

I'm guessing you've got a tractor like mine who's 3point arms don't go in narrow enough for a cat 1 hitch? I've done this a few times now and have told myself no more. Let's hope I stick to my guns.

 

[Tx Jim]

Thanks. Hope yours went well too. What are you running for equipment.

I'm guessing you've got a tractor like mine who's 3point arms don't go in narrow enough for a cat 1 hitch? I've done this a few times now and have told myself no more. Let's hope I stick to my guns.

Draagyn
The 3 pt draft arms on a 3020 are adjustable to Cat l width by R&R sway blocks 90 degrees.

 

[Draagyn]

Draagyn
The 3 pt draft arms on a 3020 are adjustable to Cat l width by R&R sway blocks 90 degrees.

I didn't know it was designed to do that. I have them turned right now to fit a cat 1 but they still don't fit right. I'll have to check out some drawings to see what's different with my setup. Thanks again txjim

What is r&r ?

 

[Tx Jim]

What is r&r ?

R&R= remove & replace

 

[Bradtina11]

Thanks. Hope yours went well too. What are you running for equipment.

I'm guessing you've got a tractor like mine who's 3point arms don't go in narrow enough for a cat 1 hitch? I've done this a few times now and have told myself no more. Let's hope I stick to my guns.

i did find that there are chain links with a screw limiting the inward motion of the arms. i losened the screw today and now the arms should reach. i'll try again to pick up the rake this weekend.

i have a 65 hp JD tractor, a 4 wheel rhino rake, vermeer trailed mower and a JD 348 square baler

 

[flusher]

Thin crop. This is my first year owning field and previous owners let it go so hopefully it will only get better from here on

You're right--a very thin crop. My neighbor across the road planted 7 acres of forage mix (plant in late Oct, bale in early May). The yield was 430 bales (3-twine, 100-120 lb) that he sold to one buyer for $12/bale. His expense: seed, $130 for 3 acre-feet of water from the irrigation district (applied in Jan, Feb, March) and diesel. He didn't apply fertilizer this year.

View attachment 388096View attachment 388097

We only had 11 inches of rainfall during the growing season--hence the irrigation expense. He paid $41 per acre-foot. In April the irrigation district (which gets its water from Lake Shasta via the Sacramento River) slammed their customers by raising the price to $624 per acre-foot because of the extreme drought conditions around here. Growers with orchard crops (almonds, olives, English walnuts, plums for prunes, mandarin oranges) and alfalfa fields are pumping ground water like crazy now.