Hay Making on a Different Scale

[dieselscout80]

Never been an issue here because I watch the RM when I'm bailing so shatter isn't an issue and never has been. I know exactly what what the RM is as the hay is being run into the feed table at all times. What the Delmhorst with it's slipper shoes are for.

What does RM stand for? Remaining moisture?????

 

[5030]

Relative moisture what the Delmhorst checks. It checks the RM of the hay as it feeds into the pickup table. I have 3 slipper sensors, One on each side of the pickup and one in the center and it averages all of them continuously.

Of course none of it is germane presently as we just had another gully washer an hour ago.

 

[Coffee drinker]

Of course none of it is germane presently as we just had another gully washer an hour ago.

I s there anything more humbling than making hay?

 

[5030]

Don't know actually. At my age and financial status, I do it for fun more than anything else and I make a bit of money doing it as well plus all the equipment is a nice tax write off for us.

If I 'had to' do it, I probably wouldn't do it. I spent the better part of my adult life working for someone else and having to abide by their rules but now, I make my own rules and decide what, where and when. Very nice that way for me.

 

[EddieWalker]

A lot of the customers could not handle 4x5 baleage. It would just be to heavy. Depending on moisture level I can get 4x4 to push the 1000 lbs weight. I like it on the dryer side so figure I average 8-900 lbs. Wrapped clover before and that was into the 1200 lbs range.

That's a big difference compared to what I'm buying here. 4x5 round bales of hay are in the 800 range, and 4x6 are over a thousand pounds.

 

[Tx Jim]

That's a big difference compared to what I'm buying here. 4x5 round bales of hay are in the 800 range, and 4x6 are over a thousand pounds.

It would interesting to know the moisture % of those 4X4 900#& higher rd bales. I've seen a lot of 4X5 rd that struggle to reach that weight. I wonder what brand rd baler can accomplish that task??

 

[EddieWalker]

I saw a video on YouTube where a hay guy in Texas loaded one 4x5 round bale onto his trailer, had it weighed at the Weigh Station, then took it off and had his trailer weighed empty.

The single 4x5 round bale weighed 780 pounds.

 

[Hay Dude]

It would interesting to know the moisture % of those 4X4 900#& higher rd bales. I've seen a lot of 4X5 rd that struggle to reach that weight. I wonder what brand rd baler can accomplish that task??

The pressure would be cranked too high to make a 4x4 900lb bale. Neck I made over 30,000 4x5’s and reaching 900lbs required a lot of pressure.

 

[Wolverinefarm22]

We baled ideally around 15% and 4x4 were about 650 apiece. Our baler was a massive PITA though so I sold it and got a 4x5 and another small square baler. 4x5s of Timothy and clover mixed ran right at 1000 lbs.

 

[LHF2019]

That's a big difference compared to what I'm buying here. 4x5 round bales of hay are in the 800 range, and 4x6 are over a thousand pounds.

It would interesting to know the moisture % of those 4X4 900#& higher rd bales. I've seen a lot of 4X5 rd that struggle to reach that weight. I wonder what brand rd baler can accomplish that task??

The pressure would be cranked too high to make a 4x4 900lb bale. Neck I made over 30,000 4x5’s and reaching 900lbs required a lot of pressure.

I want to make clear that the the bales I'm wrapping are baleage. Not dry hay. Anywhere from 20-60% moisture depending on lots of different factors. At one time I weighed a bunch of 4x4/4x5's. I don't remember a lot of the weights anymore and need to do this again but 640 comes to mind on a 4x5 dry hay bale and I believe that was mature 1st cutting. Baler is a 459 S.S. running about 3500 psi

 

[LHF2019]

Any guesses on what I’m making and no it’s not hay. Takes week week and half to get it ready and I need rain. View attachment 871750

Precut rye straw progressing nicely.

 

[Tx Jim]

I want to make clear that the the bales I'm wrapping are baleage. Not dry hay. Anywhere from 20-60% moisture depending on lots of different factors. At one time I weighed a bunch of 4x4/4x5's. I don't remember a lot of the weights anymore and need to do this again but 640 comes to mind on a 4x5 dry hay bale and I believe that was mature 1st cutting. Baler is a 459 S.S. running about 3500 psi

Thanks for explanation. Higher moisture in rd bales makes one understand your stated bale weights better.

 

[Coffee drinker]

Any guesses on what I’m making and no it’s not hay. Takes week week and half to get it ready and I need rain. View attachment 871750

I don't, please explain.

 

[LHF2019]

Precut rye straw. Takes 7-10 days to bleach it out. Want some rain but not to much and then nice weather for baling. Talk about a challenge trying to find that perfect window. Don't want to cut rye to early as you lose yield. To late and pollen and anthers plug up tractor filters. Really late and you have seed heads.

Precut Rye Straw

Precut rye straw is a good alternative to conventional small grain straw since it is made in late spring and many crops can be planted after it's harvest.

extension.psu.edu

 

[LHF2019]

11 acres on the ground for baleage. Got rained and hailed on. Expected a little but not the downpours. Luckily had access to shelter. Was not a warm rain.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ohh, geeze. That ain’t good.
We got thunderstorms and really cold wind & rain about 6PM on Wednesday. I’m still on hold down here with a few more things to get done. Might start next Tuesday.

 

[5030]

One thing I never do (if I can help it) is let my hay tools sit out in the rain, especially the bailer. All that chaff that collects inside it and on it, turns to goo and dries and is impossible to remove. It never gets washed either, just blown off with compressed air and greased. I finally got it back yesterday. My dealer spent 3 solid days refitting it with scraper bars and removing the built up hay on the main drive roll and the Kubota regional rep looked at it and approved the modifications. 3 days of labor at 130 bucks an hour will be billed to Kubota. They didn't make any money on it, I'd say.

Perused a Kubota ad for the BV bailers and now I see Kubota is actually stating that ALL bailers, sileage or not will come with sileage scraper bars on the drive rolls and tailgate rolls. Guess they made a mistake on the build....lol

The owner of the dealership I deal with brought it out last night and told me Kubota sent him the wrong parts and the install instructions were useless as well. Kubota had to air freight the correct parts and Dennis had to 'wing it' to install them. Sounds like an expensive 'circle jerk' to me. Glad I'm not out any money for it. Was all under warranty, even though it wasn't, because the issue started back when it was.

Got more rain here last night so I'll be a while before I can do anything, like Hay Dude, maybe next week early.

 

[LHF2019]

Pictures to come. Our first big day of small squares was the rye straw. All stored in the barn on the scaffold no elevator. Started baling at 1215 baling done at 4. Started unloading at 130 done at 430 - 5 guys. Lots of extended breaks waiting for wagons to get to the barn. Probably 2.5 hours of actual unloading. 915 bales. Hasn't been since late 90's with dad have I ran bales that aggressive. Feeling it this morning.

 

[5030]

Pictures to come. Our first big day of small squares was the rye straw. All stored in the barn on the scaffold no elevator. Started baling at 1215 baling done at 4. Started unloading at 130 done at 430 - 5 guys. Lots of extended breaks waiting for wagons to get to the barn. Probably 2.5 hours of actual unloading. 915 bales. Hasn't been since late 90's with dad have I ran bales that aggressive. Feeling it this morning.

Better you than me.... Least those bales aren't as heavy as hay bales. Rained cats and dogs here again last night with more coming today. I'd really like to try out my baler but presently, that is wishful thinking. Not gonna be doing anything for a while.

 

[Hay Dude]

Finally getting underway Sunday after church. I should have some more cut on Monday.
Still can’t upload pics. Says “file is too large to upload” or “sorry, couldn’t find that”
Oh well.