Hay Making on a Different Scale

[LHF2019]

When I see that moisture on my tires I know I'm in for a waiting game, the sun may be doing it's job on the top side but that grass on the bottom is pulling moisture from that damp soil and it's just a waiting game.

The photos are deceiving. Yes there are certain areas that are soft but not as bad as the rye field. This field is for the most part better drained. What you are seeing is dew. Mowing started at 9am and tedded shortly after so it is all residual moisture. I don't perceive any issue baling but will have preserve on the baler should we find it runs on the higher side. Small squares. Better control. I would not make rounds this time of year with this much moisture in the hay and/or ground and with having an exact 4 day window that offers no extension.

Have one round bale customer that just doesn't seem to understand my stance on this and if he wants a better quality product he needs to at least get some squares. You have no idea how often I hear about rounds that are dusty from customers.

 

[QRTRHRS]

We only baled our own hay, but when the moisture content was high, we scattered a handful of salt on each sq bale before stacking loosly in the barn. That kept the bales from molding and reduced heat-buildup.
A side-benefit was, the cows liked the hay, but never used for horses.

I have salted hay that I feed horses with no issues that I could see. I don't go overboard with the salt. Think a bit more than most people would put on their morning eggs but not "Cajon" style.

 

[QRTRHRS]

My area finally got a somewhat decent 4-5 day window. Afternoon temps around 80, nights a tad cool in the 50's. Take what you get and be glad for it.

 

[Hay Dude]

My area finally got a somewhat decent 4-5 day window. Afternoon temps around 80, nights a tad cool in the 50's. Take what you get and be glad for it.

Same here. I have one more day tomorrow to get what I cut baled-up. Then chances of showers later this week.
Shouldn’t be a problem, but with hay equipment….you never know.

 

[RayIN]

A friend has this cutting in the barn as of tonight. He mowed Sat, raked Monday and Tuesday, round baled today. I think it was about 50 acres.
May 18 a tornado destroyed the saddle club barn ½ mile South of him. It didn't even blow down his hay fields.

 

[LHF2019]

Everything turned out good. Took about 30 bales to get accumulator shined up where I wasn’t stopping every 4 bales to assist them. 865 bales. Yield was much better than expected. 96 bales/acre. It is our best field. No fertilizer. Had I only cut half of it would have seen much higher yield numbers. Lower 3-4 acres was really bad. Spent the money and got 2nd off to a good start and rained right in.

Straw coming along nicely. Gets rained on today and hoping it is ready to go Sunday. This tedding took place on day 7.