OP
Southernspeed
Silver Member
Hadn't considered that, no reason not to. Although many on here, far more experienced at this than me will just say 'stop worrying!' And they're probably right!
I Know, I know ....
- Thread starter Southernspeed
- Start date
- Views: 1000
OP
Southernspeed
Silver Member
No, all is good. Probed moisture and temps are coming down, smells sweet ....
Lineman North Florida
Elite Member
- Joined
- May 12, 2008
- Messages
- 2,627
- Location
- LaCrosse Florida
- Tractor
- Farmtrac 360 DTC with FEL & John Deere 5093E with FEL ,Kubota SVL 75-2
That's how I have always done it, I actually thought that if a moisture probe was used that's how everyone did it. If it reads higher than I like I just wait an hour and try another one, sometimes that's all it takes, if I know rain is coming I might push it a little but my preference is to roll between 10-14%
Hay Dude
Super Star Member
- Joined
- Aug 28, 2012
- Messages
- 18,911
- Location
- A Hay Field along the PA/DE border
- Tractor
- Challenger MT655E, Massey Ferguson 7495, Challenger MT535B, Krone 4x4 XC baler, (2) Kubota ZD331’s, 2020 Ram 5500 Cummins 4x4, IH 7500 4x4 dump truck, Kaufman 35’ tandem 19 ton trailer, Deere CX-15, Pottinger Hay mowers
I just baled hay that was laying in a field for get this….9 days….
It was never rained on. I just couldn’t get to it. I baled it yesterday expecting crap hay and it was still beautiful green underneath, but perfectly dry. It’s about 65% green and 35% “tan” where facing the sun. Bales have surprisingly good color and moisture is about 8%.
Conversely, I made bales waiting the typical 3 days, and most turned to junk…moisture was ~20%.
Learning when to cut and when to bale is the art of baling. Knowing patience and weather and when it’s just right is the whole art of making the best hay. Also accepting that as your climate goes through daily changes has tremendous impact on your hays’ quality.
It was never rained on. I just couldn’t get to it. I baled it yesterday expecting crap hay and it was still beautiful green underneath, but perfectly dry. It’s about 65% green and 35% “tan” where facing the sun. Bales have surprisingly good color and moisture is about 8%.
Conversely, I made bales waiting the typical 3 days, and most turned to junk…moisture was ~20%.
Learning when to cut and when to bale is the art of baling. Knowing patience and weather and when it’s just right is the whole art of making the best hay. Also accepting that as your climate goes through daily changes has tremendous impact on your hays’ quality.
OP
Southernspeed
Silver Member
A guy over the way cut and windrowed a couple of weeks back but got caught by a couple of storms and now, although beautiful weather for over a week now, the morning heavy dew doesn't burn off 'til late morn/lunchtime then evening dew starts settling 6-7pm. He came by a couple of days ago and just tedded it out and abandoned it. I ecided last year that I wasn't doing a final cut as it's always a challenge to dry here this time of year with the heavy dew. Maybe I'm just in a peculiar area (edge of several thousand acres of forest and a big river a few hundred yards away)
