Rake advice/help

[dixie306]

I've planted mostly clover for a long time but this year the Ph and soil conditions are at long last right and I've planted a good bit of alfalfa I've been told I'll need to rake it after cutting it, I'm wondering if a rock rake could do double duty or if I need to go ahead and pick up a hay rake. Most the plots of alalfa are appox a acre and easy access to them. the largest one is only appox 2 1/2 acres so this won't be like tending a pasture.

 

[Opti-Mist]

You can use your rock rake which I assume is really like a landscape rake. It will function like the old dump rake. You can make windrows with a little practice.

 

[farmerjim]

a landscape rake ie rock rake would work like mentioned but for alfalfa i would recommend a hayrake as you don't want to damage the leaves too badly thats where all the nutrition is.

 

[dixie306]

a landscape rake ie rock rake would work like mentioned but for alfalfa i would recommend a hayrake as you don't want to damage the leaves too badly thats where all the nutrition is.

Thanks for the input guys, a bit of trivia, I just learned I can use the clippings as a soil builder/fertilizer on some areas just cleared so the hay rake is sounding better and better

 

[Rara Avis]

Here is what you want...

 

[dixie306]

Here is what you want...

Your right, this crop is new to me, alfalfa doesn't do well here and so far I'm pleasantly surprised at how its grown even in this drought here

 

[Rara Avis]

You should be able to find a GOOD NH258 for about a grand...you will see when you start shopping that there is a great difference in the number of tines on the rake...some of the cheaper ones have a bare minimum number of tines...

So how do you plan on baling your alfalfa? Square or Round??...

 

[dixie306]

You should be able to find a GOOD NH258 for about a grand...you will see when you start shopping that there is a great difference in the number of tines on the rake...some of the cheaper ones have a bare minimum number of tines...

So how do you plan on baling your alfalfa? Square or Round??...

Paul, based on what I've been told, I won't need to bale it, I'll load the clippings onto a wagon or truck and haul it over to the new select cut area's, spread it and cut it in. I've planted buckwheat in the past for green manuring and recently learned alfalfa hay is even better for it than buckwheat

 

[Rara Avis]

Paul, based on what I've been told, I won't need to bale it, I'll load the clippings onto a wagon or truck and haul it over to the new select cut area's, spread it and cut it in. I've planted buckwheat in the past for green manuring and recently learned alfalfa hay is even better for it than buckwheat

So exactly how are you going to get it off the ground and into a wagon again???...

 

[milkman]

So exactly how are you going to get it off the ground and into a wagon again???...

I remember the day when the farmers used a pitch fork to load the loose hay on the wagons to take it to the barn, can't believe I'm gettin' that old.

 

[dixie306]

I remember the day when the farmers used a pitch fork to load the loose hay on the wagons to take it to the barn, can't believe I'm gettin' that old.

Yep, thats the plan, these young'ns today don't know about the days of walking behind a hay wagon and throwing the bales up and stacking them, nor plowing with a mule. MM, think I should find a picture of a pitchfork and post it for them?

 

[ChuckinNH]

You don't unload too many loads like that one before you learn to load it in a certain order, and take it off in the reverse order. That way the load stays on the trailer, and comes off much more easily. A 15 acre field, a dump rake, flat trailer, and a pitch fork will even teach a 14 year old that.

 

[Rara Avis]

Yep, thats the plan, these young'ns today don't know about the days of walking behind a hay wagon and throwing the bales up and stacking them, nor plowing with a mule. MM, think I should find a picture of a pitchfork and post it for them?

You are joking right???

And just how long do you think that is going to take???

The era of manpower farms is DEAD...DEAD...DEAD...

Talk like yours is why my Dad left the farm and ended up as a NASA Research Scientist...

 

[xlr82v2]

Just a couple of acres won't be that big of a job, especially if he has a few helpers... and much cheaper than buying a baler to do just a handful of acres. Don't get me wrong, it will be a bit of work, but by no means is it insurmountable. Should only take a couple of hours to get it all picked up. The amount of help available will be the key.

Don't knock the old ways of doing things, they got us to where we are now... and there's something to be said for "going old school..." Keeps the kids honest.

 

[Rara Avis]

they got us to where we are now...

Yeah...MECHANIZED...

 

[xlr82v2]

Yeah...MECHANIZED...

And LAZY.

If the man wants to get himself and his kids out there with some pitchforks and throw some hay and work up a sweat, I find that admirable. There's more ways to get chores done than just spending money and buying a bunch of equipment for such a small amount of hay.

It's a shame that the desire to do an honest bit of work is so frowned upon these days...

 

[milkman]

The biggest problem these days will be finding OSHA approved pitch forks, the ones we used had sharp pointed ends and they would make blisters on our hands, couldn't have people using those dangerous tools today.

 

[dixie306]

You are joking right???

And just how long do you think that is going to take???

The era of manpower farms is DEAD...DEAD...DEAD...

Talk like yours is why my Dad left the farm and ended up as a NASA Research Scientist...

Not joking at all and your Dad sounds like a VERY smart man, also the reason I have a tractor instead of a mule these days!! Paul, go back and read my first posts and you'll find a couple of things, first, the area's I'll be doing aren't that large, the raking will be the hard part, and the part I have to be careful with, I don't want to damage the crop, I wasn't sure what effects a rock/landscape rake would do, hand loading the clippings and hand spreading them just isn't that big a deal. Alfalfa doesn't do well in the South. I'm fortunate enough to have built some soil up to the point where its grown just OK, not well, and with the knowledge it won't survive over 2-3 years because of the depth of its root growth, in other words, I have to may hay while the sunshines!! MM, I hear the feds require they have rubber tipped forks on them these days!!!

 

[xlr82v2]

The biggest problem these days will be finding OSHA approved pitch forks, the ones we used had sharp pointed ends and they would make blisters on our hands, couldn't have people using those dangerous tools today.

ROFLMAO!!!

You're exactly right... I didn't think of that at all!!!

Oh well, OSHA usually doesn't come out to the country too much, they keep closer tabs on the softer city types.

 

[dixie306]

Yeah...MECHANIZED...

Paul, literally tens of thousands of migrant farm workers would be happy to point out just how wrong wrong wrong you are and since I'm not one of them I won't BUT here's a picture of a picthfork being used for the type stuff your spreading.