The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

The crazy one to me is haying on the side of the interstate. When I have been traveling I have noticed, in South Dakota specifically, that the shoulders of the interstate and the median are bailed instead of mowed.

Now see that is smart.
Instead of paying a mowing contractor, let a farmer HAY it instead.
In MY area, it could be a problem if someone discards heavy metal objects or tires/rims in the tall grass.
Plus there’d be litter & trash.

 

[Dryland Farmer]

Now see that is smart.
Instead of paying a mowing contractor, let a farmer HAY it instead.
In MY area, it could be a problem if someone discards heavy metal objects or tires/rims in the tall grass.
Plus there’d be litter & trash.

In our area we do it all the time.

 

[anomad]

Now see that is smart.
Instead of paying a mowing contractor, let a farmer HAY it instead.
In MY area, it could be a problem if someone discards heavy metal objects or tires/rims in the tall grass.
Plus there’d be litter & trash.

I used to spend a lot of time between Montana and Alberta visiting family. They would hay every blade of grass right up to the pavement and the median. Free money. If they weren't putting it in wheat it got cut for hay. Very good use of arable land up there. And of course our friends to the north were far too thoughtful to litter or let garbage blow out the back of their pickups. So, it was clean as a whistle.

My two best hay fields have small power lines. I am bush hogging two smaller ones for awhile hoping I can get the weeds down. Still shopping for a hay farmer. Haven't had any takers yet despite some very helpful tips here on the forum (thank you all).

 

[sandman2234]

Callahan or Yulee?

Born NAS Jax, high school DeQueen, AR but lived just north of Gillham, AR. (population 172) Moved back to Florida in 1973 and joined the Navy to see the world.
David from jax

 

[LouNY]

No problem at all. Been mowing around/under power lines forever.
Here’s (3) places I do all the time with power lines.

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Nice sized fields even with the power lines, not very wide but nice long runs.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Born NAS Jax, high school DeQueen, AR but lived just north of Gillham, AR. (population 172) Moved back to Florida in 1973 and joined the Navy to see the world.
David from jax

Gotcha, I read it wrong.

 

[Hay Dude]

In our area we do it all the time.

We have these long narrow medians of grass-probably 300’ wide, but miles long of clean grass (no weeds). I always thought of asking PADOT if I could hay them, but when the mower guys go through and cut, you see so much shredded trash, tires, discarded exhausts, etc. lol

 

[WM75Guy]

Some time back when hay was scarce TxDOT allowed people to hay the medians. Some are wide enough that there wasn't much trash. It helped some ranchers get through the tough times. Now it is just mowed.

 

[Hay Dude]

Loading up some hay this morning…

Then over to another customers place early afternoon to mow a small field.

And now some stacking to finish the day….baled these on Tuesday.

Round ‘em up

And stack ‘em up…

Had to run the big Challenger and Krone baler home to the shop-rain coming.
Made it back 5 minutes before it rained.
I hate it when the baler gets wet.

 

[Locoweed]

I know nothing about balers or haying, but my curiosity is triggered. What happens when they get wet?