!#*% weather man!!!!!!!!!!!

[CumminsLuke]

I tell you I have about had it this year. By this time last year I was done with first cutting, I have yet to start this year. Chance of rain almost everyday for the last three weeks. Funny thing is I have only had about two days in the last three weeks at my farm that it rained enough to have messed me up. Thursday night every local weather guy including the NWS said a strong storms on Friday (which we did not get) and then Saturday through next Wednesday would be above 90 and sunny and breezy every day. Ok, sounds good, I'll start cutting Saturday I thought. Friday night I watch the weather and they say a chance of rain every day with strong storms possible on Monday. I give up, by the time I finally get to cutting I think the hay is going to be brown and dried out all ready.

 

[chetlenox]

I feel your pain, I really do. Last year in May and June it was the same for us. My first cutting got rained on. Weatherman said 30% and I took a chance (ah well). Second cutting they predicted rain and it rained on and off for weeks and weeks. We ended up having to wait 8 weeks after our 1st cutting to get the 2nd cutting down, and by then my Coastal Bermuda had turned to straw. Had to sell at a serious discount.

Chet.

 

[steveky]

Its been the same forecast around here too. It shows chance of rain everyday. I'm not a full time farmer, but have a full time job. I just picked the days off with the least chance of rain and decided to go for it. I cut some on Monday and it was total cloud cover on tuesday and high humidity. It looked like I just cut it. I teddered late tuesday and again on wednesday morning. Good windy and sunny day on wednesday and it dried out a bunch. They cut some down the road on thursday and where baling it yesterday afternoon and it was really green. They where wrapping it but I'm thinking its gonna have some serious mold going on. I'm sure you have to be more careful if your cutting a lot of hay. I hope your weather improves for you.

Steve

 

[CumminsLuke]

They cut some down the road on thursday and where baling it yesterday afternoon and it was really green. They where wrapping it but I'm thinking its gonna have some serious mold going on. I'm sure you have to be more careful if your cutting a lot of hay. I hope your weather improves for you.

Steve

When they wrap that real green hay they are making silage bales. They get them wrapped air tight and they don't mold, instead it ferments and turns into silage. It is fast becoming a popular way to bale hay around here.

After Monday, which they say we have a 70% chance of storms(said the same thing yesterday and got nothing), I am gonna cut and to **** with the weather.

 

[flusher]

I tell you I have about had it this year. By this time last year I was done with first cutting, I have yet to start this year. Chance of rain almost everyday for the last three weeks. Funny thing is I have only had about two days in the last three weeks at my farm that it rained enough to have messed me up. Thursday night every local weather guy including the NWS said a strong storms on Friday (which we did not get) and then Saturday through next Wednesday would be above 90 and sunny and breezy every day. Ok, sounds good, I'll start cutting Saturday I thought. Friday night I watch the weather and they say a chance of rain every day with strong storms possible on Monday. I give up, by the time I finally get to cutting I think the hay is going to be brown and dried out all ready.

Sorry about your hassle with the weather. I'm a Missouri boy transplanted to the Left Coast so I know what you're going through.

Out here in the North Sacramento Valley we're in year two of the drought (made official this past week by Gov Arnie). My neighbor got a whopping 0.5 ton/acre of volunteer pasture grass when he cut and baled a few weeks ago. Another neighbor did OK with oat hay (about 1.7 ton/acre). And another guy South of me has already plowed under 10 of his 30 acres of alfalfa. His fields are irrigated but at $35 per acre-foot, he delayed watering and now is paying the price. He's got a good stand of yellow star thistle going amidst his alfalfa.

Notice that you're using some nice old haying equipment. A few weeks ago I picked up an MF-124 two-twine baler that came right out of the field (the seller used it 2 days before I bought it). $2K.

This week I found a pair of Minneapolis Moline P3-6 grain drills on steel wheels that are in good condition. Need to clean up on of them for planting in Sep. The other will be the spare parts supply. $275 for the pair.

 

[Kendrick]

heheh dont you know the wether man never gets it right the tonganoxi split either ruins nebraska's day or your day. I Know how it going for you... im hoping the rest of next week will be dry so we can bail on saturday. we are getting up to a inch per storm just enough in the late morning to ruin every chance :/

 

[tjkadar]

According to tree ring data, we are in the worst drought SC has seen in 800 years. At the very least, it is the worst we've seen since we've been keeping records for 113 years. Since 1998, SC has suffered from varying degrees and/or lengths of droughts. I've been trying to refurbish my pastures for the past three years, but haven't had enough rain to get anything done. I've given up.

Y'all feel free to send some rain our way!

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Hayin' weather has been nothing short of ideal here. (I HAVE to rub it in It's been years since I could say that) We had plenty of rain early on, and conditions were erratic at first, but the last 3 weeks have seen good rains scattered in between 5 to 7 day dry spells. I've seen more hay cut and baled in the last 2 week than any simular time frame I can ever recall. I only do about 30 acres total nowdays, and that's scattered over 4 cuttings. The last of round I is in the barn (someone elses barn actually) and round II is growing by the day. Last season was the worst hay conditions I can ever recall. Too much rain early, a late hard freeze, and 4 months of extreme drought. This year is the season for extreme COST. Fuel, fertilizer, and twine are causing last seasons high prices from short supply to hold on for another year.

 

[farmerjim]

i feel your pain as well. i need to start my 1st cut and our weather out here is hot and humid won't dry worth anything. basically a steam bath, they keep saying possible t-storms/showers each afternoon. looks like it may break for wed. some people in my area cut yesterday, but then it rained last night hopefully for their sake it doesn't rain for a couple of days.

 

[DLMaine01]

Maine is finally catching a break. Plenty of mositure, plenty of sunshine. Forcast for next thursday, friday and saturday is sunny and mid-seventies. Hope it holds. First cut. I'll be helping my neighbor hay, I can't wait to burn some of this $5.00 a gallon diesel!!
Dave