Santas and Duhram Reds
Well-known member
its to wet around here to even think of such
Anyone Cutting Hay Yet?
- Thread starter ERNIBIGB
- Start date
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john250
Well-known member
Right now, the next possible window comes next Tuesday (May 20). If it stays as cool as it has been, I'll need a long 4 days to cure it. We haven't seen 5 days without precip since September 07. I'm a little nutzo about it.
I guess we could have fires. That would be worse.
I guess we could have fires. That would be worse.
Johnny
Well-known member
So far we have put up 600 4x5 rolls of ryegrass balage. The first fields were cut in mid April and are now ready to be cut again.
I am selling chickens tonight and tomorrow night so hope to start back cutting next week.
Nice thing about balage is I can cut today and bale tomorrow, cuts down on days of sunshine needed.
Johnny
I am selling chickens tonight and tomorrow night so hope to start back cutting next week.
Nice thing about balage is I can cut today and bale tomorrow, cuts down on days of sunshine needed.
Johnny
Pine Creek Ranch
Active member
Just be glad you aren't us, we still have some snow drifts in the hay fields, we are nowhere near cutting. Around here we don't ever cut until the end of June anyway, but this year will be even later. Thats what we get for living in the mountains I guess. We are at about 6000 feet in elevation.
jka300
Well-known member
You guys are lucky. Its going to be around July 1st before I can even think of cutting. My hay is only 3 inches tall. Plus I haven't even started seeding yet.
Tomorrow I will cut hay for the very first time (I usually am the raker), husband is out of town and we have 5 days of forcasted dry weather with temps in the upper 70's-80. We have had record rain..broke records and it has not been this wet since 1895.. the soil temps are also low here so many farmers here do not even have thier corn in. Here are some pic's of the grass (taken sunday on mothers day..my daughter in pic) I will cut tomorrow..I hope I yield as much as some other brag about..it about 10 acre and it measured 31" at the seed head but there were some areas at least 36+ and higher. Hope to bale by tuesday.
It is bronco orchard, peak brome, rye, some promese timothy (but I didn't see any heading) a versa grass mix we bought a few years ago and seeded some red clover.
It is bronco orchard, peak brome, rye, some promese timothy (but I didn't see any heading) a versa grass mix we bought a few years ago and seeded some red clover.
Nowland Farms
Well-known member
The neighbor and I put 24 acres of Costal and 13 acres of MaxQ on the ground today. Expect to bail costal on monday and MaxQ on Tuesday.
This afternoon I made a trip to S-I-Ls (about 40 miles away) and saw several folks who had cut or was cutting.
This afternoon I made a trip to S-I-Ls (about 40 miles away) and saw several folks who had cut or was cutting.
1982vett
Well-known member
Looks like round 2 will start in about 10 days.
I saw some hay being cut this weekend, but wow had it been wet and cold. My OG is not a late enough maturing variety so it is starting to head out before the Alfalfa/Clover in its field. I love my density but I wish things were taller.
I set up the electric to let the cows start to clean up the area thickest in grass and lightest in legumes. They loved being off the hay. I have a new tractor on the way; I hope it gets here before I have to break the old one out for the heavy work.
I set up the electric to let the cows start to clean up the area thickest in grass and lightest in legumes. They loved being off the hay. I have a new tractor on the way; I hope it gets here before I have to break the old one out for the heavy work.
donnaIL":6nvcy5kl said:Tomorrow I will cut hay for the very first time (I usually am the raker), husband is out of town and we have 5 days of forcasted dry weather with temps in the upper 70's-80. We have had record rain..broke records and it has not been this wet since 1895.. the soil temps are also low here so many farmers here do not even have thier corn in. Here are some pic's of the grass (taken sunday on mothers day..my daughter in pic) I will cut tomorrow..I hope I yield as much as some other brag about..it about 10 acre and it measured 31" at the seed head but there were some areas at least 36+ and higher. Hope to bale by tuesday.
It is bronco orchard, peak brome, rye, some promese timothy (but I didn't see any heading) a versa grass mix we bought a few years ago and seeded some red clover.
Nice looking grass and I bet it makes good feed.
I am worried about you getting it dry though. Wet ground and cool temps ( wearing a jacket) does not make for good drying weather in thick tall hay.
Please let me know how it goes and GOOD LUCK.
Thanks, started cutting it on Saturday, had all the usual problems, broken alt. belt on tractor, broken belt on sickle mower, plus it was so thick had to go slow and mower getting clogged, anyway got it cut. The weather man calling for a chance of showers thur, (our first cut almost always get rained on)..but then dry and in the 70's for several days after that. This year cool, with wet ground and cool temps, including cool soil temps. It looks like its drying good and I may just rake it tomorrow, I will let you know and thanks for the *luck* i need it. donna
OP
OP
ERNIBIGB
Well-known member
A few pictures before it started raining before we could finish. Rolled 100+ before the
Had about 50 to go.
1982vett
Well-known member
Checked the weather forcast this morning, scattered showers were taken out of the forcast till Wednesday and Thursday, decided to go ahead and cut. This time of year, forecast always has chance of rain 3 days away. Got about 1/3, 10 acres, cut before it started raining, 4/10ths so far. Sun came out nice and bright, went out to find something to do, have another storm brewing to the south.
Rolled 302 rolls so far, 181 of those being wheat which I've never messed with before, interesting stuff. Connecting link exploded on one of the baler chains today, found enough parts in the seat of my truck to rig it back together. (Good thing I never clean my truck.) Ran the last 50 rolls or so thru on a #60 roller chain missing two of the bushings, talk about sitting on pins and needles. Had a shower 15 mins after the last bale hit the ground, I'll bet the next field gets soaked...
fitz
Well-known member
cfpinz":7n2sh9ve said:
What kind of yield are you guys getting up there? We came into '08 at about 11" below normal on rainfall & are almost another 6" below at this point. So far I'm rolling about 73%.
fitz
fitz":2u3rsto3 said:
We're doing surprisingly well. We're behind on moisture as well but have had some timely storms this spring. Been cooler than normal and the hay is still heading out early. The three fields that I've done so far have been managed differently than in the past so I can't give a specific number but they seem to be on par for an "average" year if there is such a thing. The next two fields on my list are ones that I watch/manage very closely so I'll have a better understanding once they're rolled.
Weaver
Well-known member
Mowed a field of ryegrass monday the 19th. The 7 day forecast called for a very slight chance of scattered showers on wednesday night into thursday. I figured i would roll the dice and take my chances since friday, saturday, sunday and most of monday were supposed to be in the eighties and sunny. Well we got less than a tenth of an inch on thursday morning so i figured we were in the clear. Man, was the weathermen wrong. Figured on baling saturday. Saturday: three inches of rain, golf ball sized hail, and tornado warnings for our county. Then it just kept raining the next three days. I don't know how none of the weathermen could not forsee any of it. The hay was so thick we are going to have to bale it off yet no matter what. My questions are is it of any value to feed, and also if the hay loses pretty much all its nutrients will that effect the fertilizer requirements for the next crop?
