Here we go.

[farmerjan]

We have 1 field that is rectangular, that I could make "squared off" corners like that... and it is only about 4 acres.....

 

[farmerjan]

So it is dry enough that you cut, then rake and bale all in one day???? What kind of production are you talking? Tons per acre or rolls per acre or something??? I'm asuming you are making it as baleage?

 

[gcreekrch]

We are cutting 4 days ahead of baler and most is dry hay. Rough ground makes it desirable to cut with three 10'6" disc ones rather than two 13'6". We have a little over 300 acres cut in 3 days. Baled about 60 last night. A good crop for us is 2.5 tons per acre. Some this year is half that.

 

[farmerjan]

@gcreekrch thank you for elaborating. You cover alot of ground... We might make hay off 300 acres .... between 1st and 2nd cutting with some maybe making 3rd... Not this year, with the early drought we were afraid we would get first cutting only. The rains finally came and we will get a 2nd cutting. It will be later but with what we have had in rain over the last 2-3 weeks, it ought to be pretty nice. We will not cut everything a second time, some is at pastures where we normally would turn cattle in for later grazing in rotation and now it looks like we will be able to do that.
We have on field that is 10 acres m/l of orchard grass... it will normally make 45-50 rolls which is about 1,000 lbs per roll... so about the same as you, 2.5 tons per acre... But we will get a second cutting off that and will sq bale most all except maybe the outside 2 rounds because of some johnson grass and weedy stuff along the tree line... and we will normally get 500-750 sq bales off that 50 lb average. That is some of our "cash crop" that gets sold to horse, and llama, and some sheep/goat customers. This year with the extreme dry early, it made 38 rolls I think... but we have since gotten some decent rain lately so will get a second cutting. Our hay overall is about 25-30% less from first cutting than normal and we have bought quite a bit to make sure we had enough. It looked like we would not get a corn crop either... but ours was very late planted since we are the last to get chopped... and it had put roots deep since there was little surface moisture... and we got VERY FORTUNATE... it held on and when we started getting rain it started to grow and now it is some of the best in the county because it was not struggling to tassel or make ears during the extreme drought conditions we were under.
Don't know how good it will be, but we have been getting rain off and on for the last 2-3 weeks... not alot at a time, but more than enough to make it all come back and grow.

That 4 acre field that I said was about the only one I could even think of making nice squared up corners when raking, normally makes 10-12 rolls and it made 7 first cutting...
The only saving grace is the hay all got made RIGHT... there was no rain or humidity and it dried perfectly. No telling what this fall will be with the weather so backwards from normal...

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I'm not sure what I'd do with a field that big and flat. Haha

Slowly but surely chipping away at hay UP here as well. Have enough for myself now making some to sell to cover my hay expenses. Days are getting shorter and nights colder. Had 34 degrees last week one morning.

 

[gcreekrch]

I'm not sure what I'd do with a field that big and flat. Haha

Slowly but surely chipping away at hay UP here as well. Have enough for myself now making some to sell to cover my hay expenses. Days are getting shorter and nights colder. Had 34 degrees last week one morning.

We've had maybe a dozen frost free nights now. Haven't missed covering the garden yet or it would be done.

 

[wbvs58]

We've had maybe a dozen frost free nights now. Haven't missed covering the garden yet or it would be done.

Sounds like our winter.

Ken

 

[gcreekrch]

From the Rocky Wilds of Anahim Lake BC, a year ago we had no cell service and I could not have done this from the hayfield. How times change!

 

[gcreekrch]

Yesterday. Started at 6 am and ended at midnight.

 

[gcreekrch]

Little temporary repair.



Rained all around us since noon, another 30 minutes and all raked will have strings on it.

Starting to add up.

 

[kenny thomas]

Looks great

 

[wbvs58]

Little temporary repair.

View attachment 47942

Rained all around us since noon, another 30 minutes and all raked will have strings on it.View attachment 47943View attachment 47944

Starting to add up.
View attachment 47945View attachment 47946

That repair will be there for years Dave.

Ken

 

[R lazy 7]

That repair will be there for years Dave.

Ken

Nothing is as permanent as that which is deemed temporary! You have some spectacular scenery to work in!

 

[gcreekrch]

That repair will be there for years Dave.

Ken

Replacement hoses are ordered.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Our hay windows are so short I can't afford to have much downtime. Temporary repairs are just that temporary. Recently our cellphone coverage has gotten better so now I usually have parts ordered and on the way before the temp repair is even started.

 

[gcreekrch]

 

[farmerjan]

I cannot fathom having that much hay ground, all in one place, that flat and straight...

 

[SmokinM]

I cannot fathom having that much hay ground, all in one place, that flat and straight...

The things you can have when you are willing to brave a few chilly nights a year!

 

[farmerjan]

I nearly choked on hysterics over your "innocent" comment @SmokinM

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

What gives.... we have chilly nights and more snow than most can imagine, and the majority of my hay ground is 10 acre chunks of less, and as flat as Dolly Partons chest. Ha