kentuckyguy said:The rain scared me off. And next week looks like there's a window with no rain but 70 degree temps.
I'd like to cut it but I think I'm gonna hold off.
Bigfoot said:I started cutting today. Calling for rain everyday as well. I don't care. I've never seen a roll of hay a cow wouldn't eat. I really need to make two cuttings to make the ends connect. Figured I'd better get started.
SmokinM said:Bigfoot said:I started cutting today. Calling for rain everyday as well. I don't care. I've never seen a roll of hay a cow wouldn't eat. I really need to make two cuttings to make the ends connect. Figured I'd better get started.
What is your plan for getting it up? I see plenty of guys here with that same approach. Some have finally got smart and bought wrappers and silage balers but if you don't have that then what? Gotta be able to get it thru a baler eventually. Gonna bale some today and the man is supposed to come tube wrap it for me. Hoping my baler will bale it. Got caught by the weather liars again. I personally have never had much luck in getting hay dry that got rained on after it has dried much and laying it down so it half rots on the ground doesn't make sense either so wondering what I am missing.
My brother always says he's never lost a hay crop in June. Quality isn't at the top, but then again, top quality May hay that's half rotten from the wet weather isn't top quality is it?herofan said:kentuckyguy said:The rain scared me off. And next week looks like there's a window with no rain but 70 degree temps.
I'd like to cut it but I think I'm gonna hold off.
Same here. We've been getting a shower every day lately. Today, for example, it was hot and sunny until around 2:00, then we get a downpour for about thirty minutes. Forecast shows no rain for a few days next week.
Honestly, though, it's not good weather to mow much sooner that this any year around here. April and May is usually rainy, and even if we get some days rain free, it's so cool that the ground is still sloppy.
BFE said:My brother always says he's never lost a hay crop in June. Quality isn't at the top, but then again, top quality May hay that's half rotten from the wet weather isn't top quality is it?herofan said:kentuckyguy said:The rain scared me off. And next week looks like there's a window with no rain but 70 degree temps.
I'd like to cut it but I think I'm gonna hold off.
Same here. We've been getting a shower every day lately. Today, for example, it was hot and sunny until around 2:00, then we get a downpour for about thirty minutes. Forecast shows no rain for a few days next week.
Honestly, though, it's not good weather to mow much sooner that this any year around here. April and May is usually rainy, and even if we get some days rain free, it's so cool that the ground is still sloppy.
Texasmark said:This is my 3rd year in a row where rain made for great plant growth, but made for mature hay when the window finally arrived. Course that's not all bad as the mature plants drop their seeds and annual Rye becomes perennial . But the pasture is mixed grasses and all aren't going to be mature. Like you say, bad hay is better than none at all and my hay isn't bad, some of it is just over-ripe. At least it's weed free except for a few flowers here and there which I don't classify as weeds since they are easily eaten, actually preferred, and digest well.
SmokinM said:Bigfoot said:I started cutting today. Calling for rain everyday as well. I don't care. I've never seen a roll of hay a cow wouldn't eat. I really need to make two cuttings to make the ends connect. Figured I'd better get started.
........... so wondering what I am missing.
SmokinM said:Bigfoot said:I started cutting today. Calling for rain everyday as well. I don't care. I've never seen a roll of hay a cow wouldn't eat. I really need to make two cuttings to make the ends connect. Figured I'd better get started.
What is your plan for getting it up? I see plenty of guys here with that same approach. Some have finally got smart and bought wrappers and silage balers but if you don't have that then what? Gotta be able to get it thru a baler eventually. Gonna bale some today and the man is supposed to come tube wrap it for me. Hoping my baler will bale it. Got caught by the weather liars again. I personally have never had much luck in getting hay dry that got rained on after it has dried much and laying it down so it half rots on the ground doesn't make sense either so wondering what I am missing.
Bigfoot said:SmokinM said:Bigfoot said:I started cutting today. Calling for rain everyday as well. I don't care. I've never seen a roll of hay a cow wouldn't eat. I really need to make two cuttings to make the ends connect. Figured I'd better get started.
What is your plan for getting it up? I see plenty of guys here with that same approach. Some have finally got smart and bought wrappers and silage balers but if you don't have that then what? Gotta be able to get it thru a baler eventually. Gonna bale some today and the man is supposed to come tube wrap it for me. Hoping my baler will bale it. Got caught by the weather liars again. I personally have never had much luck in getting hay dry that got rained on after it has dried much and laying it down so it half rots on the ground doesn't make sense either so wondering what I am missing.
I don't have an "approach ". Life is a gamble, and farming is worse. Got extremely lucky , and got this hay rolled yesterday. Cut Monday, and rolled Tuesday. Will some mold? I'm sure it will, but it rained all night. CLling for rain through Friday. Took the lesser of the two risk. You reach a point you have so much to do, you have to do something. Can't make a second cut till you get the first cut off the field.
Texasmark said:Texasmark said:This is my 3rd year in a row where rain made for great plant growth, but made for mature hay when the window finally arrived. Course that's not all bad as the mature plants drop their seeds and annual Rye becomes perennial . But the pasture is mixed grasses and all aren't going to be mature. Like you say, bad hay is better than none at all and my hay isn't bad, some of it is just over-ripe. At least it's weed free except for a few flowers here and there which I don't classify as weeds since they are easily eaten, actually preferred, and digest well.
I have been looking the www for seed information and today I may have found the answer. Question is, my current rye crop is fully headed out but the seeds are still intact. Was thinking I had to wait till they essentially died...went dormant before I could cut hay and have the seeds make next years crop. Answer is depends on the plant. Some do ok with soft seeds and others temp cycling, odd temp cyclings, this and that. I know I cut hay at this stage last year and was surprised with a bumper crop this year, so I guess Rye grass can reestablish itself with soft seeds.
Weather has a break for the next 10 days and looks like it's cutting time as soon as the dirt gets dry.