Shall we make some hay?

[ClinchValley86]

East TN here. Thinking about cutting our leased ground tomorrow. Wondering if anyone else was taking the leap. Giving good weather Sunday through Friday. Rained 2 or 3 inches yesterday according to my guesstimation.

Would definitely be more tonnage if I let it go a few more weeks, but the weather looks good. A cool front is sitting atop of us now, rain has pushed out I think. Will be 80 degrees all week. Humidity around 60 percent. 5 to 10 mph winds all week.

Not fertilized ground. Lol

I got bit on first cut last year by rain. Feeling a bit jaded.

 

[chaded]

I wish we could. The quality would be good right now but our field is just too wet. So it's the same thing every year, first cutting is over mature but we get a lot of it. Cows don't seem to mind though.

 

[callmefence]

I went into some oats /ryegrass yesterday. It's really pitiful. Might make a 4x5 per acre but I doubt it.

 

[bird dog]

My oats and rye grass were not worth baling. I grazed what I could from them and then no-tilled some sorghum almum into them.

 

[callmefence]

My oats and rye grass were not worth baling. I grazed what I could from them and then no-tilled some sorghum almum into them.

I've done exactly the same on two ~15 acre fields. It's the smart move no doubt.
This field isn't fenced off from my coastal so I didn't want the cows in it.
Spent alot of late February wrenching on two 1411s so wanted to try them out.
Sorghum almum interest me. I'm thinking it can be managed like Johnson grass. Comes back from root and seed ??

 

[kentuckyguy]

2" of rain here yesterday so it's gonna be a while

 

[bird dog]

""Sorghum almum interest me. I'm thinking it can be managed like Johnson grass. Comes back from root and seed ??""

Yes its very similar to Johnson Grass and has to be managed. It doesn't seem to grow as tall and has finer stems. I am still experimenting with it some. It does come back like Johnson Grass but it doesn't seem as aggressive. I am trying to get it established in two fields. The one I have planted in twice but not this year has some regrowth but I am somewhat disappointed. This disappointment may be premature as when I looked at it yesterday, there were a lot of plants but only about 6" tall.
The grass in the fields seems to be two to three weeks behind. Maybe its wishful thinking because the SA gets grazed but I want it to come back early like the Johnson grass does in the roadside ditches.
The problem you have with SA as well as regular Johnson grass is the cows love the seeds, so when you graze it, they eat everything. You would think the seeds would be spread this way but so far that doesn't seem to be the case.
I wish I could find some Sorghum almum hay to roll out.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Last of the snow is still melting UP here. 2 months from hay.

 

[Lee VanRoss]

How far north or to what growing zone is Sorghum almum practical?

 

[poorboy]

Good weather ahead, too bad 30 acres under 8 feet of muddy water. Dry spring, deluge when it did rain, almost final straw. no pun intended.

 

[coachg]

Cutting 30 acres rye grass and crimson clover this am . Probably same weather you referred to in N E Alabama. Farmer is waiting to plant as soon as I get it off .

 

[BFE]

Going to do wheat/berseem clover this coming week. Calling for 90 degrees here for a couple days.

Fescue is a bit off yet. May not be a bad idea to go ahead though.

 

[coachg]

Don't mind it getting a light rain on it first cut since it's still green . I tell myself this cause we got a misty rain Saturday afternoon after we cut it . lol I'll tetter after lunch on Monday. And the week looks dry .

 

[Lucky_P]

10 acres of rye/wheat that our young friend is gonna try to cut as soon as it looks like we have enough dry days in the forecast. After that, the fescue/orchardgrass won't be far behind.

 

[tex452]

At first I wasn't going to make any this year, just buy it.
I have decided to clean my meadows off and graze it after it starts coming back.
Waiting on it to dry up, we got a good rain last week.
I just hit it with chicken litter the day before.
I'm not buying any commercial fertilizer this year. It doesn't pencil out.

 

[SBMF 2015]

East TN here. Thinking about cutting our leased ground tomorrow. Wondering if anyone else was taking the leap. Giving good weather Sunday through Friday. Rained 2 or 3 inches yesterday according to my guesstimation.

Would definitely be more tonnage if I let it go a few more weeks, but the weather looks good. A cool front is sitting atop of us now, rain has pushed out I think. Will be 80 degrees all week. Humidity around 60 percent. 5 to 10 mph winds all week.

Not fertilized ground. Lol

I got bit on first cut last year by rain. Feeling a bit jaded.

If you had that much rain it will take a couple days before I would think about cutting. You'll make horrible tracks in the field.

 

[tex452]

If you had that much rain it will take a couple days before I would think about cutting. You'll make horrible tracks in the field.

[/QUOTE]
Probably close to a week.
It will rut and won't dry.

 

[1982vett]

At first I wasn't going to make any this year, just buy it.
I have decided to clean my meadows off and graze it after it starts coming back.
Waiting on it to dry up, we got a good rain last week.
I just hit it with chicken litter the day before.
I'm not buying any commercial fertilizer this year. It doesn't pencil out.

Planning to cut a patch of Bermuda/ryegrass Tuesday. Bermuda looks fairly good and ryegrass a bit thin this year. I think quality will be a little better than last year. Not really in the mood, but would seem to be a waste/missed opportunity if I don't. Depending on weather…I've got 1 - 3 years worth in the barns. Storing up a little better than what I made last year is probably a good idea.

 

[LocustDaleCattleCompany]

Have a wheat, rye, and crimson clover mix that was ready last week but weather hasn't been right. Might be able to get after it this week hopefully. Going to wrap it so doesn't have to be perfect conditions field just needs to dry out a little more.

 

[ClinchValley86]

I dropped about 10 acres after visiting with my Momma.. Wish I had dropped more.

They changed the forecast and giving rain now for Friday. We shall see.

It was so dry prior to the rain that the 2 to 3 inches we got soaked right in. Had just a little bit of moisture on the tires. Going to Ted it in the mornings w the dew on. Rake and bale Thursday hopefully.