Stockpiling

[dun]

The only variation I would suggest is you cut it a little taller then normal. Around here most of the folks almost scalp the fields when they bale. We cut ours about 3-4 inches long. Sure makes a difference when it comes to growing back. And since it's late in the year I would want as much growth as possible to protect the root system as possible.

 

[boondocks]

Yeah, cut and bale will make next year alot easier for you. The matting of the bushhogged stuff will not rot down into the soil fast enough, and it will be a pain to cut and have all that clogging up the mower. It doesn't cause as much problems for the discbine, but you do have to drop to a slower gear but keeping the rpm's up.
We got a tedder a couple years ago when we weren't getting anything made due to the constant showers. But still, many times I will just rake a second time, catching the row just enough to get it to flip over so the "bottom" is up and the hay is over enough to get it on "dry" ground. It will get it to fluff a bit and air will go through it to help dry it.
Any weeds, goldenrod, whatever, will add organic matter back into the soil where you feed and you can kill the new growth. It is probably going to cause some new growth next year but with your own equipment, if you keep it cut before it gets mature, it will weaken it to some extent. There has been several books over the years talking about weeds and their preferences, and low calcium in the soil is often one of them t

Thank you, this is very helpful! We are such newbies to haying I'm quite worried we will really hose something up (or get hurt, frankly)

 

[boondocks]

The only variation I would suggest is you cut it a little taller then normal. Around here most of the folks almost scalp the fields when they bale. We cut ours about 3-4 inches long. Sure makes a difference when it comes to growing back. And since it's late in the year I would want as much growth as possible to protect the root system as possible.

good point, thanks Dun! We had a long August cold snap (sweatshirts!). Then we've just gotten our week or two of summer finally (it's been in the 80s and 90s) then today temp dropped 20 degrees and it's dropping into 30s at night. Whiplash!

I'm going to try to pin down our hay guy to get it baled next week but if he won't commit, we may have no choice but to give it a go ourselves. Fools rush in where angels fear to tread and all that!

 

[dun]

Only way to learn how is to do it. I would say screw "your guy" and do it yourselves. He's already shown his priorities and reliability.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Only way to learn how is to do it. I would say screw "your guy" and do it yourselves. He's already shown his priorities and reliability.

My sentiments exactly!! You're going to have to start sometime, why not start now? I would give it a go. There's no time like the present.

 

[dun]

Only way to learn how is to do it. I would say screw "your guy" and do it yourselves. He's already shown his priorities and reliability.

My sentiments exactly!! You're going to have to start sometime, why not start now? I would give it a go. There's no time like the present.

Yup, if you're gonna screw it up (don;t really see how) you might as well do it with less then top quality hay. If it all goes sideways consider it part of the tuition and a valuable lesson for next year.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

Only way to learn how is to do it. I would say screw "your guy" and do it yourselves. He's already shown his priorities and reliability.

My sentiments exactly!! You're going to have to start sometime, why not start now? I would give it a go. There's no time like the present.

Yup, if you're gonna screw it up (don;t really see how) you might as well do it with less then top quality hay. If it all goes sideways consider it part of the tuition and a valuable lesson for next year.

:nod: :nod: :nod:

 

[Stocker Steve]

How long to you have to pay tuition before you graduate? :dunce:

 

[M.Magis]

How long to you have to pay tuition before you graduate? :dunce:

Until the day you sell everything.

 

[dun]

How long to you have to pay tuition before you graduate? :dunce:

Until the day you sell everything.

That pretty well sums it up. Just that with good fortune the tuition bill goes down year to year

 

[snoopdog]

I can echo everything that's been posted , exactly ,why I aquired my own hay equipment . We have "good guys " in the hay business here also, and their word IS good, but your hay isn't by the time they get to it. Ive always enjoyed hay season even when I hit my thumb with a hammer , so I say "nuts". Only a few will get that , it's ok.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

All the hate for the custom hay guy.... reaffirms my decision to start dropping the needy/demanding customers.

When you have lots of customers and lots of hay acres to make and mother nature gives you exactly 3 separate 3 day windows all season (we had almost 90 inches of rain in June, July, August and our only 90 degree day came last week and from the sounds of it boondocks weather wasn't much better) there is only so much you can do, even just trying to make your own hay. For me after this year all the guys that whined about their hay got told that next year they can find somebody else, the ones that were understanding about mother nature got bumped up the list.

 

[M.Magis]

All the hate for the custom hay guy.... reaffirms my decision to start dropping the needy/demanding customers.

When you have lots of customers and lots of hay acres to make and mother nature gives you exactly 3 separate 3 day windows all season (we had almost 90 inches of rain in June, July, August and our only 90 degree day came last week and from the sounds of it boondocks weather wasn't much better) there is only so much you can do, even just trying to make your own hay. For me after this year all the guys that whined about their hay got told that next year they can find somebody else, the ones that were understanding about mother nature got bumped up the list.

Pretty sure the complaint came from the hay guy repeatedly saying he'd still get to it, but not following through. If a person is going to run any sort of business, they have to be up front and honest. Broken promises never go over well.

 

[boondocks]

All the hate for the custom hay guy.... reaffirms my decision to start dropping the needy/demanding customers.

When you have lots of customers and lots of hay acres to make and mother nature gives you exactly 3 separate 3 day windows all season (we had almost 90 inches of rain in June, July, August and our only 90 degree day came last week and from the sounds of it boondocks weather wasn't much better) there is only so much you can do, even just trying to make your own hay. For me after this year all the guys that whined about their hay got told that next year they can find somebody else, the ones that were understanding about mother nature got bumped up the list.

Pretty sure the complaint came from the hay guy repeatedly saying he'd still get to it, but not following through. If a person is going to run any sort of business, they have to be up front and honest. Broken promises never go over well.

Yeah, we give him 2/3 of the hay for baling it. We gave him the benefit of the doubt until July, since it had been rainy. The last 2 months, though, we have had several prolonged dry spells, especially the past month. We are almost in the reverse situation now, everything dry as a bone. No rain in a few weeks. And he still hasn't come to do the FIRST CUTTING as of Sept. 29, despite repeated promises. He's baled second cutting elsewhere. I doubt you treat your customers that way, chevy. Still, I don't "blame" him per se. Just reminds me that the only person you can rely on is yourself. IF that! :lol:

 

[sim.-ang.king]

2/3 is lot for these parts. If it's on your land it's usually on the half's.

 

[dun]

All the hate for the custom hay guy.... reaffirms my decision to start dropping the needy/demanding customers.

When you have lots of customers and lots of hay acres to make and mother nature gives you exactly 3 separate 3 day windows all season (we had almost 90 inches of rain in June, July, August and our only 90 degree day came last week and from the sounds of it boondocks weather wasn't much better) there is only so much you can do, even just trying to make your own hay. For me after this year all the guys that whined about their hay got told that next year they can find somebody else, the ones that were understanding about mother nature got bumped up the list.

Pretty sure the complaint came from the hay guy repeatedly saying he'd still get to it, but not following through. If a person is going to run any sort of business, they have to be up front and honest. Broken promises never go over well.

Pretty well sums it up.

 

[boondocks]

2/3 is lot for these parts. If it's on your land it's usually on the half's.

Yes. We've bent over backwards to be fair, I think...
Looking for a retired farmer around here to show us the haying ropes a little. Hubs is very mechanical but I'm hopeless, and some of it will fall to me due to schedules. I can hardly run a string trimmer. (Can't ever get a 2stroke started). Me and equipment don't get along well, even though I do try. Have been doing all the brush hogging this summer but I have lousy depth perception and eye-hand coordination.
Stay tuned.... :lol:

 

[greybeard]

All the hate for the custom hay guy.... reaffirms my decision to start dropping the needy/demanding customers.

When you have lots of customers and lots of hay acres to make and mother nature gives you exactly 3 separate 3 day windows all season (we had almost 90 inches of rain in June, July, August and our only 90 degree day came last week and from the sounds of it boondocks weather wasn't much better) there is only so much you can do, even just trying to make your own hay. For me after this year all the guys that whined about their hay got told that next year they can find somebody else, the ones that were understanding about mother nature got bumped up the list.

Pretty sure the complaint came from the hay guy repeatedly saying he'd still get to it, but not following through. If a person is going to run any sort of business, they have to be up front and honest. Broken promises never go over well.

Pretty well sums it up.

The road to ruin is paved with good intentions.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I'll agree you shouldn't make false promises and I never promise anybody anything when you have to deal with mother nature. I told about 200 acres worth of loyal customers that I was sorry and mother nature won and I couldn't get their hay made, also have close to 200 acres of $$$/bale leased ground that I paid the landowner based on the last 3 years of average production and the hay will remain standing, then a 150 acres worth I told the landowners to find somebody else (albeit I told them in early August after they called me non stop about their hay when they knew we were getting 10+" of rain a week at times).

Having said that if it was me and I was baling on shares you can bet I would be out baling nice second crop over a field of late 1st with golden rod in it for sure. A 2/3 share of a field with weeds isn't worth much to the producer unfortunately (round here golden rod is present by late June or early July if it isn't spray and controlled early on, if just gets "golden" about now).

Any who that's the last I'll say about it, since I don't know this producers situation. Just know how hard it can be being "the hay guy".

 

[boondocks]

I'll agree you shouldn't make false promises and I never promise anybody anything when you have to deal with mother nature. I told about 200 acres worth of loyal customers that I was sorry and mother nature won and I couldn't get their hay made, also have close to 200 acres of $$$/bale leased ground that I paid the landowner based on the last 3 years of average production and the hay will remain standing, then a 150 acres worth I told the landowners to find somebody else (albeit I told them in early August after they called me non stop about their hay when they knew we were getting 10+" of rain a week at times).

Having said that if it was me and I was baling on shares you can bet I would be out baling nice second crop over a field of late 1st with golden rod in it for sure. A 2/3 share of a field with weeds isn't worth much to the producer unfortunately (round here golden rod is present by late June or early July if it isn't spray and controlled early on, if just gets "golden" about now).

Any who that's the last I'll say about it, since I don't know this producers situation. Just know how hard it can be being "the hay guy".

Understood. I note that in your (bolded) case, you did pay the landowner for the average production, even though you didn't get to it. (Am I reading that right?).
In our case, it's kinda the worst of all worlds: no money for rent, no hay, and still have to get the mess cleared up so it doesn't hose us up for spring. But, whatcha gonna do. Suck it up and move on. Still first world problems.