# 2017 Haying Photos and Videos



## Grateful11

I figured it's time to get a new thread started for 2017. I know it's a bit early but things coming along pretty good here so far.

They're trying some Cereal Rye for an early hay crop this season. It was drilled in on Nov. 3rd and was an 1" high within 4 days. The stuff is coming on a bit sooner than I think it should in this area but with a Winter with almost no cold weather so far what can you expect. We did have about 7-8" of snow about 3 weeks and two nights in the single digits but that's really about all the Winter we've had. We've also had 7" of rain already this year.

These were taken Jan. the 5th.


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## FarmerCline

That rye looks good. Considering it was planted the first few days of November it looks about right for this time of year.....maybe a little greener than normal with the warm temps but the height looks about right. In an average year you would be cutting that for hay about the first of April. If the rest of this winter is mild it might be ready even earlier than that. You don't want rye to get too mature or it won't be very palatable with all the beards on the heads. I would try to cut it at just as it heads out when it is still pretty leafy.

The past couple weeks of warmer than usual temps have been really good for the little bit of barley and winter oats I planted. Didn't get them planted until after thanksgiving because we had no moisture.....was risky planting that late so I only planted a small portion of what I had planned on.


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## carcajou

Rented some land this fall that had not been broke as far as anyone can remember. Before and after pics with a 40' Protill. 1st pass all i could pull at 6 mph with 420 hp. Second pass at 7 third at 8 mph. Very happy with the results. That field was so rough i could not drive across it in a pickup at 10 mph. Afterword it was smooth. Needed about another 100 hp to really get the best results.


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## carcajou

A few fall 2016 harvest pics.


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## IHCman

Nice looking Massey. Really like the mulies in that last pic.


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## somedevildawg

I need to take a hunting trip to Alberta


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## SVFHAY

Maybe you should subsidize Dawg and I to clean up those critters. Sheds that big could ruin a lot of tires.......


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Sold my Jd 5410 yesterday, searching for a clean used 7000 series Deere now before hay season.


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## somedevildawg

SVFHAY said:


> Maybe you should subsidize Dawg and I to clean up those critters. Sheds that big could ruin a lot of tires.......


I agree.....sheds like that could cause a tremendous amount of damage. I had a huge shed (fir down here and all) get in my bandit tire this year, caused a significant amount of damage...see for yourself I'll post the pic. Thing started gettin squirrelly with me as I was coming around the headlands and I knew I had a tire pressure problem as I seemed to be gettin loose in the north headlands and pushin in the south.... had the pit crew (me) get off and inspect and Looky what done happened 








But ifn I was to hit one of those, this could be the possible result


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## somedevildawg

McDonald Family Farms said:


> Sold my Jd 5410 yesterday, searching for a clean used 7000 series Deere now before hay season.


Good luck and get your pocket book ready  hard to pay too much, anything I can look at for ya in this neck, give a shout...


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## Grateful11

They decided to try a mixture of K31 Fescue, Korean Lespedeza, Annual Rye and some leftover Oats seed. Not sure how it going to turn out but it's so wet the conventional JD double disc opener drill was penetrating down about an 1" or better with full down pressure. Didn't have a lot of money in it. After last year's weather the pastures are looking pretty rough. I think she's going to put some Triticale and Fescue on one larger pasture. This pasture has already had a good coating of solid manure before it got 3" of rain on it.






Oats are looking real good right now. Trying a different seed variety and a different supplier this season. Hope it makes some good hay. One thing they decided to do different last Fall was to hit all the small grain fields with 100#/acre of 10-20-20 fertilize. That took awhile with a 3pt. spreader that holds 750-800#.



















Rye field 3 days after it was drilled. Just starting to show.










Rye field 4 days after it was drilled.










Rye field 7 days after it was drilled.


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## VA Haymaker

IH Farmall 756 gasser and New Holland 56 rake. I have a weakness for old iron.... ????

Both will be used to some extent in the 2017 hay season.


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## 6125

somedevildawg said:


> I agree.....sheds like that could cause a tremendous amount of damage. I had a huge shed (fir down here and all) get in my bandit tire this year, caused a significant amount of damage...see for yourself I'll post the pic. Thing started gettin squirrelly with me as I was coming around the headlands and I knew I had a tire pressure problem as I seemed to be gettin loose in the north headlands and pushin in the south....  had the pit crew (me) get off and inspect and Looky what done happened
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> But ifn I was to hit one of those, this could be the possible result
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I swear i've seen that 2nd picture before somewheres.....or one just like it....


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## somedevildawg

6125 said:


> I swear i've seen that 2nd picture before somewheres.....or one just like it....


Lol, I've posted it before in another thread.....took me some time to find it !


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## Orchard6

leeave96 said:


> IH Farmall 756 gasser and New Holland 56 rake. I have a weakness for old iron.... ????
> 
> Both will be used to some extent in the 2017 hay season.
> 
> image.jpeg


Nice! I love my gasser 706 for hay work. I need to upgrade my hydraulic control levers to the long ones like yours.


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## Lewis Ranch

They say third times a charm. I sure hope so after two years of trying to get my teff planted it looks like it might happen this year. We've had bad flooding the past two springs and I've never been able to get my ground worked, this year I'm taking advantage and getting the ground ready while it's dry. I probably need to send some seed out and have it tested since it's 3 years old, any special place y'all send it to?


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Lewis Ranch said:


> They say third times a charm. I sure hope so after two years of trying to get my teff planted it looks like it might happen this year. We've had bad flooding the past two springs and I've never been able to get my ground worked, this year I'm taking advantage and getting the ground ready while it's dry. I probably need to send some seed out and have it tested since it's 3 years old, any special place y'all send it to?


Noble Foundation in southern Oklahoma may be able to test it or you can do a simply germination test yourself. Glad to see you finally found a disc to get that ground worked looks like it turned up pretty good.


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## Lewis Ranch

McDonald Family Farms said:


> Noble Foundation in southern Oklahoma may be able to test it or you can do a simply germination test yourself. Glad to see you finally found a disc to get that ground worked looks like it turned up pretty good.


Same crappy disc this is just the 3rd pass with it this year. Chiseled disc twice field cultivator then disc. I think It'll be ready to plant after I get done tomorrow just need to find a good harrow to smooth it on up.


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## Grateful11

This Rye is really growing. Not sure if she's going to top dress it with liquid nitrogen or not it's growing so fast.


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## Josh in WNY

Lewis Ranch said:


> They say third times a charm. I sure hope so after two years of trying to get my teff planted it looks like it might happen this year. We've had bad flooding the past two springs and I've never been able to get my ground worked, this year I'm taking advantage and getting the ground ready while it's dry. I probably need to send some seed out and have it tested since it's 3 years old, any special place y'all send it to?


I did a self test with some timothy and birdsfoot trefoil seed by putting some seeds between two damp sheets of paper towel on a plate. Works pretty well, just make sure you keep the towels moist.


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## FarmerCline

Took a couple pictures today of the barley that I planted the week after Thanksgiving. I almost didn't plant it because it was so late. December was pretty cold so It took a month for it to just come out of the ground but woth the warmer than usual weather we have had the past few weeks it has really grown and now most plants have three nice tillers.


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## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Took a couple pictures today of the barley that I planted the week after Thanksgiving. I almost didn't plant it because it was so late. December was pretty cold so It took a month for it to just come out of the ground but woth the warmer than usual weather we have had the past few weeks it has really grown and now most plants have three nice tillers.
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Beautiful country up there!


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Beautiful country up there!


 The mountains provide some nice scenery but for farming I would trade it for some of your flat ground in a heartbeat!


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## Grateful11

I wish I had gotten this in one long video but I didn't know the guy was going to swing back once it got into travel position.











The new Kubota M7 is a pretty big tractor.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

I saw the macdon product release video but looks even cooler in person. As soon as Agco/Massey/Hesston offers one one I'll buy one. Don't have any macdon support here.


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## Grateful11

Part of this seasons calves.


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## stack em up

I'll take all the heifers! Shipping may be an issue though....


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## FarmerCline

Replanted the orchard grass today that I planted back in early October. It didn't germinate until mid December due to lack of rain and then we had a cold snap right after it germinated where it got down in the teens for a few nights and the ground froze about 1/4 inch deep which heaved some of the seedlings out of the ground and left me with a thin stand in places. Most of the field has a thin stand of seedling orchard but there are some patches that have a nice thick stand as well as patches where there is nothing. Rather than rework the ground I just drilled 15 pounds of orchard over top of what is already there. Hope it works out okay and I get a good stand. Little bit concerned because there is a good bit of henbit growing but I don't guess there is anything I can spray to kill it until the orchard gets up and starts tillering.


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## sethd11

Just hauling a quick load to a customer. Use the 18 bale grabber to load into storage containers.


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## FarmerCline

Alfalfa has grown about 4-5 inches in the past week......looks nice and green.


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## Bgriffin856

Making me jealous Cline

A few flurries today


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## Lewis Ranch

Here's some pictures of my office view for the last couple days.


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## deadmoose

Lewis Ranch said:


> Here's some pictures of my office view for the last couple days.


Sprigging?

Please enlighten us on the equipment and process.


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## Colby

Lewis Ranch said:


> Here's some pictures of my office view for the last couple days.


Damn y'all are getting an early start. I need to get about 20 acres of Tifton planted just don't want to hand over the money


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## Lewis Ranch

deadmoose said:


> Sprigging?
> Please enlighten us on the equipment and process.


7230 premium Deere and a 7510 Deere pulling Bermuda King spriggers. They dig sprigs which are just the roots and the sprigger plants them about inch and a half deep then we pack with a big drum roller.



Colby said:


> Damn y'all are getting an early start. I need to get about 20 acres of Tifton planted just don't want to hand over the money


All the roots here are already greened up, it was 85+ today out.


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## Lewis Ranch

I'm not the best video person but here's one I took today, I'll try to get a better shot of the sprigger tomorrow.


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## somedevildawg

What ya sprigging Lewis....that's a good size field, what was it before?


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## Lewis Ranch

Coastal. We're now putting out 60 bushels/acre so with two machines running the digger can't keep up. This field is 250 acres.


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## Bgriffin856

Guy that trapped on our property caught four coyotes including a 48 pounder

He didn't get them all though


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Ayup, prolly only got the dumb ones!


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## Colby

Coastal greening up about 30 days early. Guess I'll pull the spray rig out after the 3" we got last night dries off


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## 506

I'm right there with you Colby. My Jiggs is coming to life a lot earlier than expected this year. That photo you posted looks like my pastures right now. I've already started spot spraying and will have to run herbicide soon.


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## Lewis Ranch

Started spraying today, hope to get around 4,000 done this week.


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## somedevildawg

Nice rig.....and tanks!


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## FarmerCline

Planted some spring oats today. I have planted forage varieties of spring oats for hay a couple times but have never grown spring oats for grain. The normal oat varieties grown in NC are winter oats which are fall planted just like wheat so I will be interested to see how these spring oats do here for grain. Planted two varieties.....Shelby 427 and Jerry.


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## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Planted some spring oats today. I have planted forage varieties of spring oats for hay a couple times but have never grown spring oats for grain. The normal oat varieties grown in NC are winter oats which are fall planted just like wheat so I will be interested to see how these spring oats do here for grain. Planted two varieties.....Shelby 427 and Jerry.
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I like my Great Plains no till but I really like the look of them deeres!


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## Grateful11

We spread some fertilizer on pastures today hoping for some rain tonight but the chances are shrinking by the hour. Don't see much rain coming in anyway soon either.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> I like my Great Plains no till but I really like the look of them deeres!


 Great Plains is a good drill but I don't think you can beat the Deere for accurate depth control and the hydraulic down pressure. I have been very pleased with the drill.


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## woodland

You guys out seeding make me realize how close to the Arctic we are up here in Canada. The closest I can get is cleaning wheat seed but it won't see dirt till may. Just got the first cleaned load home. Four more to go.


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## endrow

Not much rain but spreading some lime on some foggy mornings


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## Tx Jim

I saw green Johnson grass sprouts about 3''-4'' tall yesterday


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

FarmerCline said:


> Planted some spring oats today. I have planted forage varieties of spring oats for hay a couple times but have never grown spring oats for grain. The normal oat varieties grown in NC are winter oats which are fall planted just like wheat so I will be interested to see how these spring oats do here for grain. Planted two varieties.....Shelby 427 and Jerry.
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Post a follow up on the oats later, interested to see how the spring planted ones fare.


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## somedevildawg

endrow said:


> Not much rain but spreading some lime on some foggy mornings


Wow, what rate is that being spread at?


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## endrow

somedevildawg said:


> Wow, what rate is that being spread at?


@2.25 Tons Per Acre


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## Colby

Really like burning fields off. Just always scares the crap out of me


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## somedevildawg

With a break like that, I don't think you had any worries Colby....unless of course, the wind picks up to about 20-30


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## Vol

I did that last week....

Regards, Mike


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## woodland

Can I ask what the reason for the burning is? We're trying to improve our organic matter and moisture retention on our fields and it would bother me to lose the surface cover. Must be different situations down south since the fire department would show up even with a fire permit. They came last winter when we were burning brush piles with two feet of snow on the ground. Just curious.


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## Vol

Controlled burns are used for a number of reasons....some depending on locale. Many use controlled burns to get rid of excess material on top of the ground.....I read where they do this in Canada to remove excess straw especially in bumper years.

CB's enrich the soil with a flush of minerals to help with a quick greenup in the spring.

And it also helps to kill growing weeds and destroy surface weed seed.

Regards, Mike

https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-residue-burning-program/why-do-farmers-burn.html


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## woodland

Thanks for the reply Mike.

I know it was a little more common up here when I was a kid like 25 years ago but not now. A large ranch 4 miles west of us ( upwind usually) used to do a "un"controlled burn every may on a 10,000 acre slough to remove dead grass (and fence posts). Then dad and a couple of neighbors with dozers would have to go build fire guards and help the county fight it so it didn't burn us out as well.

Maybe that's why I questioned the reasoning behind it.

Thanks


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## woodland

Just got the old D6C all spruced up and ready to go battle the poplar trees. Resealed the two main lift cylinders and replaced some pins and bushings as well. Dad loves running her and does a great job too. We got five weeks till calving starts and hopefully he can keep at it till then.








Just finished laying tires to walk it across the pavement since it's got corks and leaves a nice pattern otherwise.


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## endrow

woodland said:


> Just got the old D6C all spruced up and ready to go battle the poplar trees. Resealed the two main lift cylinders and replaced some pins and bushings as well. Dad loves running her and does a great job too. We got five weeks till calving starts and hopefully he can keep at it till then.
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Looks Cold


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## somedevildawg

No, it looks really cold....I could never do it


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## woodland

somedevildawg said:


> No, it looks really cold....I could never do it


The fan blades are reversible so for the winter you put it on "suck" and with canvas from the armrests down you get all the engine heat which isn't too bad if you stay out of the wind. When you're among fifty foot trees they break wind pretty good. It's been around freezing and you'll take your coveralls off for sure. It's supposed to drop 10 or 20 degrees next week so put on a toque and keep rolling.


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## Vol

A toque huh??....I had to google  ....put a pic up sometime sporting your favorite toque. 

Regards, Mike


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Ayup, nothin' quite like a toque ta keep ya warm!


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## woodland

I don't have any pics of me with a toque but have one of my two year old son on the first day he was able to climb the steps on the tractor by himself a couple of weeks ago. He's much more photogenic than I anyways. ????


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## Vol

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Ayup, nothin' quite like a toque ta keep ya warm!


Have you been wrestling bears? 

Regards, Mike


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## Vol

woodland said:


> I don't have any pics of me with a toque but have one of my two year old son on the first day he was able to climb the steps on the tractor by himself a couple of weeks ago. He's much more photogenic than I anyways.
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Good to see and a fine looking young man.....and I like his toque!

Regards, Mike


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Vol said:


> Have you been wrestling bears?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Nah, just firewood!  

And, I think that my days of doing that are pretty much over with!   

Bought a new Carhartt jacket before that picture was taken, 9 years ago yesterday. Note the difference in ground cover from then to now! 

Now, that new jacket looks like the one in the picture, but it's 11 years old! :lol: Time for another new one!


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## woodland

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Ayup, nothin' quite like a toque ta keep ya warm!


Looks like you got your money's worth out of that one. ????
My coveralls and coats all are patched at least once before they become rags.


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## somedevildawg

woodland said:


> Looks like you got your money's worth out of that one.
> My coveralls and coats all are patched at least once before they become rags.


I can see why.....they probably would never come off of me


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## FarmerCline

Chisel plowed a couple fields today to start getting them ready to plant into alfalfa in the next couple weeks. The ground is white from the lime I had spread. The ph is in pretty good shape right now but I wanted to go ahead and work some lime in deep before planting to keep the ph up.


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## Colby

NOT IN MY RYE GRASS!!


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## paoutdoorsman

What do you do with those guys after you eradicate them Colby?


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## somedevildawg

paoutdoorsman said:


> What do you do with those guys after you eradicate them Colby?


 I prefer to use .223, they'll usually run far enough to get off of my property....ifn they don't make it, we usually call in the Mexicans....they'll make good use of it. Do the same thing with road kill whitetail as long as it's fresh they'll take it...


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## Colby

paoutdoorsman said:


> What do you do with those guys after you eradicate them Colby?


All of mine get donated to the national turkey buzzard society as I shoot at least 250 a year


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## paoutdoorsman

Colby said:


> All of mine get donated to the national turkey buzzard society as I shoot at least 250 a year


That's a lot of buzzard feed!


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## Vol

Hah, that's funny Colby.....there not worth fooling with here either....too dang many diseases in feral hogs. Trichinosis is very prevalent if feral pork is not thoroughly cooked.

Regards, Mike


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## carcajou

Vol said:


> Controlled burns are used for a number of reasons....some depending on locale. Many use controlled burns to get rid of excess material on top of the ground.....I read where they do this in Canada to remove excess straw especially in bumper years.
> 
> CB's enrich the soil with a flush of minerals to help with a quick greenup in the spring.
> 
> And it also helps to kill growing weeds and destroy surface weed seed.
> 
> Regards, Mike
> 
> https://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/crops/crop-residue-burning-program/why-do-farmers-burn.html


I suspect will will see lots of fields burned this spring. Incredible amount of acres in the central and northern portions of Alberta still have last falls crops on them. If they didn't winter well they will be burned asap. Everyone is talking Pro tills but if it's a wet spring, there will be no chance of getting on the ground to work them.


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## somedevildawg

Had a buddy of mine invite me to go with him last night to eradicate some hogs, couldn't go because of other plans but they did kill 7 last night....not even a drop in the bucket


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## MattB

Hi All. Been on here for a while and lots of great info.

Here is some pics from Down under. Our hay season is well and truly finished. Getting ready to sow pastures for next year.

Baling grass Hay















Some great sunrises down here









Flooded early last year. Hate having hay under tarps so have built a shed (Barn) for our cut this season









Spring planted Lucerne (Alfalfa) at the Dairy farm I work at before its first cut. The Autumn plant was washed away in the same flooding that hit our place in the photo above. Was worked over again and replanted. Has been a good stand. 4 cuttings off it so far and should get at least one more.









Picking up the wrapped silage at the dairy.









Keep the great info coming

Cheers

Matt


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## somedevildawg

I see they've got that router issue fixed....every pic Matt posted came in "right side up". Welcome to haytalk forums Matt. Nice pics, we always like to see pics from down under (or anywhere else for that matter) but especially Austrailia......it's on the bucket list . 
I remember "coondle" posting about the rains at the start of the season, very unusual I believe...


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## r82230

Welcome Matt, I can't seem to get enough of pictures of country side, equipment or tractor porn.  And as dawg said, it's great that your pictures are not upside down. 

Larry


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## MattB

HaHa Yep took a while to get all the pictures right way up for you northern guys 

Dawg its not that unusual for us to get a flood in Autumn. Its what makes our river flats great.

Weather has been a bit weird this year though. Great autumn/winter last year and then haven't had any decent rain since Nov. Had a bit last weekend. they got 150-200mm (6in for you) 30 mins drive away from us and we got 1inch!

Matt


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## MtnHerd

MattB,

Just curious, but what is the round thing that looks like it is full of water in the last picture? It is flush with the ground right at the edge of your silage field. Looks like you have to drive right by it.

Thanks for the pics from down under!


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## MattB

csdeyton said:


> MattB,
> 
> Just curious, but what is the round thing that looks like it is full of water in the last picture? It is flush with the ground right at the edge of your silage field. Looks like you have to drive right by it.
> 
> Thanks for the pics from down under!


It is a water trough for the cows to drink out of. It is actually about a foot out of the ground. We are pasture based here so cows graze fields every day. Cows walk down the lane I am driving on and we open a gate to different field after each milking.


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## MtnHerd

MattB said:


> It is a water trough for the cows to drink out of. It is actually about a foot out of the ground. We are pasture based here so cows graze fields every day. Cows walk down the lane I am driving on and we open a gate to different field after each milking.


That's what I thought it might be, I have just never seen one that low. Nice set up!


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## MtnHerd

I just drilled seed into several hay fields yesterday, including this one. Got a little snow on it last night, just glad it wasn't the 6-9" they first predicted.









Edit: Picture didn't attach first try


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## 2ndWindfarm

Grateful11 said:


> Part of this seasons calves.


My uncle was one of the last "holdouts" with Hereford's when everyone went to Angus. He made really good money with half of his calves as black-baldy's! Feeders would pay a premium on those.

His straight cows did just fine, too. Guys wanted those for 'cross calves.


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## Bgriffin856

Bgriffin856 said:


> Guy that trapped on our property caught four coyotes including a 48 pounder
> He didn't get them all though





Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Ayup, prolly only got the dumb ones!


Group that hunts them said there was 14 of them right in our area


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## Colby

Finally getting dry enough to start


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## Vol

It was bitter cold here today after the 70's and 80's....it never got to 36°.....the Great Smoky Mountains were absolutely beautiful with their fresh blanket of snow that the higher elevations received last night.....none here in the valley.

Regards, Mike


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## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> It was bitter cold here today after the 70's and 80's....it never got to 36°.....the Great Smoky Mountains were absolutely beautiful with their fresh blanket of snow that the higher elevations received last night.....none here in the valley.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Beautiful picture!


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## luke6983

The weather is warm and the alfalfa is growing......
One rig done and three more to get through the shop....


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## r82230

Nice rig, but you sure appear to have rather steep hills where ever your location is :lol:. Just given you a little hard time, might want to edit your profile, just to give us a little idea of where you are coming from.

Larry


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## luke6983

r82230 said:


> Nice rig, but you sure appear to have rather steep hills where ever your location is :lol:. Just given you a little hard time, might want to edit your profile, just to give us a little idea of where you are coming from.
> 
> Larry


Larry,

I was just trying to make you stretch your neck....????
I need to figure out how to rotate pictures. I'm from eastern Washington.

Luke


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## FarmerCline

Barley is looking pretty good. Except for a few burnt leaf tips it doesn't look like last weeks freeze with a low of 18 and 21 hurt it.....I was a bit concerned because it had already started jointing.


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## cjsr8595

Broke some ground this weekend, its been a really dry winter for us in Southern Indiana. Got some orchard grass, clover, timothy and some oats planted Monday. I'm ready for some warmer weather.


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## Vol

cjsr8595 said:


> Broke some ground this weekend, its been a really dry winter for us in Southern Indiana. Got some orchard grass, clover, timothy and some oats planted Monday. I'm ready for some warmer weather.


That second picture looks like a good place to take a good buck deer.

Regards, Mike


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Early start in Northeast Tx


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## cjsr8595

We have some good size deer in our area. I'm just north of Louisville KY and we have similar terrain to most of KY, rolling hills and what we call the knobs, similar to small mountains I guess you would say.


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## MtnHerd

McDonald Family Farms said:


> Early start in Northeast Tx


Nice setup. Couldn't imagine how much faster that would make for mowing.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

csdeyton said:


> Nice setup. Couldn't imagine how much faster that would make for mowing.


Thanks, only wish it was mine lol. All five tractors and all the implements you see are paid for. This guy I visited has a sweet operation. With that triple mower and another mower to clean up behind it they cut 65 acres in an hour and a half.


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## FarmerCline

Here is a picture of the spring oats I planted about a month ago......looking pretty good.


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## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> Here is a picture of the spring oats I planted about a month ago......looking pretty good.
> 
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What was that they were drilled into....sudan?

Regards, Mike


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## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> What was that they were drilled into....sudan?
> 
> Regards, Mike


 Last years oat and double crop bean stubble.


----------



## Smoothy

FarmerCline was that Barley you had a pic of winter Barley?


----------



## FarmerCline

Smoothy said:


> FarmerCline was that Barley you had a pic of winter Barley?


 Yep, it is winter barley.....my first time growing it.


----------



## Smoothy

If you wouldn't mind keep me posted on how it turns out. We were supposed to put some in last fall to try out but they didn't get us seed fast enough and it got a little late. I would say your field looks really nice so far.


----------



## FarmerCline

Smoothy said:


> If you wouldn't mind keep me posted on how it turns out. We were supposed to put some in last fall to try out but they didn't get us seed fast enough and it got a little late. I would say your field looks really nice so far.


 I will give updates as the crop progresses. I ended up planting it a month later than it should have been last fall but the very warm winter we had was really good for it and has made up for the late planting date.


----------



## endrow

How about 4 to 5 inches of good growth on some of the Alfalfa Orchard Grass mix fields. Yesterday it was a brudel 22 degrees half tonight til about 8:30 in the morning. Dropped to15 for an hour at Daybreak. Lot of the hay Fields look like you hit him with gramoxone


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Finally got my my new tractor in and got to use it some, put about six hours on it field cultivating and I am impressed so far. Lewis Ranch was nice enough to haul it bavk from Cleburne for me ~150 miles.

The lights on this tractor are well placed, turns tight, rides smooth, and plenty of power for me. As my brother said, it seems like the engineers paid a lot of attention to detail on this tractor and all the little things add up to make a nice machine. This MT515D is also my first 4wd and I'm spoiled on them now.


----------



## Vol

Good looking outfit Mac.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Ranger518

Getting a little fertlizer spread today to get ready to sprig midland 99.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Ranger518 said:


> Getting a little fertlizer spread today to get ready to sprig midland 99.


He still has the spray bars on, why are y'all putting out liquid via plane?


----------



## Ranger518

Lewis Ranch said:


> He still has the spray bars on, why are y'all putting out liquid via plane?


LoL good Eye. Kinda a long story I spray round up in earl February and got ground worked up good ready to sprig but the weather caught me and has been super wet sense then and have not be able to get in field and now I have some weeds and grass growing pretty good again and looks like it might dry out this week so i can get it worked up again so I sprayed it with round up again and some p&k. So hopefully this time i will be good to go.


----------



## FarmerCline

Planted a new seeding of alfalfa this past Saturday night after dark to get it in the ground before the rain on Sunday. Went by the field earlier today and I though I saw a few sprouts.....stopped to look and sure enough it had already germinated after being in the ground only three and a half days. From what has already came up it looks like it is going to be a heck of a stand.


----------



## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> Planted a new seeding of alfalfa this past Saturday night after dark to get it in the ground before the rain on Sunday. Went by the field earlier today and I though I saw a few sprouts.....stopped to look and sure enough it had already germinated after being in the ground only three and a half days. From what has already came up it looks like it is going to be a heck of a stand.
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Did you sow it with a Brillion? It seems that they really shine with Alfalfa seed.

Regards, Mike


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## Trotwood2955

Got all of the litter spread about a month ago, fertilizer on a week ago, and some OG and oats planted over the weekend (drilling into bean stubble with some volunteer wheat in the background...sprayed the day before so not burned down yet). Now hopefully we start to get some more rain and be waiting on May to get here to get started.


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## Vol

Trotwood2955 said:


> Got all of the litter spread about a month ago, fertilizer on a week ago, and some OG and oats planted over the weekend. Now hopefully we start to get some more rain and be waiting on May to get here to get started.


Beautiful rolling farmland Trot.....looking good. What kind of drill is that you use?

Regards, Mike


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## Tx Jim

McDonald Family Farms said:


> . Lewis Ranch was nice enough to haul it bavk from Cleburne for me ~150 miles.


Who did you purchase tractor from. Cleburne is actually my address as Coyote Flats has no post office.

Jim


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## Trotwood2955

Mike it is a 10 ft no-till drill branded and sold by Bush Hog, but really made by Lilliston. I have no idea how many of them they made/sold. Only a few in my area. It is older, nothing fancy, but let's just say the price was very right! I've had it for about ten years now and about have the kinks worked out...and knock on wood it has always done a pretty good job.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Tx Jim said:


> Who did you purchase tractor from. Cleburne is actually my address as Coyote Flats has no post office.
> Jim


I bought it from HOLT CAT. They have a location in Cleburne. The guys I deal with are in sulphur springs but this particular machine happened to be in Cleburne and was priced Right.

Pretty happy with the machine so far, still learning about it and getting my GPS set up.

On another note, I just got a new phone (Google pixel) and the camera is just awesome, none of these photos are edited at all, just straight from my camera roll.


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## Josh in WNY

McDonald Family Farms said:


> On another note, I just got a new phone (Google pixel) and the camera is just awesome, none of these photos are edited at all, just straight from my camera roll.


That first pic is incredible. Frame it and put in on the wall!


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## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> Did you sow it with a Brillion? It seems that they really shine with Alfalfa seed.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 Yep, seeded it with my Brillion. This year I didn't get the ground too firm before planting and I didn't have the issue of the Brillion not covering the seed well like I had last year......I was just packing the field too firm before planting the last couple years......decided it is best to pack once after planting for good measure.


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## Troy Farmer

Trotwood2955 said:


> Got all of the litter spread about a month ago, fertilizer on a week ago, and some OG and oats planted over the weekend (drilling into bean stubble with some volunteer wheat in the background...sprayed the day before so not burned down yet). Now hopefully we start to get some more rain and be waiting on May to get here to get started.


Man I sure do like that 7000 series 2wd Deere! I hope I can get one one of these days.


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## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> Yep, seeded it with my Brillion. This year I didn't get the ground too firm before planting and I didn't have the issue of the Brillion not covering the seed well like I had last year......I was just packing the field too firm before planting the last couple years......decided it is best to pack once after planting for good measure.


I agree....you can get this Southern Clay so dang hard a worm can't drill it. It is better to pull the packer after seeding IMO.....Cy and I have discussed this in the last year. He is of the same opinion to run the packer after seeding.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Vol

McDonald Family Farms said:


> On another note, I just got a new phone (Google pixel) and the camera is just awesome, none of these photos are edited at all, just straight from my camera roll.


I agree with Josh in that the first pic is incredible.....sunlight was at the perfect angle too....that is a award winning pic Mac....you should enter it in contests and events.

Regards, Mike


----------



## jedp

Not quite haying yet but tore into a pair of 995 heads today for maintenance. Getting ready for a busy season. Good project while we get some much needed rain!


----------



## Teslan

jedp said:


> Not quite haying yet but tore into a pair of 995 heads today for maintenance. Getting ready for a busy season. Good project while we get some much needed rain!


Where are you in Northern Colorado? We haven't had to much rain of which I'm kinda glad since we have gas and oil derricks mucking about in the fields and they haven't caused to much damage yet.......


----------



## jedp

We're in the Eaton/Ault area. Seems the oilfield traffic is picking up again, don't know if that is because it's spring or ?? Had a pipeline go thru one of our pivots last year, got reseeded and all but dealt with settling, wet spots, and a stuck sprinkler there several times. Scars will be there until we tear it out in a few years, and maybe even after that.


----------



## Teslan

jedp said:


> We're in the Eaton/Ault area. Seems the oilfield traffic is picking up again, don't know if that is because it's spring or ?? Had a pipeline go thru one of our pivots last year, got reseeded and all but dealt with settling, wet spots, and a stuck sprinkler there several times. Scars will be there until we tear it out in a few years, and maybe even after that.


They are drilling a horizontal in the area later this summer so they are busy taking out the vertical wells in the area. Of course they just drove in with their cement trucks today to the one in my nice alfalfa field.... I think pipelines are worse though. I'm just south of Lasalle.


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## Wcbr1025

When to the local dealer for a roller chain connecting link this morning and came home with this. Finally replaced the old 472.


----------



## woodland

Wcbr1025 said:


> When to the local dealer for a roller chain connecting link this morning and came home with this. Finally replaced the old 472. 20170401_140224.jpg


That's sure a fancy looking "connector link"! Bet it cost a little more than you were planning on as well.


----------



## gosh

Thought of you guys with all your green color today. It's finally brown here and that's a step in the right direction. At least it's not white anymore.


----------



## MtnHerd

Here is part of a hay field and pasture I bought last year. I took this a couple days ago when I was feeding the cows. Both the pasture and hay field were (and still kinda are) pretty junky. I put some cows on the pasture after I bought it last fall to help clean it up, then ran them on the hay field over the winter to pick it as close to the ground as possible. Drilled it with orchard grass and clover about three weeks ago and locked the cows out of the hay field. Getting ready to fertilize, but it has snow on it today. Hopefully next week!


----------



## FarmerCline

Spring oats have really jumped in the past 10 days and are looking very good.


----------



## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> Spring oats have really jumped in the past 10 days and are looking very good.
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They do look good and I have noticed here that everything seems to be doing well this spring.

Regards, Mike


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## endrow

Picture of my typical older mixed Alfalfa Orchard Grass stand. They came to life at February who six inches froze back off at March. I sprayed them all with brown H2O a week ago. They started coming out of dormancy what a crazy spring. They'll probably freeze again who knows


----------



## Grateful11

Well the first hay of the season is on the ground. The Cereal Rye got a lot taller than we wanted, about 5-6', but Mother Nature just wouldn't cooperate with getting in, getting it cut and get any kind of dry down. Son took care of the drying period thing this week but that's another story, he finally purchased a wrapper. Anyway the Rye should have been cut 3-4 weeks ago but who knew we weren't going to have a Winter and the stuff came up in 3 days after it was drilled in on the first week of November and never really stopped growing.

This Rye was drilled in about month later than the rest of the field and was in it's prime.










12 acres cut.










The big guy is worn out and he jumped off the golf cart and hurt his leg again, he's having a little trouble getting up. It'll take him a week or so to get over it.










Fall Oats are coming along nicely.


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## Grateful11

A couple videos.


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## MtnHerd

Grateful11 said:


> Well the first hay of the season is on the ground. The Cereal Rye got a lot taller than we wanted, about 5-6', but Mother Nature just wouldn't cooperate with getting in, getting it cut and get any kind of dry down. Son took care of the drying period thing this week but that's another story, he finally purchased a wrapper. Anyway the Rye should have been cut 3-4 weeks ago but who knew we weren't going to have a Winter and the stuff came up in 3 days after it was drilled in on the first week of November and never really stopped growing.
> 
> This Rye was drilled in about month later than the rest of the field and was in it's prime.
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> 12 acres cut.
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> Fall Oats are coming along nicely.


Nice! What kind of wrapper did he get? Will have to post some videos when you wrap.


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## Grateful11

csdeyton said:


> Nice! What kind of wrapper did he get? Will have to post some videos when you wrap.


A Farm King made in Italy. I believe it's made by Enorossi.


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## MtnHerd

Grateful11 said:


> A Farm King made in Italy. I believe it's made by Enorossi.


Looks a lot like me cousin's Diamond wrapper. He really likes it. I have been using a Vermeer and have loved having the ability to wrap. Good luck with it!


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## Troy Farmer

Beautiful crop Grateful!


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## endrow

Grateful11 said:


> Well the first hay of the season is on the ground. The Cereal Rye got a lot taller than we wanted, about 5-6', but Mother Nature just wouldn't cooperate with getting in, getting it cut and get any kind of dry down. Son took care of the drying period thing this week but that's another story, he finally purchased a wrapper. Anyway the Rye should have been cut 3-4 weeks ago but who knew we weren't going to have a Winter and the stuff came up in 3 days after it was drilled in on the first week of November and never really stopped growing.
> 
> This Rye was drilled in about month later than the rest of the field and was in it's prime.
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> Fall Oats are coming along nicely.


What crop will you plant after the rye is off the field


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## Grateful11

endrow said:


> What crop will you plant after the rye is off the field


They're going back in with 12 acres of corn. Probably pick 4 acres for hard corn for grinding feed and chop 8 acres, she bought her late Dad's NH 718 chopper back from the guy that bought it years ago.

BTW: They're still looking for a grass header for it. Willing to travel to pickup.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

We have been busy putting in sorghum Sudan in between rains and tackling the seemingly endless spring maintenance of every piece of equipment we own. Spring hay is getting very close will be cutting within next two weeks. I have quickly realized I need some bigger equipment for this new tractor and am currently looking at a great plains turbo max and either a JD or great plains 24' drill.


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## WalkerBoys

2017 Coastal Bermuda sprigging in full force in Eastern NC. 1948 dairy manure spreaders being pulled with Massey 135's.


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## Bgriffin856

Grateful11 said:


> They're going back in with 12 acres of corn. Probably pick 4 acres for hard corn for grinding feed and chop 8 acres, she bought her late Dad's NH 718 chopper back from the guy that bought it years ago.
> 
> BTW: They're still looking for a grass header for it. Willing to travel to pickup.


Those 718 and 717 choppers were very popular around here back in their day see alot still used and at auctions. See alot advertised in Ohio too. Im not sure of pick up heads but I do know a two row corn head off a 770 harvester will fit on a 718. Guess it depends on the model of the head but if they can be interchangeable will give a wide selection to chose from


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## endrow

local farm auction you never know what you come home with, 1977 ,427 gas,5x2,air brakes, and it runs and it dumps and it stops, 400 bucks.


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## endrow

local farm auction you never know what you come home with, 1977 ,427 gas,5x2,air brakes, and it runs and it dumps and it stops, 400 bucks.


----------



## Grateful11

Bgriffin856 said:


> Those 718 and 717 choppers were very popular around here back in their day see alot still used and at auctions. See alot advertised in Ohio too. Im not sure of pick up heads but I do know a two row corn head off a 770 harvester will fit on a 718. Guess it depends on the model of the head but if they can be interchangeable will give a wide selection to chose from


They're wanting either a direct cut head or a pickup head, preferably a direct cut head, slower but you don't have to drag out and clean up two pieces of equipment.

It's still pretty nice shape, always stored in the dry, even the guy that bought it. Electric controls.


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## endrow

There's a lot of things a person would Harvest that could not be directly cut then stored.


----------



## Farmerbrown2

My oldest son got the garden plowed today.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Swamped under here, 230 acres of grass planted and working on 100 acres of beans behind wheat silage. Already spraying for weeds full force, finally found me another spra coupe this past week as well.


----------



## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Swamped under here, 230 acres of grass planted and working on 100 acres of beans behind wheat silage. Already spraying for weeds full force, finally found me another spra coupe this past week as well.


 What kind of grass did you plant? Did you get your teff planted yet?


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## Grateful11

endrow said:


> local farm auction you never know what you come home with, 1977 ,427 gas,5x2,air brakes, and it runs and it dumps and it stops, 400 bucks.


Dang! That was a deal.


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## FarmerCline

Barley has just started heading out.


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## Grateful11

123 4x4 rounds of Cereal Rye rolled on 12 acres Tuesday. Temp. 80˚, relative humidity 34% and a light breeze, near perfect for baling.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> What kind of grass did you plant? Did you get your teff planted yet?


Bermuda and rye blended. Not yet on the teff, talked to my buddy with the blower truck today and the plan is to blow it on Saturday if we don't get rained out.


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## MtnHerd

It's amazing that we are all in the same state. My rye is only about 6" tall right now. Other hay fields just starting to green up. Beautiful looking fields and hay that you guys have!


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Bermuda and rye blended. Not yet on the teff, talked to my buddy with the blower truck today and the plan is to blow it on Saturday if we don't get rained out.


 Seeded Bermuda I take it? What variety are you using? I have thought about planting some seeded Bermuda as sprigs are not readily available locally.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Seeded Bermuda I take it? What variety are you using? I have thought about planting some seeded Bermuda as sprigs are not readily available locally.


Yes it was seed, not sure on variety it was for a customer of mine and he ordered if. I'm gonna seed about 6 acres here in a couple weeks with Cheyenne 2, seems to be the best seeded variety I can find.


----------



## FarmerCline

Grateful11 said:


> 123 4x4 rounds of Cereal Rye rolled on 12 acres Tuesday. Temp. 80˚, relative humidity 34% and a light breeze, near perfect for baling.


Looks like that rye turned out pretty good. How many days did it take to dry down? For April we have really great hay making weather here since last weekend.....wish I would have had some hay to cut but the alfalfa isn't quite ready and my winter oats haven't headed out yet.


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## clowers

Grateful , may I ask why only 4' tall? Custom order, space issue? It is great looking hay. Good luck the rest of haying season.

Scott


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## Grateful11

FarmerCline said:


> Looks like that rye turned out pretty good. How many days did it take to dry down? For April we have really great hay making weather here since last weekend.....wish I would have had some hay to cut but the alfalfa isn't quite ready and my winter oats haven't headed out yet.


It was on the ground by about 2pm Sat. and Tedded out about 3 hours later. Tedded again Monday morning. Started baling Tues. at about 3pm. Conditions for drying were great. Now we could use some rain, getting dry.

Some of the Fall Oats here are heading out at about knee high. We think the warm weather in Feb. made it take off and then the cold month of March set it back.


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## Grateful11

clowers said:


> Grateful , may I ask why only 4' tall? Custom order, space issue? It is great looking hay. Good luck the rest of haying season.
> 
> Scott


It's the size my wife wants for feeding the cattle herd, she feeds year round. They don't sell any hay. The baler will go to 53" I think. Thanks!


----------



## woodland

I'm jealous of all you guys showing off pictures of green fields and fresh bales. Up here on the tundra my bales are still froze to the ground and the mud keeps getting deeper. And with this forecast it ain't getting better anytime soon.















At least I've still got some flax straw to shred around the waterers and feeders. It helps stiffen up the mud a lot. Just starting to calve as well. Fun times


----------



## endrow

woodland said:


> I'm jealous of all you guys showing off pictures of green fields and fresh bales. Up here on the tundra my bales are still froze to the ground and the mud keeps getting deeper. And with this forecast it ain't getting better anytime soon.
> 
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> 
> At least I've still got some flax straw to shred around the waterers and feeders. It helps stiffen up the mud a lot. Just starting to calve as well. Fun times


nice looking cattle


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## endrow

Grateful11 said:


> It was on the ground by about 2pm Sat. and Tedded out about 3 hours later. Tedded again Monday morning. Started baling Tues. at about 3pm. Conditions for drying were great. Now we could use some rain, getting dry.
> 
> Some of the Fall Oats here are heading out at about knee high. We think the warm weather in Feb. made it take off and then the cold month of March set it back.


Did you wrap the rye bales


----------



## Grateful11

endrow said:


> Did you wrap the rye bales


There were only 7 bales that could have stood to be wrapped. Things got very busy this week so they're just going ahead and feed those bales. The rest of the bales are fine, it was almost too dry. We'll test the wrapper on the some questionable bales later. They bought it with the intention of hoping to never need it.


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## somedevildawg

You're a tougher man than I woodland....


----------



## Bgriffin856

Started fixing fence, one thing I am happy to see not greening up. Had part of one pasture starting to get alot of multiflora rose in it so sprayed with glyphosate using a hand sprayer back in August of 2015 when it was hot and dry. Even got some thorn trees taken care of. Nice to see grass growing in the areas shaded out by them. Decided to let them rot makes good cover for rabbits and other animals. May put a match to some to clean them up now they are good and dry. Got alot more to spray if I get time


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## woodland

endrow said:


> nice looking cattle


Thanks endrow. I probably came across as a downer since I've been on night shift checking cows and my stomach always is unsettled during this. Just got in from bedding up and it took 25 5x6 rounds of oat straw and with the snow/rain still coming down it'll be at least that many again tomorrow. Last year was really dry during calving and we only used 20 for the whole season. Still snowing/raining so I'll probably be putting out that many again tomorrow. At least the wind is letting up.


----------



## woodland

somedevildawg said:


> You're a tougher man than I woodland....


Ya. But I'd probably melt like an icicle in your heat.....


----------



## Ranger518

Moved around 200 yards of dirt out of what will one day be my pond to build a pad where I am going to building my hay barn this winter.


----------



## luke strawwalker

WalkerBoys said:


> 2017 Coastal Bermuda sprigging in full force in Eastern NC. 1948 dairy manure spreaders being pulled with Massey 135's.
> 
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Shame your pictures aren't bigger... I'd love to actually be able to see what's going on... 

Later! OL J R


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Teff was supposed to get blown on today but machine went down, hope it's going tomorrow. Broke out the rotary hoe to break the crust off the field.


----------



## FarmerCline

Finished planting alfalfa today. Now if I can just get 3-4 weeks without a gully washer I will be in good shape.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Finished planting alfalfa today. Now if I can just get 3-4 weeks without a gully washer I will be in good shape.
> 
> image.jpeg image.jpeg


That thing looks like it does one heck of a job, wish I had one here.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> That thing looks like it does one heck of a job, wish I had one here.


 Can't beat it for planting into a prepared seedbed. Just have to have the ground level and a little bit loose before planting to get the seed in the ground.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Teff is in the ground, 20 minutes to seed 40 acres. Debating on packing the ground or not, rain on the way tonight and my buddy that spread it says the packer might put it to deep with the way I worked the ground with the rotary hoe. Thoughts?


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Also have lots of weeds coming up so for you teff experts would you spray roundup or just hope the teff can catch up and out grow them?


----------



## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Teff is in the ground, 20 minutes to seed 40 acres. Debating on packing the ground or not, rain on the way tonight and my buddy that spread it says the packer might put it to deep with the way I worked the ground with the rotary hoe. Thoughts?


 I would pack it for sure to get what seed is on top of the ground covered. Unless the ground is way softer than I am imagining I don't think you have to worry about the packer getting it too deep. Teff needs good soil to seed contact to germinate well.

Depending on how many weeds and what kind I would probably spray roundup as well before the Teff has a chance to sprout. It is not very competitive in the seedling stage.


----------



## woodland

FarmerCline said:


> Finished planting alfalfa today. Now if I can just get 3-4 weeks without a gully washer I will be in good shape.
> 
> image.jpeg image.jpeg


Normally that's the best rain dance we can do is to seed a field of alfalfa. In our hills we'll get three inches ( when the weather man called for a 1/2 inch) and leave some nice washouts that you get live with for 7-8 years. Good luck.


----------



## Teslan

Planting some orchard/brome the last couple of days. Yesterday morning planting in the fog I got a lil confused when I saw the detour sign. I was sure I was in the field. The GPS said so. So I took the detour.


----------



## Teslan

Lewis Ranch said:


> Also have lots of weeds coming up so for you teff experts would you spray roundup or just hope the teff can catch up and out grow them?


Round up or disc and cultipack. Can't have weeds before the teff is up. It's not good afterwards either, but before much worse.


----------



## Hayman1

Lewis Ranch said:


> Teff was supposed to get blown on today but machine went down, hope it's going tomorrow. Broke out the rotary hoe to break the crust off the field.


man, that looks dry


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Teslan said:


> Round up or disc and cultipack. Can't have weeds before the teff is up. It's not good afterwards either, but before much worse.


No discing the teff is already planted, I'll have to roundup it next week after the rain Sunday.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Hayman1 said:


> man, that looks dry


We're still needing rain although we've had a few inches the last couple weeks. Been real windy.

Teff ground is done, I packed the 14 acre field and left the 26 acre block across the fence untouched. If it doesn't rain I'll roll it and if it does I'll compare the two. Now I just hope it grows since it's took me 2 years trying to get it planted


----------



## Grateful11

Well it's a great start. Getting dry so not sure what's coming our way down the road, rain is in the forecast for about 5 out of the next 8 days so we'll see. Wife tested numerous bales and got readings of 16-20% and temps. 74˚ to 82˚, baled Tuesday.
























Son's favorite tractor to load and move bales.


----------



## DLN

The first of a 1000acres of oats hay going in the ground.


----------



## luke strawwalker

Grateful11 said:


> Well it's a great start. Getting dry so not sure what's coming our way down the road, rain is in the forecast for about 5 out of the next 8 days so we'll see. Wife tested numerous bales and got readings of 16-20% and temps. 74˚ to 82˚, baled Tuesday.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Son's favorite tractor to load and move bales.


Like the little umbrella, but it'd look better with one of these up there...









Later! OL J R


----------



## endrow

Ending Easter day with storms so I ran back to let the heifers off the wheat pasture so they could get down to the barn


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Nice looking bunch! Looks like they were waiting on you!


----------



## deerezilla

Teslan said:


> Planting some orchard/brome the last couple of days. Yesterday morning planting in the fog I got a lil confused when I saw the detour sign. I was sure I was in the field. The GPS said so. So I took the detour.


WOW you even got pivots on . I can't even spray or put fertlizer on or groundwork. Just rains and snow and more rain


----------



## Teslan

deerezilla said:


> WOW you even got pivots on . I can't even spray or put fertlizer on or groundwork. Just rains and snow and more rain


no rain here. Maybe Friday. Just after I get done irrigating. Spraying alfalfa for weeds and bugs tomorrow.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Hope all my seed hasn't washed away, flash flood dropped over 2 1/2" this morning.


----------



## woodland

It happens to us nearly every time without fail. Usually the stand turns out ok except where the seeds in the low spots get covered by silt washed off the hills. Hope it turns out ok


----------



## Teslan

Lewis Ranch said:


> Hope all my seed hasn't washed away, flash flood dropped over 2 1/2" this morning.


Is this your teff field? I hope it doesn't cover it up to much. Did you get your weeds round uped?


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Teslan said:


> Is this your teff field? I hope it doesn't cover it up to much. Did you get your weeds round uped?


Yes it's the teff and I was planning on spraying the Roundup Tuesday but that's not gonna happen now.


----------



## hillside hay

Finally green. Better get after it.


----------



## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Hope all my seed hasn't washed away, flash flood dropped over 2 1/2" this morning.


 Dang it man......that's my kind of luck. At least it looks like your flat enough that it didn't wash gullies in the field. Hopefully it will still come up okay.


----------



## Colby

Got the itch and cleaned off 15 acres of mostly rye grass and spring weeds and a little bit of coastal. Other than that plenty of spraying going on here. Coastal is not growing like I would like it to.


----------



## Josh in WNY

Not really hay related, but hopefully the new residents under the back corner of my barn will help keep the woodchucks from moving back in. I counted eight kits out playing and saw their mother off in the field, but couldn't get a good picture of her.

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipM7bP4sJVA8d_wUHlPh36lrlBVrhapFJlu_6dmX1kxGtdj277TVVhaXO8Ks8Nawpg/photo/AF1QipMxYsnJHb5js6zexgsYH-cP5EjNYWbYN7e2d68x?key=c2xxeVhac0JFeGF0dTZDRTJjYzM3SjkwWGJCaWd3

Let me know if the link doesn't work. Also, how do you attach videos to posts? It kept saying that I am not permitted to post a .mp4 file type.


----------



## Vol

Link works.....attach photos with a image hosting site like photobucket.com.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Josh in WNY

Vol said:


> Link works.....attach photos with a image hosting site like photobucket.com.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Photos I've never had a problem with. This was the first time I've tried a video though.


----------



## endrow

We saw a pheasant which is very rare in the fence row so I told my five year old grandson to go chase her to get her to fly so I could take a picture. He ran her out of the fence row across the lane and about a thousand feet threw wheat field and he fell she got away. Never flew


----------



## Vol

She very well could have a clutch of eggs.


----------



## cjsr8595

That rain blows..........hopefully it didn't run to hard, the ground looks pretty flat.


----------



## clowers

Finished first field off season today, rye and clover, 146 rolls.

Feels good, got most all of the winter kinks out of the equipment.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Currently in Michigan, Just bought me a new truck. Left out last night at 5 and was up here 3:30 this afternoon our time. Now for the long trip home.


----------



## MtnHerd

Lewis Ranch said:


> Currently in Michigan, Just bought me a new truck. Left out last night at 5 and was up here 3:30 this afternoon our time. Now for the long trip home.


Where are the pictures? Congratulations and be careful!


----------



## endrow

Just prior to the half inch of rain


----------



## somedevildawg

Looking nice Endrow....


----------



## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> Currently in Michigan, Just bought me a new truck. Left out last night at 5 and was up here 3:30 this afternoon our time. Now for the long trip home.


What the heck, they don't sell trucks in TX? Here I was thinkin y'all were the truck capital of the world....


----------



## r82230

somedevildawg said:


> What the heck, they don't sell trucks in TX? Here I was thinkin y'all were the truck capital of the world....


Maybe he wanted to try taking some of our rain water we were getting yesterday back to Texas or get a truck fresh from the factory.  Or even pickup some of our new crop asparagus, yum, yum. :wub:

Larry


----------



## Lewis Ranch

New to me I shall say, it's an older peterbuit. It's not often trucks move back south because of yalls rust. When I get it home and set up I'll post some pictures. Eating breakfast now in Litchfield, IL should be home before sundown.


----------



## Wethay

Good luck with the truck. That's a good test drive, I don't think I couldn't enjoy it much. I'm guessing I would be stressed at every little vibration or noise, just wondering does that sound like a knock in the engine, no, maybe the air compressor, must be a whine in the transmission, or could it be the diff...


----------



## endrow

DeKalb Roundup Ready Alfalfa two weeks since Planed seed up weeds are dying


----------



## endrow

Boat Load rye triticale between here and home Farms to be made for forage and it'll all go to head next week going to mow some more tomorrow rain or shine


----------



## Swv.farmer

endrow said:


> Boat Load rye triticale between here and home Farms to be made for forage and it'll all go to head next week going to mow some more tomorrow rain or shine


----------



## Swv.farmer

Endrow that is beautyful.
Makes me a little jelly.
Hope the weather holds good for you.


----------



## endrow

Barley to the left of the rye, heads just starting to pop.


----------



## Swv.farmer

That will make some great hay.


----------



## FarmerCline

endrow said:


> Boat Load rye triticale between here and home Farms to be made for forage and it'll all go to head next week going to mow some more tomorrow rain or shine


 Endrow, will you be planning on baling that dry or chopping it for silage? Looks like it will make some nice feed either way.


----------



## endrow

FarmerCline said:


> Endrow, will you be planning on baling that dry or chopping it for silage? Looks like it will make some nice feed either way.


If we can get it while the quanlity is strong ,, before the tonnage gets real crazy,, we will bail it and wrap it. But if it starts getting a little old that will really give a lot we made chop and put it in ag bags.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Is this sprouted teff? I really need to spray roundup but ground is still wet


----------



## TJH

Lewis Ranch said:


> Is this sprouted teff? I really need to spray roundup but ground is still wet


Can't tell you on the sprouts, but one thing is for sure. By the time the ground dry's enough for you to get over it will be sprouted.


----------



## Teslan

Lewis Ranch said:


> Is this sprouted teff? I really need to spray roundup but ground is still wet


looks like it to me. I wouldn't risk it now.


----------



## Hayman1

Teslan said:


> looks like it to me. I wouldn't risk it now.


i agree, it looks like it to me


----------



## Lewis Ranch

That's what I was afraid of. Reading online looks like I can hit it with 24d to take care of the weeds.


----------



## Hayman1

Lewis Ranch said:


> That's what I was afraid of. Reading online looks like I can hit it with 24d to take care of the weeds.


Idk, but does teff have a minimum amount of development required prior to application of herbicides?


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Hayman1 said:


> Idk, but does teff have a minimum amount of development required prior to application of herbicides?


Not sure I'm betting so, not much to be read on the subject other than a few university studies.


----------



## Teslan

Lewis Ranch said:


> That's what I was afraid of. Reading online looks like I can hit it with 24d to take care of the weeds.


the herbicide Latigo is what is recommended. Which is mostly 24d. Search for the Latigo Teff supplemental label. Worked good for us both times. The coop didn't use name brand Latigo just mixed up the ingredients. I would wait until it is about 3 inches high unless the weeds are just too bad.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Teslan said:


> the herbicide Latigo is what is recommended. Which is mostly 24d. Search for the Latigo Teff supplemental label. Worked good for us both times. The coop didn't use name brand Latigo just mixed up the ingredients. I would wait until it is about 3 inches high unless the weeds are just too bad.


I'll see what it's priced at, just a mix of dicamba and 24d best I can tell. 24d should take care of my weeds on its own. Label says spray at 2 leaf so I'll wait and run it on with 10 gallons of 32-0-0 and it should really grow.


----------



## endrow

Here conventional 24d with a strait n carrier would be pretty hot and volatile. I believe Latigo would pose you a lot less risk


----------



## Bonfire

Triticale/Rye mix. Mowed Tuesday. Baled and wrapped Thursday/Friday am. Finished at 4:30 am. I wanted to let this wilt down a little more but my schedule and weather wouldn't allow that. Drilled at 110 lbs and top dressed with 60 lbs of 30% the middle of February. Think its possible to get a second cutting?


----------



## endrow

Bonfire said:


> Triticale/Rye mix. Mowed Tuesday. Baled and wrapped Thursday/Friday am. Finished at 4:30 am. I wanted to let this wilt down a little more but my schedule and weather wouldn't allow that. Drilled at 110 lbs and top dressed with 60 lbs of 30% the middle of February. Think its possible to get a second cutting?


Looks good. We cut it rained it's going to rain till Tuesday


----------



## Swv.farmer

Looks good should be some good feed.


----------



## Bonfire

Thanks for the compliments.



endrow said:


> Looks good. We cut it rained it's going to rain till Tuesday


I sure thought about letting it go until this next week but I didn't want the rye to get ahead of me. It was just starting to head out and the triticale was in boot. A few heads emerged here and there.


----------



## Tx Jim

Bonfire

I hope you had better luck getting your triticale dry that you cut pre-boot than I did on some wheat a few yrs back that I cut pre-boot. A few months after rd baling(JD 410 baler) the wheat that I thought was dry started to smell similar to silage. I stuck my hand in the bales to discover it was HOT so I immediately started feeding these hot bales..Thankfully no bales caught on fire.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Started the grazing season, starting with a few first calf heifers to try to keep the orchard grass in this paddock at bay as it always gets ahead of the cows and to get the heifers used to the lay out of paddocks and used to the routine. Earliest we've started grazing


----------



## Timz

Coastal field is growing but seems a little slow with the great spring conditions we're having. 200lbs per acre nitrogen and sprayed with Pastora for the Johnson grass. I wonder if the Pastora sets back the growth.


----------



## 506

Tim - I ran Pastora over my Jiggs at 1 oz/acre on April 6. I shredded a week prior to spraying in order to give the herbicide the best chance to kill the weeds and Johnson grass. I expected to see an impact on the grass with this product. Right now I feel like I'm about 2 weeks behind on growth. Some of the delay is undoubtedly weather related as it is not consistently warm enough to get the Jiggs mad enough to really start growing. I've also not put out fertilizer due to the rains we had over the past couple of weeks.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Our Bermuda seems a little slow for the early green up we had.


----------



## endrow

Got all the rye down last two hours ran in the rain. Pictures don't do it any justice but it was really turning into a heavy crop


----------



## Timz

We've had great rains and sunshine, but we have had some cooler nights. I don't know why I'm in a hurry to cut. I haven't sold any of last years hay. Just bought some cows so somebody can eat it.

Tim


----------



## Colby

Ours coastal is slow too but it's still plenty early I haven't even fertilized anything yet and my fields look just as good as the others that have fertilized theirs.


----------



## clowers

endrow said:


> Got all the rye down last two hours ran in the rain. Pictures don't do it any justice but it was really turning into a heavy crop


Looks real heavy Good Luck


----------



## endrow

clowers said:


> Looks real heavy Good Luck


We will need it


----------



## PaMike

endrow said:


> Got all the rye down last two hours ran in the rain. Pictures don't do it any justice but it was really turning into a heavy crop


How much nitrogen did you put on it?


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

We kicked hay season off on Sunday with some fescue and my oat/rye/vetch/pea mix, will bale today. The sorghum Sudan I put in two weeks ago is coming along nicely.


----------



## endrow

PaMike said:


> How much nitrogen did you put on it?


 25 units of n in the fall with some P&K and then 75 units of and in the spring.. that's what we shoot for and if it got a little manure in the fall will deduct for that in the spring


----------



## Colby

Moving cattle to greener pasture this morning. Ain't it a pretty sight.


----------



## Smoothy

Colby not gonna lie consider me jelous. Bright blue skies and a great looking stand in that pasture plus being horseback helps I'm quite envious of you today. We have gloomy skies 2-3 inches of snow on the ground and pastures are still mud. No moving anything to greener pastures here haha


----------



## Vol

Colby said:


> Moving cattle to greener pasture this morning. Ain't it a pretty sight.


Your horses color reminds me of a lineback Dun I used to own.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Colby

Plenty of wind today resulted in a handful a crooked bales but got it up before the rain coming in.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Colby said:


> Plenty of wind today resulted in a handful a crooked bales but got it up before the rain coming in.


I blame it on the wind as well!


----------



## somedevildawg

That red tractor would be my reason ..... just fooling y'all, don't get all upset....


----------



## Colby

somedevildawg said:


> That red tractor would be my reason ..... just fooling y'all, don't get all upset....


Hey now, even though the net wrap is white with a red stripe, the baler is still green!


----------



## deadmoose

Here is my start: been keeping busy. Working the 'Bota. New corral did its job. Sold a yearling bull I never got banded. Took delivery of new blood a bit back.

So much to do, so little time. I am now committed to a high tensile fence. Ran fleet farm out of wood posts today. Have a raincheck for another pallet.


----------



## paoutdoorsman

Wheat is coming along nicely.


----------



## endrow

Barley is flowering in wet weather applying fungicides before next rain tonight


----------



## endrow

First planted corn spiking threw . Second batch to plant is still in the bag. Some people talked about row cleaners,, Martin row cleaners used here


----------



## FarmerCline

endrow said:


> Barley is flowering in wet weather applying fungicides before next rain tonight


 Wouldn't there be a lot of damage from driving on the barley at that stage? I'm guessing the damage from the wheel tracks must be less than the damage from the diseases if you didn't spray? I only have a 30' sprayer and each pass the tractor tires would be running down 3' of crop......that's 10% of the field! I guess with a wider sprayer the damage from the tracks would not be as big of a deal.


----------



## endrow

FarmerCline said:


> Wouldn't there be a lot of damage from driving on the barley at that stage? I'm guessing the damage from the wheel tracks must be less than the damage from the diseases if you didn't spray? I only have a 30' sprayer and each pass the tractor tires would be running down 3' of crop......that's 10% of the field! I guess with a wider sprayer the damage from the tracks would not be as big of a deal.


 I hate driving threw it. It is my third time through can we follow the same tracks each time religiously. The sprayer is only 60 foot wide I should have a wider spray or for this. What you gain or what you lose here as you suggest is the story. I'm not doing this to get 7 bushel of barley extra per acre. I'm doing this because if I have vomitoxin up here no one wants one kernel of that barley. Probably in your climate you don't have as much trouble with toxins and head scab and things like that.


----------



## FarmerCline

endrow said:


> I hate driving threw it. It is my third time through can we follow the same tracks each time religiously. The sprayer is only 60 foot wide I should have a wider spray or for this. What you gain or what you lose here as you suggest is the story. I'm not doing this to get 7 bushel of barley extra per acre. I'm doing this because if I have vomitoxin up here no one wants one kernel of that barley. Probably in your climate you don't have as much trouble with toxins and head scab and things like that.


 I didn't realize that head scab was an issue in barley. I know it can be an issue in wheat around here that is milled for flour. I have only raised wheat once a few years ago so I'm not that familiar with it. The past two years I have had major problems with leaf rust in oats and probably should start spraying them with a fungicide but with only a 30' sprayer I hate to be running that much crop down spraying fungicide for a preventative measure.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Depending on acreage, it might be a consideration to have it flown on?


----------



## endrow

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Depending on acreage, it might be a consideration to have it flown on?


 this stuff has an application window of a day or two which makes it a big pain in the butt and hard to get anybody lined up to do it. It's like two heads are out now you watch for the pollen and it's hard to predict get up on morning there it is you got to spray, maybe tomorrow would be okay but they want rain. So it's hard to call somebody up and say hey come next Tuesday for 100 acres


----------



## Josh in WNY

I guess I can consider this the start to the hay season. I had a lot of mustard weed coming up in the new seeding so I clipped it off with the bush hog. I'm glad this is on gravel ground because we just got done with the wettest April on record, Monday afternoon we had storm front move through the dumped another 2 inches on us and it rained on and off all day yesterday. To top it off, 4 out of the next 6 days have a greater than 50% chance of rain. The 4230 ran nice and having the high/lo working is going to be nice this summer.


----------



## endrow

Planting beans and corn today . Plenty wet . HEAVY rain tonite


----------



## Lewis Ranch

I know I'm behind most but everyone around here cut early and got it all wet. This rye clover mix was dry in two days. Second picture is the teff, it's looking terrible. All the green you see is weeds.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Another beautiful day in Texas 84 out and no humidity, hay is drying fast.


----------



## Tx Jim

Lewis Ranch

How long has it been taking for your hay to dry to correct moisture for baling? I baled some yesterday that was cut on Thursday that was a little too dry but I refuse to bale at night as I can't see that well.

Thanks,Jim


----------



## Dan_GA

Dropped 30 acres of Rye yesterday, and about 25 acres of really thick Fescue. Got a black snake on the Rye field.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Tx Jim said:


> Lewis Ranch
> How long has it been taking for your hay to dry to correct moisture for baling? I baled some yesterday that was cut on Thursday that was a little too dry but I refuse to bale at night as I can't see that well.
> Thanks,Jim


Cut Thursday afternoon and baled yesterday and it was dry. I normally don't get to use the train on first cut hay but this stuff was dry as powder on day 2


----------



## Tx Jim

If I was a lot younger & not disabled I'd own a "train set up" similar to yours. It appears to me that type arraignment would come in handy on a windy day when baling hay not to mention not needing another tractor with an operator. Are you selling any of your CL $35 fresh cut hay?


----------



## Lewis Ranch

100 rolls today, not near enough but selling hay this time of year is like finding the needle in a haystack. I try to roundup all my spring hay but leased these last 350 acres to late for that.


----------



## FarmerCline

The spring oats have just started heading out and the barley is in the soft dough stage and starting to turn a little golden colored. Just about the whole field of barley has lodged except for the one place where I took this picture.


----------



## DLCC2

With the rain coming in every few days I'm running late but considering the drought last summer I'm not fussing. Also the the LED light bar and pods really light up my night cutting.





  








IMG 2479[6934]




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DLCC2


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May 8, 2017











  








IMG 2478[6933]




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DLCC2


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May 8, 2017











  








IMG 2477[6932]




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DLCC2


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May 8, 2017











  








IMG 2475[6930]




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----------



## glasswrongsize

With the Haying season underway for some, just around the corner for others, and a month or two away for some, it might be helpful for something upon which to reflect during the next flat tire, rained on hay, broken equip,etc









It could be worse

Mark


----------



## MtnHerd

That made me hurt...


----------



## SVFHAY

That is a bad day.


----------



## Teslan

This is a picture of some flooding and hail during a storm yesterday about 10 miles from our farms. I'm sure thankful it skipped us. Hopefully today it will miss us also. Wouldn't have been good for hay at all.


----------



## Vol

What's all of that white stuff on top of the water? Foam?

Regards, Mike


----------



## Teslan

Vol said:


> What's all of that white stuff on top of the water? Foam?
> 
> Regards, Mike


hail


----------



## Farmerbrown2

If that is hail I can see my insurance rates going up soon and I live on the east coast. There was a bad hail storm in Reading,PA other year and the roofing companies use satellite images to check for storm damage and cross reference with insurance companies then call you up and tell you that there is damage and you have coverage. What they don't tell you is that your rates are going to increase big time so you pay for it anyways.


----------



## Teslan

That hail really didn't do any damage. It was small and soft. Just lots of it. Several build,inns around were flooded because the hail plugged up street drains. However Denver got golf ball sized hail and it really damaged stuff.


----------



## CowboyRam

Planted somewhere between 15 to 20 acres of Alfalfa today before I got rained out. I think I got about 90% planted. Well I guess I will finish it up tomorrow, and we will see if I can get 15 acres of Italian Rye Grass as well.


----------



## reede

[/URL]">http://

 [/URL]">http://

AU Grazer Sericea lespedeza, ready to drop.


----------



## reede

[/URL]">http://



Small grain mix hay, ready to pack up.


----------



## DLCC2

reede said:


> [/URL]">http://
> 
> [/URL]">http://
> 
> AU Grazer Sericea lespedeza, ready to drop.


I tried to plant some that AU Grazer about 6 years ago and it failed miserably. I guess that's what inexperience and diving into something half cocked will get for you :lol:.

Looks good, glad someone had luck with it.

Tyler


----------



## Swv.farmer

That is beautiful.
Makes me a little jelly.
I'm going to cut 30 acres of orchard grass tomorrow.
Praying for 3 dry days.


----------



## Grateful11

Swv.farmer said:


> That is beautiful.
> Makes me a little jelly.
> I'm going to cut 30 acres of orchard grass tomorrow.
> Praying for 3 dry days.


I'd wait til Sat. unless your forecast is a lot different than ours. They're planning on dropping about 40 acres here either Sat. or Mon. depending on how much rain we get Friday evening and Sat. morning. Next week looks really good right now. Not trying to tell you what to do but there's a bigger chance of rain SW VA than here.


----------



## Ranger518

Finley got sprigging (midland 99) done on Monday sprayed Wednesday and getting rain today so hopefully I will get a good stand.


----------



## Vol

Ranger518 said:


> Finley got sprigging (midland 99) done on Monday sprayed Wednesday and getting rain today so hopefully I will get a good stand.


Now that is what I would call "flat as a fritter" !

Regards, Mike


----------



## somedevildawg

Except for that big ole mound of dirt in the background.....interesting, and i thought we were flat


----------



## Swv.farmer

Yeap was hoping it would go around but it's raining.
Maybe tomorrow.
The forecast looks pretty good for the next 7 days.


----------



## Ranger518

Vol said:


> Now that is what I would call "flat as a fritter" !
> 
> Regards, Mike


Yea it is super flat around these parts in row crop country the only hills we have withen 30 miles is bridge or overpasses LOL which is where we all went when as kids when it snowed to sled. It has also been persision leveled with a slight grade for irrigation.


----------



## FarmerCline

Winter oats are in the late milk to early dough stage. I had planned on cutting these for hay but since the weather didn't allow I will just let them mature out and harvest for grain and straw at this point. I do not like cutting oats for hay after they get grain in the heads......early milk is about the latest I will cut for hay. Looks like they should make a good crop of grain.


----------



## endrow

FarmerCline said:


> Winter oats are in the late milk to early dough stage. I had planned on cutting these for hay but since the weather didn't allow I will just let them mature out and harvest for grain and straw at this point. I do not like cutting oats for hay after they get grain in the heads......early milk is about the latest I will cut for hay. Looks like they should make a good crop of grain.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg


Nice Oats


----------



## ozarkian

Hays season in the Ozarks is on! Just 2 weeks we were under water. Got my first cutting of alfalfa/orchard grass on the ground.





  








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## Lewis Ranch

First pictures are the end result of my trip to Michigan, 377 Peterbilt 3406 Cat. Ordered a brand new trailer custom built for the new sprayer. I now have an always ready traveling rig. We've been baling hay over a week now but it's been slow with only 350 rolls put up.


----------



## somedevildawg

Nice spray outfit, nurse tank holds how much? You put the box on the Pete? trailer still working out good since the early problems? You get them to make the new trailer?

Just full of questions aren't I.....


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Nose of truck hold 1,000 gallons trailers gonna have a 500 tank on front. Bought it with the box on it. Hay wagon is working flawlessly best thing I've bought. Currently working with another manufacturer to bring another one to market just like I think it should be built.


----------



## Vol

Lewis, how is your little spray coupe working out? There was one for sale at a auction not too far from here about a month ago(4450). I just didn't know enough about them to keep my tail from getting burnt. It went for about 10. How much of a slope can you get them on without being hairy?

Regards, Mike


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## Hayman1

Vol said:


> Lewis, how is your little spray coupe working out? There was one for sale at a auction not too far from here about a month ago(4450). I just didn't know enough about them to keep my tail from getting burnt. It went for about 10. How much of a slope can you get them on without being hairy?
> 
> Regards, Mike


did you cut yesterday Mike or is the ground still too wet. We are supposed to get 10-20 today and tomorrow, hard to pass up in may


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## Lewis Ranch

Vol said:


> Lewis, how is your little spray coupe working out? There was one for sale at a auction not too far from here about a month ago(4450). I just didn't know enough about them to keep my tail from getting burnt. It went for about 10. How much of a slope can you get them on without being hairy?
> 
> Regards, Mike


I'd be afraid of a 4450 for 10, something was bad wrong or it was one heck of a steal. Looking online they are listed between 45-55k. I don't have any real steep terrain but I've never been worried as this is the shorter machine and not the tall series, I've got this one narrowed all the way up so I can get in tight gates but you can widen them up to over 10' and it's a lot more stable. I like this machine better than my 3430 and there are still a few bugs to work out of it and I wish it had the 60' booms instead of 80's but for what I give for it I'll make due.


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## Smoothy

Love the spray rig nimble enough to get around but yet still have everything on board really nice set up. Also what kind of hay trailer is that from that pic it's looks like a fairly built unit. I'm starting to shop a little just learning the ins and outs of those style of hay trailers


----------



## Vol

Hayman1 said:


> did you cut yesterday Mike or is the ground still too wet. We are supposed to get 10-20 today and tomorrow, hard to pass up in may


Yes I did Rick....we supposedly are to have a window thru Thursday so I hope that I haven't bit off more than I can chew. I had to get the alfalfa cut because it was leaning. But, surprisingly the stems were very small for first cutting. My Orchard grass was somewhat shorter than usual and I noticed several sprigs of dock in a otherwise clean field. The dock was quite green yet so I am not concerned about spreading seed thank goodness. I have noticed here that little barley is terrible this year where there is any real thin or nearly bare ground. It is odd how some years have significant differences.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Smoothy said:


> Love the spray rig nimble enough to get around but yet still have everything on board really nice set up. Also what kind of hay trailer is that from that pic it's looks like a fairly built unit. I'm starting to shop a little just learning the ins and outs of those style of hay trailers


It was built by east Texas trailers, there is a thread on here somewhere about it. If I can strike a deal with this other manufacturer I'll be selling a 20 bale with fenders 17.5 rubber tandem duals I beam neck with led lights for 11k,

Best money spent in a long time if you have much hay to haul. I can move over 300 rolls a day easy when working within 10 miles of the house


----------



## Trotwood2955

Dropped about 15 acres today. We are 1-2 weeks ahead of when we usually get started but the forecast for this week looks good (almost too good...makes me nervous when the forecast looks too good to be true). So far really happy with how everything looks with as dry as we were until about three weeks ago. Probably would have put more on the ground but I have to be out of town for work several days this week so my wife will be doing all the tedding, raking and baling with two little kids in tow...so 15 acres will be enough to get started.


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## FarmerCline

Finally cut the first hay of 2017......the alfalfa that I cut today was ready to cut a couple weeks ago but we just haven't had the weather. It was over waist deep but with all the rain and wind we have had it was laying flat on the ground and only about a foot tall. Was a mess to cut and left a pretty shaggy cut. The quality of the alfalfa seems to be still pretty decent all things considered and was just now blooming and had a lot of buds and new leaves growing. Even though first cutting alfalfa has larger stems it seems like it doesn't progress into full bloom as fast as the later cuttings and holds quality a little better in the field.

I started cutting a new seeding of orchard grass as well and it was quite a bit thicker than I thought it was going to be. In fact the haybine simply isn't going to cut it and I'm going to have to try to find a disc mower conditioner I can borrow/rent to get it done. I have just about had it with the haybine and I intend to have a disc mower conditioner purchased before second cut.

Planning on cutting another field of alfalfa tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed the weather doesn't change.


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## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Finally cut the first hay of 2017......the alfalfa that I cut today was ready to cut a couple weeks ago but we just haven't had the weather. It was over waist deep but with all the rain and wind we have had it was laying flat on the ground and only about a foot tall. Was a mess to cut and left a pretty shaggy cut. The quality of the alfalfa seems to be still pretty decent all things considered and was just now blooming and had a lot of buds and new leaves growing. Even though first cutting alfalfa has larger stems it seems like it doesn't progress into full bloom as fast as the later cuttings and holds quality a little better in the field.
> I started cutting a new seeding of orchard grass as well and it was quite a bit thicker than I thought it was going to be. In fact the haybine simply isn't going to cut it and I'm going to have to try to find a disc mower conditioner I can borrow/rent to get it done. I have just about had it with the haybine and I intend to have a disc mower conditioner purchased before second cut.
> Planning on cutting another field of alfalfa tomorrow and keep my fingers crossed the weather doesn't change.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg


Can you get your tires any wider so you don't run over so much hay?


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## Grateful11

More crop than the little Deere could handle, had to bring out the 5140.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Can you get your tires any wider so you don't run over so much hay?


 I could widen them on out some but then they would hang off the side of my 8' wide trailer that I haul it with. Last year I tried narrowing the swath where it fit between the tires but that didn't work because there was too much hay in a narrow swath and it would not dry.....seems like it was better to lay in wide and drive over some of it. Wish I knew of something else I could do short of buying a self propelled mower where I wouldn't be driving on the cut hay.


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## Lewis Ranch

Since your looking for a discbine I'd look closely at an sp, you won't believe how much time it'll save you. There's one thing you can't buy back and that's time.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Since your looking for a discbine I'd look closely at an sp, you won't believe how much time it'll save you. There's one thing you can't buy back and that's time.


 I have kicked around the idea of a sp mower a couple times over the winter and I would love to have one but that's really way overkill for my operation. I like the looks of something like a JD 4995 but all the ones I have seen for sale online seem pretty expensive for a machine with a few thousand hours......not sure how many hours before the cutter head needs a lot of work? If I could find a good one for about the same price as a new JD 946 or similar pull type I might would go that route.


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## Lewis Ranch

I've got to go look at one this week with flails. 06 head rebuilt last year 2900 machine hrs 34k. It's the wrong time of year for a bargain but there are some out there still


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> I've got to go look at one this week with flails. 06 head rebuilt last year 2900 machine hrs 34k. It's the wrong time of year for a bargain but there are some out there still


 That's about the same as what a new center pivot moco is......seems all of the ones I see advertised are 50-60k which is way more than I can spend. I would have to have something with rollers though.


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## VA Haymaker

Lewis Ranch said:


> Can you get your tires any wider so you don't run over so much hay?


I consider running over cut hay as free extra conditioning.....


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## endrow

Not much of a picture but started cutting alfalfa last night.
Rainy Saturday but a windy Sunday got things going


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## Grateful11

FarmerCline said:


> That's about the same as what a new center pivot moco is......seems all of the ones I see advertised are 50-60k which is way more than I can spend. I would have to have something with rollers though.


FC have you looked at or priced a Kubota? I priced their new CP with rollers on their website last night and MSRP is around $38K.

http://kubota.com/product/HayTools/DMC8500.aspx?


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## endrow

Lewis Ranch said:


> First pictures are the end result of my trip to Michigan, 377 Peterbilt 3406 Cat. Ordered a brand new trailer custom built for the new sprayer. I now have an always ready traveling rig. We've been baling hay over a week now but it's been slow with only 350 rolls put up.


Very nice lookin SpraCoupe and tender. Spray rig like that on our hills would have wheels on 90" center or more but I could not tell how wide you were


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## FarmerCline

Grateful11 said:


> FC have you looked at or priced a Kubota? I priced their new CP with rollers on their website last night and MSRP is around $38K.
> http://kubota.com/product/HayTools/DMC8500.aspx?


 Don't really want a Kubota. It's either going to be a Hesston or a Deere......should buy the Hesston as it is a couple grand cheaper but for some reason I keep going back to the Deere.


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## Colby

FarmerCline said:


> Don't really want a Kubota. It's either going to be a Hesston or a Deere......should buy the Hesston as it is a couple grand cheaper but for some reason I keep going back to the Deere.


It's that pretty green paint.....


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## Lewis Ranch

endrow said:


> Very nice lookin SpraCoupe and tender. Spray rig like that on our hills would have wheels on 90" center or more but I could not tell how wide you were


That's what it's set on


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## endrow

Lewis Ranch said:


> That's what it's set on


 with that being said how wide is your trailer you had built for the sprayer


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## Hayman1

Vol said:


> Yes I did Rick....we supposedly are to have a window thru Thursday so I hope that I haven't bit off more than I can chew. I had to get the alfalfa cut because it was leaning. But, surprisingly the stems were very small for first cutting. My Orchard grass was somewhat shorter than usual and I noticed several sprigs of dock in a otherwise clean field. The dock was quite green yet so I am not concerned about spreading seed thank goodness. I have noticed here that little barley is terrible this year where there is any real thin or nearly bare ground. It is odd how some years have significant differences.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Funny, I thought mine was really thick which it is but it really has dried down and lost a lot of volume. Most of what I cut that was orchard looks like second cutting, not first. I am also noticing something that looks like rust on the orchard-you see any of that? sorry, had a short video of the discbine but it is too big to attach.


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## RockyHill

Jeff mowing 5/15/17

Orchard grass, the Kentucky contribution to thick stands for 2017

































Shelia


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## Lewis Ranch

endrow said:


> with that being said how wide is your trailer you had built for the sprayer


102 wide with drive over fenders 7k axles 17.5 tires


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## endrow

endrow said:


> Not much of a picture but started cutting alfalfa last night.
> Rainy Saturday but a windy Sunday got things going


 it rain till 9:30 Sunday morning then got terribly windy perfect humidity for 2 days whoever thought we be raking on Monday already to wrap that night


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## Grateful11

Gotta second cutting off the Cereal Rye field. Too much cut under so mow and get what we can off of it. Figure we can get a few bales off of it. Set it spread wide so nobody would have to ted it. Was able to cut at 8-9 mph. Took about an hour and half to mow 12 acres.


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## Hayman1

Yep, Endrow, dropped the first of mine yesterday at noon, tedded at 3, and again this am at 10. baled 8 test bales to fill the chamber and check everything. 11-14%. tomorrow at noon rake and rock on at 2. who would have thought, 2 day hay in may?


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## FarmerCline

Managed to finish cutting the rest of the orchard grass today. I'm really pleased with how this stand has turned out. For a while I wasn't sure if it would amount to anything......planted in October but didn't germinate until December due to lack of rain....some of it froze out after it germinated so I redrilled the field in February to thicken it up. Now if it will just survive this first summer I will be in good shape.....very interested to see how this variety handles the heat and dry spells of a typical summer.

Kind of hard to tell from the pictures but the orchard did not grow an over abundance of seed heads due to the fact that the spring (February) planted grass did not head out. It is very leafy though and just the leafy grass was over knee deep. Should make some really pretty hay.


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## woodland

RockyHill said:


> Jeff mowing 5/15/17
> Orchard grass, the Kentucky contribution to thick stands for 2017
> 
> 20170515_110439.jpg 20170515_110815.jpg 20170515_110902.jpg 20170515_104904.jpg 20170515_105037.jpg
> 
> Shelia


Do you have any rocks? I know with our 1441 new holland it would toss rocks at the cab and I was sure glad it had one. Broke most of the lights off the fenders too. Never broke a window though. I know I'd never run it without a cab here at least.


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## endrow

endrow said:


> it rain till 9:30 Sunday morning then got terribly windy perfect humidity for 2 days whoever thought we be raking on Monday already to wrap that night


 wrapped 50 last night. Hoping to get some dry in the next 2 days as well as wrap and some more. Chance of rain Thursday afternoon now already. Sometime today in between cows and hay I got to spray 85 Acres of wheat with fungicide


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## RockyHill

woodland said:


> Do you have any rocks? I know with our 1441 new holland it would toss rocks at the cab and I was sure glad it had one. Broke most of the lights off the fenders too. Never broke a window though. I know I'd never run it without a cab here at least.


We've picked up most of the rocks; disking will bring more to the surface  . Don't think the IH 1190 has ever thrown rocks at the tractor. So far the only tractor window broken was done by me and the lawn mower -- was chopping leaves and the tractor was sitting nearby. Saw something greenish running down the back of the tractor; I first thought antifreeze but quickly realized I was looking at the wrong end of the tractor and I was responsible  .

Shelia


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## endrow

endrow said:


> wrapped 50 last night. Hoping to get some dry in the next 2 days as well as wrap and some more. Chance of rain Thursday afternoon now already. Sometime today in between cows and hay I got to spray 85 Acres of wheat with fungicide


Parked the wrapper, starting to get dry hay. Weather is goodfor drying . Humid and cloudy thursday ,showers end of week . Still to wet to plant corn maybe thursday.


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## Grateful11

Baled 105 4x4' rounds on 8 acres this afternoon. Baling the second cut Rye tomorrow, I'm curious to see how many bales it makes, I'm guessing 10 bales off of 10 acres.

Another field to be baled maybe Thursday. Pretty much pure Oats. It was a little on the short side but nice stuff.


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## Lewis Ranch

Grateful11 said:


> Baled 105 4x4' rounds on 8 acres this afternoon. Baling the second cut Rye tomorrow, I'm curious to see how many bales it makes, I'm guessing 10 bales off of 10 acres.
> 
> Another field to be baled maybe Thursday. Pretty much pure Oats. It was a little on the short side but nice stuff.


What do those bales weigh?


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## Grateful11

Lewis Ranch said:


> What do those bales weigh?


Not sure but buddy of mine said Oats we've baled in the past were about 650#. They're solid core bales. He's been baling 4x4's for about 30 years.


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## endrow

Yeild is not bad but no record .16 acres of hill ground did over 50,,4x4.5 bales.need to put them in the shed. Came back home baled all that was down wheather is ify . May cut tommrow


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## paoutdoorsman

Took down first cutting alfalfa yesterday morning.


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## clowers

endrow said:


> Yeild is not bad but no record .16 acres of hill ground did over 50,,4x4.5 bales.need to put them in the shed. Came back home baled all that was down wheather is ify . May cut tommrow


Beautiful hay endrow, weather has me down a few days here.


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## Grateful11

112 bales today. The second cutting on the 10 acre Cereal Rye field yielded 28 4x4' rounds, thought it wouldn't make 10. Hopefully we'll finish with the Spring baling tomorrow and start drilling soybeans and millet within a week or two. There's a fair amount rain suppose to move in next week and much cooler.



















Rolled 84 on about 5 acres of this Oats field but it had a fair amount Italian Rye in it. It almost got too dry.


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## Lewis Ranch

Ok another question for you teff experts. Is this teff plants? It ain't doing to good for being seeded about 35 days ago. Of course the field flooded after it was seeded and burried the seed to deep and its plum covered up in weeds. I'm thinking about hitting it with 100lbs/acre of 28-0-0-5 and shredding it short as I can to knock the weeds down and give the teff a better chance.


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## SVFHAY

Far from a teff expert but when I grew it it needed HOT weather for growth. Your plan seems reasonable to me.


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## Teslan

Lewis Ranch said:


> Ok another question for you teff experts. Is this teff plants? It ain't doing to good for being seeded about 35 days ago. Of course the field flooded after it was seeded and burried the seed to deep and its plum covered up in weeds. I'm thinking about hitting it with 100lbs/acre of 28-0-0-5 and shredding it short as I can to knock the weeds down and give the teff a better chance.


Is the teff up pretty consistently? At 35 days you should be about 10 days to two weeks from cutting.


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## Lewis Ranch

Maybe 6" tall if that is in fact teff. It had a slow start it's not extremely thick


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## rajela

Lewis Ranch said:


> Ok another question for you teff experts. Is this teff plants? It ain't doing to good for being seeded about 35 days ago. Of course the field flooded after it was seeded and burried the seed to deep and its plum covered up in weeds. I'm thinking about hitting it with 100lbs/acre of 28-0-0-5 and shredding it short as I can to knock the weeds down and give the teff a better chance.


Looks like some crabgrass mixed in there.


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## Teslan

Got about 3 inches of snow today on two foot high hay. I hope I have something to cut when it dries off


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## BWfarms

I got caught working for once and there's a pic to prove it lol. Was loading wagons and trailers.


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## woodland

Yesterday we had the quickest spring working of cows that we've ever had. Last summer we bought a portable tub, alley, squeeze system and I thought we should use it in the spring as well. It was bought for fall processing out on pasture without this intention but it worked great. Normally every bunch we do we switch the squeeze for the tipping table and that's a pain. This time we had enough people to have some branding and the others sorted and worked the cows after. Brought in the cows at 8:30 am and finished at 1 pm for lunch with 170 pairs. Usually it's 3-4 people all bloody day and you're beat at the end vs today with 8 people at a leisurely pace and nobody was wore out. It was kinda nice to have something go right after quite the frustrating spring so far. Part of the reason for the big crew was no one has started seeding since it's been too wet. Finished combining swathes today and the fun continues with 200 acres of flattened wheat next and hopefully seeding next week. Almost looking forward to the next bunch of 120 pairs next week.... 
Just waiting for the grass to grow now. Moisture is ideal but way too cold. Still need a toque in the morning and night here with risk of frost still.









Happy crew


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## Vol

Yep, we sure wouldn't want you to forget your toque.  We wear ball caps here.....year round. 

Provides just the right amount of warmth in the winter and some much needed shade in the summer.

Regards, Mike


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## Grateful11

The Krone Tedder gave a little trouble this week. I think I've read in the past of others having this issue of the outer guard just snapped in half. Son was just tedding in an open field and heard a knocking noise. It broke between the U-bolts and was hanging down. Beat up the plastic end caps on the outer spider arms pretty good. Should have taken a photo before we removed both bars but everyone was in a hurry. He said it felt a little less top heavy without them on there, may just leave them off. Looks like metal fatigue to me, maybe a little too much weight hanging on in the air. What is everyone else doing?


----------



## Hayman1

Grateful11 said:


> The Krone Tedder gave a little trouble this week. I think I've read in the past of others having this issue of the outer guard just snapped in half. Son was just tedding in an open field and heard a knocking noise. It broke between the U-bolts and was hanging down. Beat up the plastic end caps on the outer spider arms pretty good. Should have taken a photo before we removed both bars but everyone was in a hurry. He said it felt a little less top heavy without them on there, may just leave them off. Looks like metal fatigue to me, maybe a little too much weight hanging on in the air. What is everyone else doing?


yep, both of mine are gone. silly design to have all that pipe out there after the clamp bouncing up and crashing down. both of my pipe ends are sitting in the shop looking for a home.


----------



## SVFHAY

woodland said:


> Yesterday we had the quickest spring working of cows that we've ever had. Last summer we bought a portable tub, alley, squeeze system and I thought we should use it in the spring as well. It was bought for fall processing out on pasture without this intention but it worked great. Normally every bunch we do we switch the squeeze for the tipping table and that's a pain. This time we had enough people to have some branding and the others sorted and worked the cows after. Brought in the cows at 8:30 am and finished at 1 pm for lunch with 170 pairs. Usually it's 3-4 people all bloody day and you're beat at the end vs today with 8 people at a leisurely pace and nobody was wore out. It was kinda nice to have something go right after quite the frustrating spring so far. Part of the reason for the big crew was no one has started seeding since it's been too wet. Finished combining swathes today and the fun continues with 200 acres of flattened wheat next and hopefully seeding next week. Almost looking forward to the next bunch of 120 pairs next week....
> Just waiting for the grass to grow now. Moisture is ideal but way too cold. Still need a toque in the morning and night here with risk of frost


That's a lot of cattle in a short time. Nice setup. So explain the combining of swaths that laid over winter to me.How much yield is lost? Is the grain saleable or must be fed on site? Seems to me that flattened wheat over winter must be awfully tight to the soil, is there any modifications to a grain platform or swathed to get it picked up? Did a lot of small grain back in the day but this over winter small grain harvest us foreign to me.


----------



## Grateful11

Well Spring haying season is over here. 123 bales of Cereal Rye in early April and 400 bales this week of Oats, Oats and Rye mix and second cut Cereal Rye. It's a good thing my son added on to the hay shed, might get two more rows in. They're going to cut back on the amount of acreage they plant for Fall hay. Got a couple of fields that could stand to be deep plowed so we're digging out the old IH plow with 4 16's and see if we can figure it out. No one left in the family that has ever used more than a one bottom plow, may have to ask a buddy of mine to help set it up if we can't figure it out, my wife says the last time her Dad used it it was on the 686 and the hitch should still be set for it because it hasn't had anything on it's 3 point hitch since the plow.

This was the hay shed this past Monday before this weeks cutting and the other hay shed photos were taken today.




























28 bales of the second cut Rye.










183 bales on 12 acres, about 4 1/2 to 4 3/4 tons per acre. It almost got too dry, most were checking 12%.


----------



## woodland

SVFHAY said:


> That's a lot of cattle in a short time. Nice setup. So explain the combining of swaths that laid over winter to me.How much yield is lost? Is the grain saleable or must be fed on site? Seems to me that flattened wheat over winter must be awfully tight to the soil, is there any modifications to a grain platform or swathed to get it picked up? Did a lot of small grain back in the day but this over winter small grain harvest us foreign to me.


The swathes lost probably 30% yield but gained a lot of deer turds whereas the unswathed wheat we are maybe picking up 30 % of what's left. The geese cleaned off about 40 acres and the deer tromped a bunch in the mud last fall and this spring. The province pays for the cleaning of the deer turds and the damage from wildlife so that helps. It's still wet and the combine spins out on the hills and gets stuck anywhere low. We are just using a flex header and could probably pick up more with the swather but don't have someone available to run it. Just finished floating fertilizer on the alfalfa today and now getting the drill ready. We've never started seeding this late and usually June 1 is when you should be done to beat Jack Frost in the fall. We've never combined in the spring before so we are learning as we go. I would really like a reasonable weather year after 2015's drought and last years never ending rain.







That's a 1 inch wrench touching ground.


----------



## FarmerCline

woodland said:


> The swathes lost probably 30% yield but gained a lot of deer turds whereas the unswathed wheat we are maybe picking up 30 % of what's left. The geese cleaned off about 40 acres and the deer tromped a bunch in the mud last fall and this spring. The province pays for the cleaning of the deer turds and the damage from wildlife so that helps. It's still wet and the combine spins out on the hills and gets stuck anywhere low. We are just using a flex header and could probably pick up more with the swather but don't have someone available to run it. Just finished floating fertilizer on the alfalfa today and now getting the drill ready. We've never started seeding this late and usually June 1 is when you should be done to beat Jack Frost in the fall. We've never combined in the spring before so we are learning as we go. I would really like a reasonable weather year after 2015's drought and last years never ending rain.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_0701.JPG
> That's a 1 inch wrench touching ground.


 Wow, I'm surprised the grain is even any good after laying on the ground that long......here it would have been rotten a long time ago. Also a foreign thought to be typically harvesting wheat in the fall.....here wheat is harvesting in early summer(June).

How many cuttings of hay do you typically get up there?


----------



## FarmerCline

Didn't take any pictures of baling hay this week since I had so many different problems I was dealing with but I did managed to snap a picture of a couple orchard grass bundles as they were getting ready to be stacked in the barn yesterday. Made some drop dead beautiful hay.....very leafy and dried to a nice blueish color. Yield was a little low at 60 bales an acre but I guess for a new stand that was replanted in the spring that's not too bad.


----------



## clowers

Both of mine are leaning against the wall in my shop.


----------



## clowers

clowers said:


> Both of mine are leaning against the wall in my shop.


That is krone tedder guards I'm speaking of leaning up on my shop


----------



## Lewis Ranch

I'm gonna start cutting one of my square hay fields this week. Has quite a few milkweeds in it that the grazon didn't get as I was late spraying it. I'll probably square it regardless as its getting dry and even with a few weeds it'll bring considerably more in a small bale than rounds. Also I'm pleased with the prowl h20 I applied early spring, it killed probably 90% of the foxtail problem I had.


----------



## woodland

FarmerCline said:


> Wow, I'm surprised the grain is even any good after laying on the ground that long......here it would have been rotten a long time ago. Also a foreign thought to be typically harvesting wheat in the fall.....here wheat is harvesting in early summer(June).
> 
> How many cuttings of hay do you typically get up there?


Normally in August there might be some peas, fall rye, or winter wheat combined but otherwise it starts in September. Usually July is when 1 st cut is made and September for second cut. Some dairy guys do three cuts for quality over tonnage and I'd like to try that on a couple fields this year. Most hay up here is alfalfa with orchard grass, brome, or timothy. We gave up on combining what's left as we're running out of time and my brother has been sick for a couple days. Trying to get cows out on pasture as starting to get pneumonia and diphtheria in some calves now. Barely enough grass but they gotta go. 11 pm and just running some IV fluid in a calf and then got two twins to give bottles to that their mommas abandoned and go check cows. Hopefully no more surprises today. Supposed to hit 80* tomorrow and that's the warmest it's been here since June 2016. Bring it on.


----------



## woodland

Just finished moving 230 pairs out to grass. Had lots of fun since the cows wanted to move but the calves bunched up and stayed behind. Had to move two miles and built a pen out of free standing panels to hold the for a few hours to pair up in the pasture before releasing them. Worked slick. Calling for 1-3 inches of rain tomorrow and 60 mph winds. Trying to get some fields ready for seeding now and will work on the air drill getting it ready in the shed during the monsoon. Now to brand the rest and get them out too


----------



## clowers




----------



## clowers

First time at a picture. Looks sideways u think?


----------



## haygrl59

Ten days ago we started our first cutting. The weather hasn't cooperated since then, almost fall-like here. Kind of frustrating.
Alfalfa small squares




  








First cutting alfalfa 5-15-17




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haygrl59


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May 25, 2017


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1st cutting
alfalfa
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First cutting of alfalfa small squares 5-15-17. This is a 12 acre field. Only 80 acres or so...










  








close Up alfalfa 5-15-17




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haygrl59


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May 25, 2017


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alfalfa
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Close-up of alfalfa baled on 5-15-17. First cutting of the year.






Grass mix small squares




  








grass Mix bale 5-15-17




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haygrl59


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May 25, 2017


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bale
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grass mix
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1st cutting of our grass mix. This field is mostly alfalfa and orchard grass. Cut only half of...










  








close Up grass Mix 5 24 17




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haygrl59


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May 25, 2017


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bale
grass
hay
small square




Close-up of grass (mostly alfalfa and orchard grass in this field). 1st cutting. A long ways to...


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## Lewis Ranch

Grass is very spotty. Neighbors is same way our weathers been crazy.


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## 506

Lewis Ranch - I'm seeing the same thing. The lack of rain up until this week has not helped. Night time temps still dropping into the low '60F range has not helped any either.


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## Lewis Ranch

Got a place I rented last fall and 1 field is about 55 acres of good solid Bermuda grass but infested with Dallas grass. Baled it may 9 and sprayed 12 ounces / acre of 41% glyphosphte on the 11th and then on the 18th I came back and ran 20 gallons / acre of 28-0-0-5 streamed on. Roundup is working wonders on the Dallas grass but it also set the Bermuda back pretty bad, you can see in the pictures a few places I missed where the grass is looking great. Didn't have much choice on what to spray but we need some rain bad to get this grass goin.


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## Vol

It will recover. I do the 12 ounce thing here on occasion to rid myself of various nuisance like little barley etc...on fescue fields.

Regards, Mike


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## Lewis Ranch

Vol said:


> It will recover. I do the 12 ounce thing here on occasion to rid myself of various nuisance like little barley etc...on fescue fields.
> 
> Regards, Mike


It's a good option just gonna set you back a couple weeks. Wanted to share so others could see what a half rate of roundup can do on the cheap.


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## Timz

Decided to cut yesterday with a nice weather window. Coastal was a little spotty. Wind was blowing 20-25. The outside windrows were nearly dry by the time I finished. Will rake and bale Saturday.


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## hcriddle

Lewis Ranch said:


> It's a good option just gonna set you back a couple weeks. Wanted to share so others could see what a half rate of roundup can do on the cheap.


I really appreciate the pictures and the instruction. I have been reading about you guys doing this and am absolutely terrified of killing $11,000 worth of grass I planted last year. It is good to be able to see what you have and to hear the encouragement that it will come back.

Is there a time limit on how long after cutting you can spray the round-up? I know it has to be quick.


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## Colby

hcriddle said:


> I really appreciate the pictures and the instruction. I have been reading about you guys doing this and am absolutely terrified of killing $11,000 worth of grass I planted last year. It is good to be able to see what you have and to hear the encouragement that it will come back.
> 
> Is there a time limit on how long after cutting you can spray the round-up? I know it has to be quick.


From my understanding of it you have to let it get tall enough so that when you cut it the Bermuda is brown at the ground, no green. Then you need to spray it before it greens up. Usually the day after you always it is good.


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## Grateful11

Lewis Ranch said:


> Got a place I rented last fall and 1 field is about 55 acres of good solid Bermuda grass but infested with Dallas grass. Baled it may 9 and sprayed 12 ounces / acre of 41% glyphosphte on the 11th and then on the 18th I came back and ran 20 gallons / acre of 28-0-0-5 streamed on. Roundup is working wonders on the Dallas grass but it also set the Bermuda back pretty bad, you can see in the pictures a few places I missed where the grass is looking great. Didn't have much choice on what to spray but we need some rain bad to get this grass goin.


You talking about this stuff? It's terrible, it's taking over our sons yard. Usually doesn't show up here until June. Don't have much of it in the fields that I know of.

https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP642.pdf


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## Lewis Ranch

Thanks to the few bandit experts I've got my bales down to 55lbs. I shortened them from 40" to 38 took one set of wedges out and loosened the hydraulic tension off a little. Only one slight problem now I'm cutting the string on front top right side of the bundle so I'm gonna have to run 240 on both sides where I've been running 240 on right and 190 on left


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## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> Thanks to the few bandit experts I've got my bales down to 55lbs. I shortened them from 40" to 38 took one set of wedges out and loosened the hydraulic tension off a little. Only one slight problem now I'm cutting the string on front top right side of the bundle so I'm gonna have to run 240 on both sides where I've been running 240 on right and 190 on left


That ain't much of a problem . Check to make sure it's paying out good, no resistance.....
Brings up another point that I've been a pondering..... I've been thinkin of doing two different colors as a means to keep up with which cut the hay was produced. ie..color 1 on left color 2 or right.....1st cut
color 2 on left color 1 on right.....2nd cut
color 1 on left color 1 on right.....3rd cut
color 2 on left color 2 on right.....4th cut
If I have a 5 th cut I guess I'll have to buy another color twine.....

That's about where I'm at 40" and 55 lbs....bundles weight about 1100#


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## The saint

Worked up this 2 acre piece this spring to get replace the foxtails and junk. Did all work with my 2N. Plowing disc harrow and leveling spun on the seed ten days ago. Moved hand line this am and the stand is coming really well. Should make for happy cows this fall.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Thanks to the few bandit experts I've got my bales down to 55lbs. I shortened them from 40" to 38 took one set of wedges out and loosened the hydraulic tension off a little. Only one slight problem now I'm cutting the string on front top right side of the bundle so I'm gonna have to run 240 on both sides where I've been running 240 on right and 190 on left


 Yep, that's about where I'm at on bale size also.....38" and 55lbs. I run 245 twine in both knotters. I sell Bridon twine so If you need any let me know and I can get you a price.....got some for dawg last year. With my NH baler I had quite a few cut strings on the corner bales even with 245.....I noticed with the new Hesston baler I have far fewer cut strings. Out of about 90 bundles last week I think only two had bales with cut strings.


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## Lewis Ranch

somedevildawg said:


> That ain't much of a problem . Check to make sure it's paying out good, no resistance.....
> Brings up another point that I've been a pondering..... I've been thinkin of doing two different colors as a means to keep up with which cut the hay was produced. ie..color 1 on left color 2 or right.....1st cut
> color 2 on left color 1 on right.....2nd cut
> color 1 on left color 1 on right.....3rd cut
> color 2 on left color 2 on right.....4th cut
> If I have a 5 th cut I guess I'll have to buy another color twine.....
> That's about where I'm at 40" and 55 lbs....bundles weight about 1100#


I'm running two colors right now just because that's how it comes in different sizes. My bales are still solid but the strap is pulling deeper so I can tell they are a little lighter.



FarmerCline said:


> Yep, that's about where I'm at on bale size also.....38" and 55lbs. I run 245 twine in both knotters. I sell Bridon twine so If you need any let me know and I can get you a price.....got some for dawg last year. With my NH baler I had quite a few cut strings on the corner bales even with 245.....I noticed with the new Hesston baler I have far fewer cut strings. Out of about 90 bundles last week I think only two had bales with cut strings.


Bridon has some sharp hot pink 240 twine out right now, I thought about buying some but my local folks sell tytan twine $35 ball for 240x6500. How you liking the inline?


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## Lewis Ranch

Not the prettiest hay I've ever put up but it was to nice to round bale and had way to much $$ in it.


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## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> I'm running two colors right now just because that's how it comes in different sizes. My bales are still solid but the strap is pulling deeper so I can tell they are a little lighter.
> 
> Bridon has some sharp hot pink 240 twine out right now, I thought about buying some but my local folks sell tytan twine $35 ball for 240x6500. How you liking the inline?


 Unless pricing has changed recently I can get Bridon 245x8500 for $38 a ball......that is delivered. I would have to check to be certain but I bet I could beat $35 for 240x6500.

I like the inline so far. Makes a much nicer looking bale than my NH in my opinion. Only issue I had was I made my windrows a little bit big and the hay was wanting to hang up on the drawbar and pile up into a ball and if I didn't catch it in time the wad of hay would plug the baler and shear the bolt. Would not have been a big problem if I hadn't already have raked the whole field into big windrows before baling.


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## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Unless pricing has changed recently I can get Bridon 245x8500 for $38 a ball......that is delivered. I would have to check to be certain but I bet I could beat $35 for 240x6500.
> I like the inline so far. Makes a much nicer looking bale than my NH in my opinion. Only issue I had was I made my windrows a little bit big and the hay was wanting to hang up on the drawbar and pile up into a ball and if I didn't catch it in time the wad of hay would plug the baler and shear the bolt. Would not have been a big problem if I hadn't already have raked the whole field into big windrows before baling.


 tie some baler belting under there and the hay will slide right under.


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## Colby

Coastal finally is starting to come on even though it's still spotty. This is week 3 after fertilizer and only about an 1" of rain


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## TJ Hendren

Timz said:


> Decided to cut yesterday with a nice weather window. Coastal was a little spotty. Wind was blowing 20-25. The outside windrows were nearly dry by the time I finished. Will rake and bale Saturday.


Nice looking Allis.


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## VA Haymaker




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## luke strawwalker

Grateful11 said:


> You talking about this stuff? It's terrible, it's taking over our sons yard. Usually doesn't show up here until June. Don't have much of it in the fields that I know of.
> 
> https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/SP642.pdf


Yep... Dallisgrass (proper spelling) makes good hay and cattle love it, and it'll hold up under grazing... gotta watch for ergot though (seed turns bright fluorescent orange) but it's good stuff...

Just not in yards or if a guy wants "pure bermuda"...

Later! OL J R


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## Uphayman

Commence cutting. 5 day weather window. Earliest for knocking down hay here.


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## VA Haymaker




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## FarmerCline

Spent the past couple days combining barley. It has been a pain trying to get it done......about 90% of the field is completely flat on the ground and if I'm not going into the direction it has fallen down the cutterbar just rides over most of it.....makes for some very slow going. The ground is about too wet to get on and I have got the combine stuck twice in a couple wet spots. With it laying on the ground though I need to get it off before it gets rained on again and starts to ruin.....unfortunately that doesn't look like it's going to happen as my POS combine broke down today and rain is coming Sunday.


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## woodland

FarmerCline said:


> Spent the past couple days combining barley. It has been a pain trying to get it done......about 90% of the field is completely flat on the ground and if I'm not going into the direction it has fallen down the cutterbar just rides over most of it.....makes for some very slow going. The ground is about too wet to get on and I have got the combine stuck twice in a couple wet spots. With it laying on the ground though I need to get it off before it gets rained on again and starts to ruin.....unfortunately that doesn't look like it's going to happen as my POS combine broke down today and rain is coming Sunday.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg


Interesting to see how far along you guys are alongside us. We're still seeding up here. 







This was from two days ago before 2.25 inches of rain. Hopefully can get going soon since it's getting really late.

As for your POS combine.... I've got two of his brothers up here. ????


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## Shetland Sheepdog

That's quite the train you've got going there Wood!   What's in each cart, and how many acres before you need to reload?


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## endrow

We cut 20 acres of buffer and Waterway fields, they were calling for three days of rain that we cut anyway just because the process is painfully slow. Turns out we only got one day of Rain Ted twice raked twice. Bailed late Friday and it is good we did cuz we woke up Saturday morning to rain. Stuff is about 90% grass 10% Alfalfa turned out pretty nice


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## PaMike

Man did things dry down on Friday! Even after all the rain we had. Made baleage today. Could have made dry hay if I would have tedded on Friday.


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## DLN

Hot, extremely dry, with some really cold nights mixed in, and LOW commodity prices so I geuss its time to hay the wheat and hope for a strong cattle market.


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## endrow

Yes we have a lot of wheat probably three and a half weeks from Harvest and the grain markets have me concerned the straw markets have me concerned and due to a lot of recent rain the quality of both have me concerned, we still own the majority of the operation we are in transition our son is in charge, I wanted to lose about half of this wheat about a month ago and stick corn and beans in there, but my son said we're going to keep it all and harvest it, I'll tell you I've been in charge for over 35 years it's tough getting up in the morning and making plans and somebody saying no! But at least this way should things turn out bad I can blame it on someone else


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## endrow

And some of the barley may not be too fun to combine


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## Swv.farmer

endrow said:


> Yes we have a lot of wheat probably three and a half weeks from Harvest and the grain markets have me concerned the straw markets have me concerned and due to a lot of recent rain the quality of both have me concerned, we still own the majority of the operation we are in transition our son is in charge, I wanted to lose about half of this wheat about a month ago and stick corn and beans in there, but my son said we're going to keep it all and harvest it, I'll tell you I've been in charge for over 35 years it's tough getting up in the morning and making plans and somebody saying no! But at least this way should things turn out bad I can blame it on someone else


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## Swv.farmer

That's the good thing about it if it goes bad you get to say if you had done what I said it would have worked out goo.
But experience is the best teacher


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## endrow

FarmerCline said:


> Spent the past couple days combining barley. It has been a pain trying to get it done......about 90% of the field is completely flat on the ground and if I'm not going into the direction it has fallen down the cutterbar just rides over most of it.....makes for some very slow going. The ground is about too wet to get on and I have got the combine stuck twice in a couple wet spots. With it laying on the ground though I need to get it off before it gets rained on again and starts to ruin.....unfortunately that doesn't look like it's going to happen as my POS combine broke down today and rain is coming Sunday.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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 straw looks nice in the picture I'll bet that barley with yielding well too, I know when it's down it goes hard and slow we have a guy lined up to help we're going to run 2 combines when hours is ready, these Harvest Windows have been narrow!
!


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## SVFHAY

endrow said:


> Yes we have a lot of wheat probably three and a half weeks from Harvest and the grain markets have me concerned the straw markets have me concerned and due to a lot of recent rain the quality of both have me concerned, we still own the majority of the operation we are in transition our son is in charge, I wanted to lose about half of this wheat about a month ago and stick corn and beans in there, but my son said we're going to keep it all and harvest it, I'll tell you I've been in charge for over 35 years it's tough getting up in the morning and making plans and somebody saying no! But at least this way should things turn out bad I can blame it on someone else


We are given different roles through life aren't we? I am sure you know you are blessed to be in this position to offer this to your son. That doesn't make any of the daily stuff easy though, especially as personalities clash and only a couple of generations efforts at stake.

My father couldn't have been more humble during transition. A blessing. Doesn't appear that I will be tested as my girls don't have interest.


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## FarmerCline

endrow said:


> straw looks nice in the picture I'll bet that barley with yielding well too, I know when it's down it goes hard and slow we have a guy lined up to help we're going to run 2 combines when hours is ready, these Harvest Windows have been narrow!
> !


 Rough estimate is 75-80 bushels an acre. Where it is still standing the grain is pouring in the bin but where it is down I'm losing quite a bit because some of it is too flat to get cut and I'm running the header as low as it will go. Baled the straw yesterday and it's making about 65 40 pound bales an acre.

Supposed to rain the next three days now.....hope it doesn't go down any more before I can get back in the field to finish getting it cut. Really aggravating as I could have got it done if the combine hadn't broke down.

What it barley bringing up your way? I'm getting $4 a bushel at the feed mill.


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## PaMike

endrow said:


> Yes we have a lot of wheat probably three and a half weeks from Harvest and the grain markets have me concerned the straw markets have me concerned and due to a lot of recent rain the quality of both have me concerned, we still own the majority of the operation we are in transition our son is in charge, I wanted to lose about half of this wheat about a month ago and stick corn and beans in there, but my son said we're going to keep it all and harvest it, I'll tell you I've been in charge for over 35 years it's tough getting up in the morning and making plans and somebody saying no! But at least this way should things turn out bad I can blame it on someone else


The thing you have to remember is that you could be in charge until the day you die, or cant farm anymore, but you are making changes for the good of the operation and to make sure the next generation is equipped to carry it forward. If your son was just "the hired man" the likelihood he could take over when you retire and he is in his 40's or 50's is slime.

My family has gone through a non ag business transition and its been tough. Roles change and things are done differently. Communication and respect go a long way in these processes...


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## woodland

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> That's quite the train you've got going there Wood!   What's in each cart, and how many acres before you need to reload?


The white cart is urea and the red cart is seed and a PKS blend. Usually get about 50 acres or so doing wheat. Two little carts is much cheaper than a big one and it floats better. Turning is challenging but my brother is good at it. I've hardly run it. Pretty nice alongside the ancient press drills we were using not too long ago.


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## endrow

.


woodland said:


> The white cart is urea and the red cart is seed and a PKS blend. Usually get about 50 acres or so doing wheat. Two little carts is much cheaper than a big one and it floats better. Turning is challenging but my brother is good at it. I've hardly run it. Pretty nice alongside the ancient press drills we were using not too long ago.


 that is an awesome piece of equipment and I'm sure it does an excellent job where you're at . But on the land I farm it would be difficult to use a piece of equipment like that


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## Josh in WNY

Got haying started at my place yesterday. Just a quick 4 acres of an orchard grass mix to test out the equipment. Only got 5 round bales (with a little left setting in the baler), but it was some really nice stuff. Customer stopped by the field just as my dad and I were strapping the bales down. They liked what they saw and bought these five bales plus 70 more. The fix to the net wrap mechanism worked perfectly. It's nice not having to stop, get off and cut the net wrap with a pair of scissors every bale.


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## woodland

FarmerCline said:


> Rough estimate is 75-80 bushels an acre.
> 
> What it barley bringing up your way? I'm getting $4 a bushel at the feed mill.


That yield is similar to what we would expect but your price is way better than here. Now it's $3.20 CAD picked up price or $2.37 USD and that's a 48 pound bushel. Quite the difference.


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## stack em up

Had to take a potty break. Tractor I bought early spring to pull the second planter. Gave $12,000 for it and then a few thousand for new shoes and LED lighting.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Funny looking planter Paul!  Looks for all the world like a "Haybine"!  Sorry, couldn't resist! Quite an upgrade from a WD-45 diesel! Hope it serves you well! Dave


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## Timz

Nice looking Allis there. I'll be looking for an 8010 as soon as my last kid is out of college next year. Can't wait for AC in my A-C. Currently use 2 185's and a 160 for haying.


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## Colby

T-85 time


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## somedevildawg

Looks like you got it at the right time Colby.....


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Got around to uploading some of the videos from first cutting today.






This is the first field we used the "new" tractor in, also the first time my dad ever drove it or cut hay for me. Coming from the age of collar shift transmissions he was a little unsure about the full powershift and lefthand reverser.






In addition to the new tractor I picked up a New Idea 4 basket tedder in working condition for $1000. Beats the pants off of a 2 basket when trying to keep up with the mower conditioner.






Finally a video of my younger brother raking hay for me with our "new to us" R2300 Vermeer. It has lots of improvements over the manual fold R-23 we were using and I'm very glad we were able to jump on the deal when I found it.

Had some trouble with lodging in my ryegrass mix because the rain kept me out of the field but we ended up getting it out before it all fell down.

After much cussing and busted knuckles my single axle semi is also back on the road, had to replace front brakes and drums, wheel seals and lugs in addition to doing a coolant flush, replacing the air compressor and air dryer.

Y'all enjoy, and stay safe.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Colby said:


> T-85 time


That's good looking stuff. Going to square bale any of it?


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## endrow

Did not even get cut what we wanted to get Got Tonight , cutter got rained out, first two pictures Orchard Grass about half as high as the boxcar. The Orchard Grass here still bails out pretty nice next week it's going to be old..., second two pictures started into some Alfalfa Orchard Grass mix horse hay for us but got rained out


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## Colby

Circle MC Farms LLC said:


> That's good looking stuff. Going to square bale any of it?


No not tifton, would've been even better but the guy likes to let it get a good regrowth in the fall so he can graze it during the winter. That's why you see a little brown in the windrows.


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## woodland

endrow said:


> Did not even get cut what we wanted to get Got Tonight , cutter got rained out, first two pictures Orchard Grass about half as high as the boxcar. The Orchard Grass here still bails out pretty nice next week it's going to be old..., second two pictures started into some Alfalfa Orchard Grass mix horse hay for us but got rained out


That's quite the tonnage there. Too bad about the delays, sounds like us last year haying.


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## joeberg

Did some haying this weekend in Minnesota:

Picture

video


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## MrLuggs

First cut off one of our alfalfa fields today, nice yield (78x 4x5s off 16 ac)


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## Grateful11

The Deere wouldn't quite handle this.


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## Colby

Baled some nice coastal today, shoulda went in square bales but oh well made pretty round bales too


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## FarmerCline

Grateful11 said:


> The Deere wouldn't quite handle this.


 Surprised you still have oats that are green. They must be spring planted oats? My winter oats are ready to combine and even my spring oats have started turning yellow.


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## clowers




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## clowers

Cutting my tifton 85 on Thursday, it was very heavy. The last two photos are late this evening after tedding it. Notice the full moon in the last photo. I hope to bale it on Saturday.


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## slvr98svt

Not the best stand of annual rye but considering i thought it was a total loss when I mowed the weeds down last fall I can't complain. About 6 of the 8 acres are decent, the rest is under water or just weeds.


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## hillside hay

Gonna be a 2 tire pit stop.


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## skyrydr2

Well hay season has officially started for us,in the rain... stinkin shower popped up and just clipped us no biggie though as it cleared up and got real nice.


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## skyrydr2

Slvr98svt, how do you like that Krone mower? I really want one! that will travel straight and not in the ditch.. what kind of hp are you running it with? My Case is about 90pto hp.


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## slvr98svt

I am pleased with the mower. Although I had a side pull same exact older model before it. Love the center pivot, I drag it around with a NH TS110A so probable somewhere in the 95ish pto hp. Don't have to many hills around here so don't really need much more that I see.

Was mowing at 8.3mph yesterday


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## skyrydr2

A video of the second field. It was light in a few spots but not too bad considering the poor season so far.


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## Hayman1

Hotdamn, finished first cutting. Earliest ever for me in over 20 years. Had some of Ralph's 8% hay today, 612 bales. First season orchard grass planted Sept 1, 2016. 8% hay is rare here in Va.






. I was running at 5 mph with the 570 and good sized windrows. When you have 8% it's a hay eatin beast.


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## Orchard6

Got my orchard grass knocked down last week. 

The old 469 surprised me this year and didn't break down!


I mowed a section of the field a few days before knocking the rest of it as the weatherman kept threatening rain. Didn't happen! 


Yields were down this year in my area as we had a 2-3 week stretch of really cool weather and a couple of hard frosts that really hurt everything (apples included) so I wound up with only 32 5x5 round bales. I'm hoping 2nd cut goes better but we need rain. It's been real dry for the last 3 weeks!


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## VA Haymaker

Timothy/mixed grass...

Knotter troubles and late in the day dew/humidity put the kibosh on the day...


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## Josh in WNY

hillside hay said:


> KIMG0429.jpg
> 
> Gonna be a 2 tire pit stop.


I feel your pain, Hillside. My dad was opening up our big field this morning when a tree branch smacked the valve stem on the left rear tire... of coarse they're filled with calcium! I made a quick dash (30 minutes one way) to the local Case IH/NH dealer who just happened to have a tube in stock. My dad took the time to swap out the JD 4230 for the old Ford 5000 and finished mowing. After I got back with the new tube, I got all the tools, jacks, wood blocks, etc. loaded in my truck and was ready to head out to fix the tire It was then that I remembered we had the old tires from our 4020 sitting around somewhere... rims and all. Went and found them, both still holding the same air that was in them when they came off. The rims were bad enough that they needed to be replaced, but good enough for a 'spare'.

The first picture is just before I noticed the spray of fluid coming out. The second picture is after we got the 'spare' put on and washed the tractor down. Hope I got all that salt off! The big girl looks a little funny with an 18.4 on one side and a 16.9 on the other, but she should bale hay fine tomorrow and Monday.


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## DLN

A few random pictures from wheat hay 2017.


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## skyrydr2

Finished up the small irregular field first.. The big one is tomorrow.. I hope my father isnt having dizzy spells again.. its nice to have a rake rig handy with operator at the ready.. some corners get skips because the baler has a tiny pickup...especially for a rookie operator(me lol).
Few shots after we finished. Had to transfer all the bales to the 5th wheel trailer for delivery.


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## SwingOak

Hay there folks!

2017 is shaping up to be an interesting season. I have expanded my fleet of equipment a bit (perhaps a bit foolishly) as I bought a 1956 Case 411. I mostly got it for hauling the manure spreader, I'll add a photo soon.

Meanwhile, I've finished the first cutting earlier than I've ever been able to here in Wisconsin, we had perfect weather last week. Despite some knotter issues with the old JD24T, with the help of my local JD dealer who fortunately has an expert in all things green, old, and rusty on their service team we got it tying good knots and making some very nice idiot bricks!

Here's a video I put together using iMovie on my iPhone. Something distracting to do when I can't sleep at night...


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## SwingOak

1956 Case 411 aka "Bluto"

I got it for a fair price, I don't think I'd lose money if I decide not to keep it. It runs strong, doesn't burn oil, tires are good, and it's pretty clean - there are no drips or leaks at all. I will probably take the loader off as I really don't need it on there.


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## CowboyRam

We cut 20 acres Saturday, Sunday night we got about a half inch of rain.


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## Vol

SwingOak said:


> 1956 Case 411 aka "Bluto"
> 
> I got it for a fair price, I don't think I'd lose money if I decide not to keep it. It runs strong, doesn't burn oil, tires are good, and it's pretty clean - there are no drips or leaks at all. I will probably take the loader off as I really don't need it on there.


I like it....how hard does it steer?

Regards, Mike


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## Vol

SwingOak said:


> Hay there folks!
> 
> 2017 is shaping up to be an interesting season. I have expanded my fleet of equipment a bit (perhaps a bit foolishly) as I bought a 1956 Case 411. I mostly got it for hauling the manure spreader, I'll add a photo soon.
> 
> Meanwhile, I've finished the first cutting earlier than I've ever been able to here in Wisconsin, we had perfect weather last week. Despite some knotter issues with the old JD24T, with the help of my local JD dealer who fortunately has an expert in all things green, old, and rusty on their service team we got it tying good knots and making some very nice idiot bricks!
> 
> Here's a video I put together using iMovie on my iPhone. Something distracting to do when I can't sleep at night...


You might want to slow your rpms down on your rotary rake....it will do a much better job running at higher gear and a lower rpm....jmo, but I think you will like everything about it....less strain, less fuel consumption, and a more fluffy windrow that will circulate air better allowing faster drying.

Regards, Mike


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## SwingOak

Vol said:


> I like it....how hard does it steer?
> 
> Regards, Mike


It has the factory power steering, so it steers easy!


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## Vol

SwingOak said:


> It has the factory power steering, so it steers easy!


Man that is terrific! I really like those older Case tractors....just really cool. If it was parked here I would be throwing a nice paint job on the old girl. 

Regards, Mike


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## fball1208

Finally able to get some outta the field. 240 small squares tons more to go


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## skyrydr2

Second field done just as the knotters and forks started giving issues? Need some more hay to sort things out.. dang it.. just when things were working really good.


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## fe390man

Knocked down 60 acres and baled 2700 smalls and 100 big squares in a 5 day period. First 25 acres went flawlessly then nothing but hydraulic issues. Blew a cylinder on miller pro speed rake, kept blowing o-rings on bale bandit, and blew strap guide arm hydraulic motor on bandit. Bandit issues led to big square baling the rest. Besides that had a good first cutting.


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## VA Haymaker




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## FarmerCline

Cut first cutting on a new spring seeding of alfalfa on Saturday evening. There were a few blooms but most of it was still in the bud. Could have waited a little longer as I usually let a new seeding full bloom before taking first cut but the weather was supposed to be clear and the alfalfa had started to lodge so I figured I had better cut it. I was planning on baling it today but the weather changed to a high chance of rain today so I baled it last night. The stems still had a little moisture and was reading 20-25% but I treated it with the Silo King so hopefully it will keep. Made some drop dead beautiful hay.....I don't think I have ever baled any hay that was still this green in color.....looks almost fresh cut but it was almost dry. Pretty pleased with the yield as well for a new seeding.....made about 1.75 tons an acre.


----------



## hillside hay

Looks great. As long as you have good airflow you should be ok. Usually that moisture level I let sit on the wagons for a few days in my wind tunnel. Aka machine shed. Awesome in the summer but good heavens working on stuff in the winter is painful even with the doors closed.


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## swmnhay

Waiting to get this dirty,it keeps raining!


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## slvr98svt

Rolled up 30 4x5's off of 6 acres on Monday. Turned out to be pretty nice stuff, averaged 740#/ea but of course they got a 10 minute shower as I was loading them. Sitting on pallets outside now drying off so I can put in the barn tonight.


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## r82230

slvr98svt said:


> Rolled up 30 4x5's off of 6 acres on Monday. Turned out to be pretty nice stuff, averaged 740#/ea but of course they got a 10 minute shower as I was loading them.


I take it you weighed a load or two.  Nothing like accurate numbers to know how much nutrients you removed IMHO.

Larry


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## slvr98svt

Correct, I have an apple packing plant right around the corner from me that happens to leave the scale house unlocked so it's nice to be able to run over the scale whenever needed and check numbers.


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## Josh in WNY

Managed to get through the Sunday and Monday, but it was a workout. Baled an 11.5 acre field about 5 miles from the farm on Sunday and everything went pretty well until I broke the roller chain that drives all the rollers on the tailgate half of the baler. I had a repair link in the baler, but no tools to get the chain cut and fixed. My dad finished raking and ran the tractor/rakes home an then came back with half the shop in my truck. Did get it all baled up though and most of my portion of the hay delivered. In the one picture, my dad let the baler get a little too full and popped the pressure relief for the tailgate. That let the hay get pulled right through the header and right back out the bottom of the baler. Once we got the bale wrapped and dumped, it was pretty easy to just run all the windrow right back into the baler.



























Monday we got an early start on our fields and I baled the first one by noon. I did one lap around the other field but found the windrows laying next to the woods to be a little to wet so I let them set while I delivered the first load of the day. Came back to find the tractor and baler parked in front of the barn with my dad working on a bunch of wiring. Turns out I didn't do as good of a job at routing the wires as I thought and the PTO caught them. Completely destroyed the power line to the baler (was able to save one connector) and ripped the cable for my jury-rigged control box in half. Bent the rear end of the right fender down 6 to 8 inches, too. Luckily my dad didn't get hurt, but we lost a bunch of time fixing all the wiring to get the baler running again. Finally finished getting all the bales in off the field and equipment put away by about 11:00pm. The real kicker was that the rain we were supposed to get on Tuesday never showed up. Just one rumble of thunder to our south from what my dad said.


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## Josh in WNY

slvr98svt said:


> Correct, I have an apple packing plant right around the corner from me that happens to leave the scale house unlocked so it's nice to be able to run over the scale whenever needed and check numbers.


It nice having that option. There is a gravel pit near us with state certified scales that will let you pull in and weigh if they're open. If you don't want a slip, there's no charge. It's only like $5 if you want a slip. Nice scale too, it can handle a full semi (truck and trailer) all at once.

Averaged 860 lbs for the bales I had on my load.


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## r82230

slvr98svt said:


> Correct, I have an apple packing plant right around the corner from me that happens to leave the scale house unlocked so it's nice to be able to run over the scale whenever needed and check numbers.


My local elevator had a certified scales that used to be available 24/7, Helena is now in that location, so scales isn't always on any more. But I use to weigh 25-35% of my hay the same way (by the load and average). Since, that option isn't dependable anymore I bought a Gallagher WT 110 load beam scale to weigh individual bales (about $920 today).

I bale a 5x5 bale and the biggest thing I notice about individual weighing verses load, is I can have 150-175# from the lightest to heaviest off the same field. However, generally the variance is closer to 75#.

Either way, your records are more accurate and you are not 'guestimating' anymore.

Larry


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## slvr98svt

r82230 said:


> My local elevator had a certified scales that used to be available 24/7, Helena is now in that location, so scales isn't always on any more. But I use to weigh 25-35% of my hay the same way (by the load and average). Since, that option isn't dependable anymore I bought a Gallagher WT 110 load beam scale to weigh individual bales (about $920 today).
> 
> I bale a 5x5 bale and the biggest thing I notice about individual weighing verses load, is I can have 150-175# from the lightest to heaviest off the same field. However, generally the variance is closer to 75#.
> 
> Either way, your records are more accurate and you are not 'guestimating' anymore.
> 
> Larry


Its amazing how many people's 800# bales really weigh 550#. Always a good time listening to how heavy they are and how they justify how they got to that guesstimated number!


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## Trotwood2955

We finished up first cutting on Monday, probably the earliest ever. We had three good weather stretches that let us really roll through it this year. I was even able to get some oats baled as dry hay during the last stretch. Haven't been able to do that in years. We haven't square baled any first cutting in several years either but we ended up running 500+ through the old JD 347 that I overhauled this winter to make sure the kinks were worked out. Didn't miss a single bale so hopefully it is good to go the rest of the year. Ought to have some second cutting grass ready to go in a few weeks.


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## Lewis Ranch

We need moisture here, hay is very thin only making a roll to roll and a half an acre. Teff was a disaster, 26 acres was a total loss and the 14 acres has maybe 50% coverage at best.


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## CowboyRam

Baled about 20 acres tonight, boy it sure is nice not having to fight knotters every 30 minutes like last year. It seemed like last year I would barely get going down the windrow and would have problems with the knotters. I think I am finally getting this baler in shape. Still a few thing minor things to fix, but for the most part all life is good.


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## sethd11

It has been an interesting year in Northern Illinois. It went from raining everyday to a 3 weeks without a drop. Back to rain everyday now. When the ground dried out a bit, Made a lot of idiot bricks. Hay yields were tremendous this year with the extra moisture and the the last 5 years of building fertility. Saw grass alfalfa mix cut low, yield 133 bales to the acre. Had some natural grass mix cut @ 5 inches run 103 bales to the acre. Figured the bales around 47-50lbs. Hay was tall enough with new blades on both discbines I couldn't go faster than 5.5 mph in the mix hay. Bogged 140 horse tractor down..


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## kidbalehook

Made some nice hay last week in NW Ohio (a lot of folks did actually) Wife and kids are a God-send. Not sure I would keep doing this without them. Baler ran good like it usually does. Hay was a little over-dry as time got away from me, but 90 degrees and 20 mph winds out of the south, I should have known better.


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## Tx Jim

slvr98svt said:


> Its amazing how many people's 800# bales really weigh 550#. Always a good time listening to how heavy they are and how they justify how they got to that guesstimated number!


Isn't that the truth. On another discussion forum this fellow got mad at me because I questioned his statement that his 5.5X5.5 NH chain baler baled 2000# grass bales. I asked him if he ever weighed any of the TON monsters. He stated NO but he knew the bales weighed 2000 #s cause when he picked them up with the loader on his old 60 HP Ford tractor got light in the rear end.


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## r82230

Tx Jim said:


> Isn't that the truth. On another discussion forum this fellow got mad at me because I questioned his statement that his 5.5X5.5 NH chain baler baled 2000# grass bales. I asked him if he ever weighed any of the TON monsters. He stated NO but he knew the bales weighed 2000 #s cause when he picked them up with the loader on his old 60 HP Ford tractor got light in the rear end.


Been there, in my area, they claim to make !,000# 4x4 even.



slvr98svt said:


> Its amazing how many people's 800# bales really weigh 550#. Always a good time listening to how heavy they are and how they justify how they got to that guesstimated number!


And they never question how two 'supposedly' 800# bales didn't overload their half ton truck much!!


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## r82230

Had some crazy drying weather over the weekend. Cut alfalfa Saturday morning (and tedded0, low 90 daytime high temps, low 30s humidity, 15-20 MPH winds most of the day, hay bone dry leaves at dark. Almost no overnight dew and 10-15 MPH breezes overnight, was raking hay at a little after 6:00 am. One of my son's college graduation at 1:00 pm, go home to start baling at 4:30 pm, 10-12% moisture (bummer, but can't see many graduations however ).

Here is the new rotary laying out some double single windrows, while I'm doing this in the cab .





  








Raking 2017




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One of this year's heifer calves that the misses tells me I have to keep and I wasn't planning on keeping any this year. Happy wife, happy life I guess. Calf already named Cookie, Dad was a polled Shorthorn, mom's from the 7 best bulls in the county (and a Heinz 57 Dam, makes for a 'colorful' here in my case). The last photo is naturally showing the north-end of the southbound calf. 





  








Cookie 01




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View media item 4833View media item 4841
Larry


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## VA Haymaker

Hesston 1110 and JD5055d...


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## luke strawwalker

r82230 said:


> Had some crazy drying weather over the weekend. Cut alfalfa Saturday morning (and tedded0, low 90 daytime high temps, low 30s humidity, 15-20 MPH winds most of the day, hay bone dry leaves at dark. Almost no overnight dew and 10-15 MPH breezes overnight, was raking hay at a little after 6:00 am. One of my son's college graduation at 1:00 pm, go home to start baling at 4:30 pm, 10-12% moisture (bummer, but can't see many graduations however ).
> 
> Here is the new rotary laying out some double single windrows, while I'm doing this in the cab .
> 
> One of this year's heifer calves that the misses tells me I have to keep and I wasn't planning on keeping any this year. Happy wife, happy life I guess. Calf already named Cookie, Dad was a polled Shorthorn, mom's from the 7 best bulls in the county (and a Heinz 57 Dam, makes for a 'colorful' here in my case). The last photo is naturally showing the north-end of the southbound calf.
> 
> Larry


Aww.... got a little Roan there...

We've got a few Roan's around the place here and at Shiner... Grandpa ended up with them somehow and Grandma always liked seeing the little white calves around and so we kept some of the heifers back over the years... Gentlest cattle we got.

later! OL J R


----------



## Teslan

r82230 said:


> My local elevator had a certified scales that used to be available 24/7, Helena is now in that location, so scales isn't always on any more. But I use to weigh 25-35% of my hay the same way (by the load and average). Since, that option isn't dependable anymore I bought a Gallagher WT 110 load beam scale to weigh individual bales (about $920 today).
> 
> I bale a 5x5 bale and the biggest thing I notice about individual weighing verses load, is I can have 150-175# from the lightest to heaviest off the same field. However, generally the variance is closer to 75#.
> 
> Either way, your records are more accurate and you are not 'guestimating' anymore.
> 
> Larry


It's amazing the difference each bale can weigh. When I got the scale on my 3x3 baler it surprised me that the swing could be as much as 75 lbs. I suppose a big square has less of a variance then a round baler due to the precharge chamber and a plunger. I remember before the baler scale I would take about 10 bales off a field to a local scale to get an average. I figured the whole field would be about that. But I had a couple hay buyers that would buy two bales, go weigh them and complain if they were 50 pounds less then the average I stated. Perhaps more hay buyers weighed other bales and found them weighing more then I said, but I never heard from them with offers of paying me more money. I also found since getting the scale on the baler and depending on how hot and dry the day is if you don't change the settings on the big square baler a bale that weighs 800 lbs when starting baling two hours later a bale can weigh 650lbs. This can really happen with first cutting. You don't notice as much on a little square. And maybe round balers are different also.


----------



## IH 1586

6/11 first dry hay of the year.


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## VA Haymaker

Leg through the deck...









Hay hook into the baler....









No rain.... ????


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## somedevildawg

Ih, I'm purty sure you have educated me on a different way to strap down rounds......


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## Colby

Baled 15 acres of 38 day coastal and it made 77 4x5.5's. be the last of that kind of yields I see for the year unless the weather changes


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## Colby

Colby said:


> Baled 15 acres of 38 day coastal and it made 77 4x5.5's. be the last of that kind of yields I see for the year unless the weather changes


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## luke strawwalker

Teslan said:


> It's amazing the difference each bale can weigh. When I got the scale on my 3x3 baler it surprised me that the swing could be as much as 75 lbs. I suppose a big square has less of a variance then a round baler due to the precharge chamber and a plunger. I remember before the baler scale I would take about 10 bales off a field to a local scale to get an average. I figured the whole field would be about that. But I had a couple hay buyers that would buy two bales, go weigh them and complain if they were 50 pounds less then the average I stated. Perhaps more hay buyers weighed other bales and found them weighing more then I said, but I never heard from them with offers of paying me more money. I also found since getting the scale on the baler and depending on how hot and dry the day is if you don't change the settings on the big square baler a bale that weighs 800 lbs when starting baling two hours later a bale can weigh 650lbs. This can really happen with first cutting. You don't notice as much on a little square. And maybe round balers are different also.


Yeah, we had some guys end up doing prison time because they sold by the ton and the bales didn't weigh what they said they did (weighed them out of the field probably, long before they were sold) so NOBODY sells hay by the ton here...

Sell it "by the bale", it is what it is, unit price is agreed upon and as long as you deliver the number you were paid for, you're golden. Sell "by the ton" and the weights don't match up, they consider that fraud and somebody goes to jail.

Later! OL J R


----------



## Lewis Ranch

If your running any amount of ground at all do yourself a favor and buy a drone. Today is the first time I've used this thing for a legitimate reason and we went scouting Sudan fields. This thing is neat as all get out, you can clearly see where the fertilizer was missed where it is applied a little heavy and even where there's a little more moisture than other parts. First picture you can see where they ran out of fertilize before finishing the field. Second one is a beautiful stand, third one hasn't seen any fertilizer and virtually no rain, and just for fun the last one we checked on the heifers while out and about.


----------



## stack em up

Lewis Ranch said:


> If your running any amount of ground at all do yourself a favor and buy a drone. Today is the first time I've used this thing for a legitimate reason and we went scouting Sudan fields. This thing is neat as all get out, you can clearly see where the fertilizer was missed where it is applied a little heavy and even where there's a little more moisture than other parts. First picture you can see where they ran out of fertilize before finishing the field. Second one is a beautiful stand, third one hasn't seen any fertilizer and virtually no rain, and just for fun the last one we checked on the heifers while out and about.


What brand/model are you running?


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## Lewis Ranch

stack em up said:


> What brand/model are you running?


DJI Phantom 3 Advanced. They are very easy to fly


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Lewis Ranch said:


> If your running any amount of ground at all do yourself a favor and buy a drone. Today is the first time I've used this thing for a legitimate reason and we went scouting Sudan fields. This thing is neat as all get out, you can clearly see where the fertilizer was missed where it is applied a little heavy and even where there's a little more moisture than other parts. First picture you can see where they ran out of fertilize before finishing the field. Second one is a beautiful stand, third one hasn't seen any fertilizer and virtually no rain, and just for fun the last one we checked on the heifers while out and about.


I cut together a little video of the flying from the other night, nothing too professional but fun to watch anyway. It's amazing everything we were able to scout in 45 minutes.


----------



## Swv.farmer

Circle MC Farms LLC said:


> I cut together a little video of the flying from the other night, nothing too professional but fun to watch anyway. It's amazing everything we were able to scout in 45 minutes.


----------



## Swv.farmer

That is beautiful.
You have a beautiful place.


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## Circle MC Farms LLC

Swv.farmer said:


> That is beautiful.
> You have a beautiful place.


Thank you so much, it has come a long way since we moved here. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get the video window to show up within the post? I never have figured out how to do that.

On another note, I liked Lewis Ranch's drone so much I went out and found a used one on facebook that I scored a deal on today.


----------



## swmnhay

Cutting Meadow Brome/Alfalfa.Vermeer 4500 Mower/conditioner.With auto steer.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1591257377553635


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## r82230

Finally got accumulator, here is it's maiden voyage. Only did about 450 bales (so far) and they are all sold/gone. Had a few road stoppers, wondering what the contraption was. Already have another new customer, now that I have a way to bale/handle small squares, she wants 1,000 bales. 

The learning curve has began, for me anyhow.





  








Accumulator-2017-3




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Accumulator 2017 2




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Accumulator 2017-1




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Larry


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## hcriddle

r82230 said:


> Finally got accumulator, here is it's maiden voyage. Only did about 450 bales (so far) and they are all sold/gone. Had a few road stoppers, wondering what the contraption was. Already have another new customer, now that I have a way to bale/handle small squares, she wants 1,000 bales.
> 
> The learning curve has began, for me anyhow.
> 
> Larry


Hope you're liking yours as much as I am liking mine Larry. I just wish I had some rain and more customers to buy mine. Only problem I have found so far is that grapple and 15 bales is awful heavy and will stand my tractor on its nose if I am not careful. I am going to put a ballast box on the 3 point to help.


----------



## r82230

hcriddle said:


> Only problem I have found so far is that grapple and 15 bales is awful heavy and will stand my tractor on its nose if I am not careful. I am going to put a ballast box on the 3 point to help.


Haven't had that problem (yet), but I have it on the front of a NH T-5 (115 HP, 10-11K is it's weight). I think on my smaller tractor (NH TN70DA, about 70 HP and 7,500#) I might have the same problem with the tie grabber (even with my heavy rear-end's weight in the seat).

If we get a break in the rain (piddle amounts, 0.04, 0.11, 0.16, etc. every other day it seems), I will get the last of my 1st cutting off. Haven't advertised for customers yet. Still waiting for the 64' x 120' toy shed (pole barn) to be built, so I have a place to put the small squares, just in case the customer doesn't show for some reason. Not that would happen to anyone else, just me. 

Larry


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## VA Haymaker

A short video of how the Hesston half swaybar drive works. Video was taken just after a rebuild. Very simple mechanism. On the backside of the gearbox off the PTO is a dual belt that drives the swaybar as you see in the video.

I am plagued with bad luck when it comes to haying. Prior to rebuilding this sickle drive, my Wife was almost swayed (no pun intended) to let me buy a discbine. Now that the swaybar drive is like new again, along with new sickle, guards and the steel on rubber rolls timed and gapped properly, the old Hesston 1110 works, cuts and conditions like a dream.

Dang!!!!

I'm not sure I need to buy anything.... "sigh"


----------



## glasswrongsize

r82230 said:


> The learning curve has began, for me anyhow.
> 
> Larry


Well, THERE'S your problem with picking up the squares!!!! Your "grapple" on the front of your tractor don't have enough hooks on it...and the ones that it does have are too straight!!

Mark


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## Swv.farmer

Circle MC Farms LLC said:


> Thank you so much, it has come a long way since we moved here. If you don't mind me asking, how did you get the video window to show up within the post? I never have figured out how to do that.
> 
> On another note, I liked Lewis Ranch's drone so much I went out and found a used one on facebook that I scored a deal on today.
> DJI_0036.JPG
> DJI_0037.JPG
> DJI_0039.JPG


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## Swv.farmer

I just click on the link and it came up


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## Ranger518

Spread a little fertilizer today before this hurricane weather hits here tomorrow on my newly sprigged midland 99.


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## woodland

Just picked up the tedder we bought a couple months ago. Never run one of these before and I only know of one other one in our county so I'm sure I'll be asking some questions whenever we get the chance to use it. It keeps raining every couple days here so we just finished seeding last week and started knocking down some alfalfa with white cockle in it for silage bales before it sets seed. Looked at a bunch of our fields and the amount of winterkill is very high. If it yields half to two thirds of last year I'd be surprised even though our moisture is better this year and it was all fertilized this spring. Pastures are looking spectacular at least. Last November/December had a lot of -30 with no snow and we're sure noticing it now. 








New Holland 3836









Some more happy cows with grass to my hip. No pics of the hayfield since it's not that great compared to this...????


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## r82230

Being I open my fields up by cutting around several times, then come back and cut back / forth. This is what I use to mark my fields so I know where to start and head to. The idea came from my surveying days, it is a 10' x 2 ½ inch white PVC pipe, with Allis Calmers orange (suppose I could have used Kubby orange). White and orange seem to be very visible (at least for me). It maybe had to see the PVC pipe in the first picture. But I keep zooming in from the same spot to give you an idea of how far away you can see marker.

How I did this was after raking double windrows with my roll bar rake years ago (all tedded hay). Where I started on one side of the field and worked across the entire field, going down and back. I then went back counted my windrows, figured out where I wanted my divider spots, drove in a 5' steel fence post and slipped the PVC pipe over it. This is still working today, better than my GPS, IMHO. Does anyone else have an idea of how they would do it better?

Larry

PS I use a side pull mower, first picture is about 900-1,000 feet away.





  








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## Teslan

r82230 said:


> Being I open my fields up by cutting around several times, then come back and cut back / forth. This is what I use to mark my fields so I know where to start and head to. The idea came from my surveying days, it is a 10' x 2 ½ inch white PVC pipe, with Allis Calmers orange (suppose I could have used Kubby orange). White and orange seem to be very visible (at least for me). It maybe had to see the PVC pipe in the first picture. But I keep zooming in from the same spot to give you an idea of how far away you can see marker.
> 
> How I did this was after raking double windrows with my roll bar rake years ago (all tedded hay). Where I started on one side of the field and worked across the entire field, going down and back. I then went back counted my windrows, figured out where I wanted my divider spots, drove in a 5' steel fence post and slipped the PVC pipe over it. This is still working today, better than my GPS, IMHO. Does anyone else have an idea of how they would do it better?
> 
> Larry
> 
> PS I use a side pull mower, first picture is about 900-1,000 feet away.


After reading this a couple times I have no idea still what you are accomplishing with the posts and PVC. What is a divider spot for? For me I always cut 4 times around the field (used to be 2 with small squares). Then if the field is anything other then a pivot it's back and forth whatever would make the longest windrows. If Its a pivot I go back and forth with the pivot tracks.


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## luke strawwalker

Teslan said:


> After reading this a couple times I have no idea still what you are accomplishing with the posts and PVC. What is a divider spot for? For me I always cut 4 times around the field (used to be 2 with small squares). Then if the field is anything other then a pivot it's back and forth whatever would make the longest windrows. If Its a pivot I go back and forth with the pivot tracks.


Sight lines, like a row marker, but it's just a spot in the fence that he aims the centerline of the hood toward...

I've thought about doing something similar for spraying the Shiner farm, since I don't have and can't justify the expense of a GPS unit... Put a flag on top of the post (PVC pipe with orange paint) the width of the sprayer and a half-width off the front fence, center on it after turning and then aim for it's mate on the opposite side of the farm...only problem is, there's too many places where one cannot see from the south fence to the north fence-- a hill or valley gets in the way... and east to west is no better.

Later! OL J R


----------



## Gearclash

Raking 1/2 swaths on one. We wanted it raked, but there was too much tonnage to make a decent windrow plus the swaths had been hit with a fluffer which leaves the swaths too wide for the 2300 to pull 2 on one cleanly.















Giving the Kawasaki 250 a good workout on the fluffer.


----------



## Vol

Very nice Gearclash ! Beautiful hay, land, and very well kept.

Regards, Mike


----------



## woodland

Gearclash said:


> Raking 1/2 swaths on one. We wanted it raked, but there was too much tonnage to make a decent windrow plus the swaths had been hit with a fluffer which leaves the swaths too wide for the 2300 to pull 2 on one cleanly.
> IMG_0780.JPG IMG_0781.JPG
> Giving the Kawasaki 250 a good workout on the fluffer.
> IMG_0787.JPG


Beautiful crop!

I like the weights on the quad. Very easy to add or remove and multipurpose as well.


----------



## VA Haymaker

#1 driver giving her Dad a workout....


----------



## Vol

leeave96 said:


> #1 driver giving her Dad a workout....


That is excellent Bill.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Gearclash

Baling.









Last pass. Theres a CAT lurking out there somewhere . . .









Stashed away for awhile.


----------



## stack em up

[quote name="Gearclash" post="724073" timestamp="1498359896"]
Last pass. Theres a CAT lurking out there somewhere . . . 







IMG_0805.JPG

I spy, with my little eye, something yellow!!!


----------



## FarmerCline

Gearclash said:


> Baling.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_0800.JPG
> Last pass. Theres a CAT lurking out there somewhere . . .
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_0805.JPG
> Stashed away for awhile.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_0807.JPG


 Very nice looking hay. What kind is it?


----------



## Gearclash

FarmerCline said:


> Very nice looking hay. What kind is it?


Nothing special, just a mix of grasses on floodplain pasture. Fescue, some brome, some bluegrass. The quality could have been better, should have been cut a week or two earlier, and laid for two days longer than it should have due to the weather. We really don't care that much about top quality grass hay. It all goes to the heifers and dry cows anyway. I will note that the bales look nicer following the Massey swather with its TwinMax conditioner than I usually saw with the NH swather.


----------



## skyrydr2

A shot of a sunny Sunday in New England. Started about 10am mowing followed with tedding. The field being raked was done yesterday.
Lets keep the fingers crossed we get at least 2 more days like this.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Where abouts in Mass?

I'm in Hollis, about 1 mile west of Nashua & about 3 miles north of Pepperell!


----------



## skyrydr2

Im about 35 minutes from you headed south west down the Rt2/2A corridor.


----------



## endrow

Soybeans are coming through where we took the barley off,, and I forgot to get pictures of the combining


----------



## endrow

And the wheat is about ready it did not need that two inches of rain two days ago, we are going to start very soon, hoping the rain did not do too much damage to the quality


----------



## slvr98svt

Finally had a chance to get 18 acres of Teff in, finished just as it started to rain. My luck its all washed away or under a heavy layer of mud now.


----------



## DLCC2

So I had a guy call me wanting to do some custom haying bc the guy he usually uses has had some issues. I went and looked at the field about a month ago and it looked good them but since Mother Nature feels like she needs to make up for last summers drought in the months or May and June, I'm behind. We finally got a few days for (forecasted) dry weather and I started laying it down. Here is about the time I started questioning if I made the right choice. To late to back out now !!

View attachment Rocky Hollow Field# 2.MOV


----------



## endrow

And So It Begins


----------



## PaMike

Hauling right into Snavely's or is it going into the bin till winter? I haven't seen any wheat come off yet here.


----------



## swmnhay

Meadow Brome


----------



## Idaho Hay

Here in the northwest we've been having a good hay year. We seemed to get plenty of rain at the right times. This is a 12 acre field that I just planted last year in a pure stand of late maturing Timothy. I got 34 tons off of it :blink:... that's 2.8 tons per acre. My New Holland 5070 had a full mouth the whole time. And to make it even better, I was able to cut it at optimal maturity. I'm sending a sample out for testing and am hoping the CP will be in the low teens... We'll see.


----------



## Vol

Very nice Idaho! Looks like you have a very thick stand of grass.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Trotwood2955

Started on some of the second cutting OG this week. This field averaged 34 bales/acre which I thought was respectable given that it has only been 39 days between cuttings which is a shorter window than we usually cut, but the weather has been perfect and it suited my schedule this week. Round baled some yesterday that averaged 2.5 4x5/acre and have a little more to square bale today. Then will be putting more N down and hopefully get a little more rain this weekend on all of it.


----------



## Hayman1

Trotwood2955 said:


> Started on some of the second cutting OG this week. This field averaged 34 bales/acre which I thought was respectable given that it has only been 39 days between cuttings which is a shorter window than we usually cut, but the weather has been perfect and it suited my schedule this week. Round baled some yesterday that averaged 2.5 4x5/acre and have a little more to square bale today. Then will be putting more N down and hopefully get a little more rain this weekend on all of it.


looks nice Trotwood, hope mine yields the same this pm. got 19 ac to get up. was raking last night at 7 but could hardly keep it in the windrow with the breeze. I would have rather raked today but can now just flip it over around noon and bale at 4. mine has been 42 days but no rain at all during that period. I suspect that there is still some of the n +S that I put on after first cutting still available so I figured to skip the second topdressing.


----------



## Trotwood2955

I hear you on the breeze, the field this pic was taken in we had to spend quite a bit of time at the end cleaning up windblown windrows. I told my wife not to start raking too early this afternoon as I expect it will be bone dry and even more prone to scattering before I can get there to start baling. We have been very lucky with rain so far this summer down this way, minus late winter/early spring when it was dry.


----------



## endrow

Wheat Harvest got us on behind on a second cutting,, Mowed a Big Field of second cutting Alfalfa Orchard Grass mix today it was full bloom but it will make nice horse hay and I had sprayed it for leafhopper 10 days ago and it's good I did. I included a picture of a little wedge I skipped in the one corner of the field , the bugs found it and really chewed it up


----------



## endrow

Wheat Harvest is in the books for this year and the yield was well I have to let you know what it is when we get everything tallied up. We cut till 10:30 the night before it is not often you can do that here with a combine it usually gets wet much quicker than that. A helper in today with a big green combine


----------



## endrow

Had 15 Acres designated to test some new varieties and put some new ones up against some of the old ones, our favorite is Stihl FS 840,, first picture two varieties that posted 100 bushel per acre


----------



## cjsr8595

Knocked out a little over 10 acres of OG and clover last week. It yielded about 3 tons/acre. It was a wet spring and hay making has been behind.


----------



## endrow

Lots of baills to pick up


----------



## PaMike

So did you buy the kubota skidsteer??? Fill us in!!!


----------



## Tim/South

Had a challenging week

Getting the last roll off the field before the scattered storms found us. Looks like the picture will post sideways.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Loaded the wagon trying to get it all to the barn in one trip. And doesn't everyone need to stop and wet a line between baling hay every now and then?


----------



## woodland

Tim/South said:


> Had a challenging week
> Getting the last roll off the field before the scattered storms found us. Looks like the picture will post sideways.


Normally I'm baling like mad and just happy to get the field rolled up before getting wet. You're doing great to have them picked as well!


----------



## endrow

Lewis Ranch said:


> Loaded the wagon trying to get it all to the barn in one trip. And doesn't everyone need to stop and wet a line between baling hay every now and then?


 nice catch and that's a better way to take a break then this


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> Wheat Harvest got us on behind on a second cutting,, Mowed a Big Field of second cutting Alfalfa Orchard Grass mix today it was full bloom but it will make nice horse hay and I had sprayed it for leafhopper 10 days ago and it's good I did. I included a picture of a little wedge I skipped in the one corner of the field , the bugs found it and really chewed it up


Teddered it 12 hours post mowing and raked it 36 hours post mowing hoping to bail today chance of storms increasing


----------



## woodland

Got the first 100 acres wrapped this year. My folks and brother were on holidays so my wife stepped up and did most of the baling with one kid while I raked and wrapped with the other. Got 343 bales weighing a ton a piece at 35% moisture so it turned out much better than I thought it would. Got it done before the rain which usually doesn't happen around here.























Should make some critters happy this winter. Hopefully the rest goes up as smoothly.


----------



## FarmerCline

Been a busy week here.....baled second cut alfalfa which was very mature and should have been cut over two weeks ago. Wish I would have had the option to round bale it to get it off the field as I now have a barn full of mature squares that is taking up the limited barn space that I am going to need for better hay. Hauled the last load to the barn in the rain last night.

Also harvested the spring oats this week. They have been ready for about two weeks as well but between the combine which has been almost constantly broke down and all the rain we had this was the first chance I had to harvest. Haven't hauled the oats to the feed mill yet and I'm kind of afraid they might not take it as there are a lot of purple tinted shriveled grains......I'm guessing some kind of toxin. At least the straw looks good as that might be my saving grace.....made about 65 bales an acre.

This has been a very trying and frustrating year in all aspects so far. For the first time ever I have actually been starting question if I really want to stay in this business.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> This has been a very trying and frustrating year in all aspects so far. For the first time ever I have actually been starting question if I really want to stay in this business.
> image.jpeg


It won't be the last time either, we are having a rough time here this year too. I should have baled about 8,000 more than I have so far. It ain't looking good and I find myself asking the same question at times but I don't think I could do anything else.


----------



## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> It won't be the last time either, we are having a rough time here this year too. I should have baled about 8,000 more than I have so far. It ain't looking good and I find myself asking the same question at times but I don't think I could do anything else.


 I would be lying if I said I haven't been giving some serious consideration into other career options but the trouble is I'm not coming up very many ideas that I like. I truly love to farm but I am starting to wonder as it seems like I put in a lot of hard hours and many times end up with nothing to show for it. One thing is for certain though and that is I have came to the conclusion there is no viable long term future in farming where I live.


----------



## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> I would be lying if I said I haven't been giving some serious consideration into other career options but the trouble is I'm not coming up very many ideas that I like. I truly love to farm but I am starting to wonder as it seems like I put in a lot of hard hours and many times end up with nothing to show for it. One thing is for certain though and that is I have came to the conclusion there is no viable long term future in farming where I live.


Small squares seem to be the best option here most of the time.....grain market needs to be really rolling before it is worthwhile here.

Specialty vegetabes is another option as they seem to be consistently profitable, but that requires some hispanic connections.

You will make the most money here buying and selling real estate....and I am pretty sure that is true of your area. Buy a small lot or tract and get the feel of it a bit...keep your haying for diversification.

Regards, Mike


----------



## skyrydr2

This is a terrible year here as well, due to rain we jusy cant seem to get it done with out getting rained on at least once! 
What is tough for me is its my first time at it seriously and im getting my jewels smashed... but i do have a serious off the farm job that has basically paid for my toys. 
This is part of a 5 year plan.. and hopefully I have it profitable by then so I can retire from the real job and farm full time.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Cool wet spring really delayed things here but a warm spell the end of April got the grass really growing so it was way ahead. End of may first week of June was rather busy getting hay cut and chopped and corn started. Filled the one silo and focused on planting corn. Should've done more hay at the same time but got the corn in just in time before these almost daily rains set in. Needs to warm up and dry out. Got the round baler out and ready. Haven't even moved the square baler yet...





Pictures don't really do justice




Really like the 7000 


Was a beautiful evening to plant till about one pass after this picture and one of the lines for the markers blew out where it had rubbed through spewing oil every where


----------



## endrow

Finished up planting all the wheat ground into beans yesterday and kept the drill goong most of the night good thing. Right after we got done a storm came up with a half inch of rain, finishing up felt good


----------



## stack em up

Cutting the last of alfalfa cover crop. Soft bearded barley, Horsepower oats and forage peas. The rest was chopped earlier in the week, this I'm gonna try and make dry hay for fresh cows.


----------



## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> Small squares seem to be the best option here most of the time.....grain market needs to be really rolling before it is worthwhile here.
> 
> Specialty vegetabes is another option as they seem to be consistently profitable, but that requires some hispanic connections.
> 
> You will make the most money here buying and selling real estate....and I am pretty sure that is true of your area. Buy a small lot or tract and get the feel of it a bit...keep your haying for diversification.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 I looked into vegetables a few years ago and found out they aren't really an option for me.....besides the labor issue I don't have any ground that would be suitable for vegetable production as pretty much all of it is hilly, rocky, and no available irrigation not to mention it would have to have a deer proof fence built around it if up you wanted to have anything to harvest. Up in the mountains there is a fair amount of vegetables grown in the river bottoms but not down here.

After a significant loss of acreage in the past year I'm trying to phase out grain production. I had planned on keeping the the old combine as it really isn't worth much so I could still grow some small grain to have straw to bale as I have a good market for a limited quantity of straw but the piece of scrap metal isn't reliable enough to even get 15 acres of oats harvested over a 3 week period.

I have never thought about getting into real estate before. Might be worth a look into but I'm really not so sure how that would work out as the local economy is pretty bad and this isn't a tourist area like it is over your way.

Im not going to any hasty decision that I may regret but I really am considering what other career options there might be for me. If I do want to stay in farming for the long run I'm going to need to relocate due to a lack of available land to farm here.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> I looked into vegetables a few years ago and found out they aren't really an option for me.....besides the labor issue I don't have any ground that would be suitable for vegetable production as pretty much all of it is hilly, rocky, and no available irrigation not to mention it would have to have a deer proof fence built around it if up you wanted to have anything to harvest. Up in the mountains there is a fair amount of vegetables grown in the river bottoms but not down here.
> After a significant loss of acreage in the past year I'm trying to phase out grain production. I had planned on keeping the the old combine as it really isn't worth much so I could still grow some small grain to have straw to bale as I have a good market for a limited quantity of straw but the piece of scrap metal isn't reliable enough to even get 15 acres of oats harvested over a 3 week period.
> I have never thought about getting into real estate before. Might be worth a look into but I'm really not so sure how that would work out as the local economy is pretty bad and this isn't a tourist area like it is over your way.
> Im not going to any hasty decision that I may regret but I really am considering what other career options there might be for me. If I do want to stay in farming for the long run I'm going to need to relocate due to a lack of available land to farm here.


Unless you are born into a farming family with land it's gonna be a struggle for a long while, atleast that's the conclusion I've come to. Here we have plenty of market for good quality hay but I need to be able to control Mother Nature a little more which means putting in irrigation. Trying to buy a piece of land and irrigate it plus build barns just can't be penciled out. I've found a piece of ground I'd love to buy but coming up with the money required is gonna be a struggle.


----------



## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> If I do want to stay in farming for the long run I'm going to need to relocate due to a lack of available land to farm here.


I was thinking that due South of you around Shelby that there was some pretty good farmland??

Regards, Mike


----------



## Vol

Lewis Ranch said:


> I've found a piece of ground I'd love to buy but coming up with the money required is gonna be a struggle.


It won't be a struggle for as long as you think. I made the same mistake when I was younger.....worrying about how I was going to make it work. If you can hang on for the first 6-7 years then it will get easier. If you have the opportunity to get your foot in the door, you have to seize it.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Vol said:


> It won't be a struggle for as long as you think. I made the same mistake when I was younger.....worrying about how I was going to make it work. If you can hang on for the first 6-7 years then it will get easier. If you have the opportunity to get your foot in the door, you have to seize it.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Land here keeps going up with Dallas moving ever closer. I know once I get rolling on a new place I can handle the hurt for a little while. I've been liquidating some equipment to better position myself to purchase a piece of land but I'm still working on the needed $$ in the bank to get the ball rolling. I'll be selling a few more pieces of iron in the coming months to get started which I'll have to build back up in the coming years. It's now or never.


----------



## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> I was thinking that due South of you around Shelby that there was some pretty good farmland??
> 
> Regards, Mike


There is some pretty decent farmland down that way. I have actually tried for the past few years to rent some with no luck. Farmland is in very high demand down there and unless you know someone it is nearly impossible to get your foot in the door on a piece of ground. When I was trying to rent some ground down there it was going to be for grain production and not hay. It is a 45min-1hr drive down there so it wouldn't be very feasible to make hay that far away and haul it back here. The only way it would work for hay would be to try to find a place to buy and build a barn. If I did that I would have to make sure I was going to be in it for the long run for it to work out and if I was going to buy the Shelby area isn't really where I would want to put down roots.

My hope was to be able to make enough farming what I I currently have been to be able to relocate in a few years to a different area and buy a place but rent some land as well....unfortunately it doesn't look like it is going to work out that way. I just can't make any headway trying to farm little 2-5 acre patches that are scattered over 10 miles on the road....just too inefficient and time consuming....especially doing small squares of alfalfa. That is why I have come to the point that I need to make a decision if I really want to continue to farm or do something else.


----------



## hillside hay

A little plumbing and electrical work goes a long way funding farming. Couple of toilets and HWH per month in conjunction with a couple quick wiring jobs will cover your living expenses. I'm sure it's stuff you are easily able to do and probably have the tools already.


----------



## endrow

Took a load of hay to New Holland auction and I walked across the street to the horse auction


----------



## VA Haymaker

Not my videos but IMHO they are good and informative.


----------



## Idaho Hay

Finished the last of first the cutting on Monday. Took a 16 hour day, but all the hay is in the barn and my family and I were able to enjoy the 4th.


----------



## woodland

First time using the new to us tedder. Field was cut yesterday and got tedded this morning and the way the wind is blowing it might even go tomorrow. Fingers crossed. Finished the silage baling of weedy pathetic new alfalfa fields and got 850 bales which I think is pretty good considering it's basically a two person operation. Hopefully the weather holds since this is just the start of hay season for us northerners.


----------



## fball1208

Well with all the damn rain we have gotten so far we are WAY behind, finally topped 1000 squares with about 3-4k more to go


----------



## Vol

fball1208 said:


> Well with all the damn rain we have gotten so far we are WAY behind, finally topped 1000 squares with about 3-4k more to go


Rain is the life blood of agriculture. You will probably see the day when you wished it would rain.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Tim/South

Vol said:


> Rain is the life blood of agriculture. You will probably see the day when you wished it would rain.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Our cows are not swimming yet but a few are learning to dog-paddle.

I will never complain about too much rain. After last years drought and hauling 1500 gallons of water per day to thirsty cows, I smile when it rain every day.

Liquid sunshine.

It is July and we have only 50% of our first cutting done. The grass is over mature but at least we have plenty.


----------



## DLCC2

Tim/South said:


> Our cows are not swimming yet but a few are learning to dog-paddle.
> 
> I will never complain about too much rain. After last years drought and hauling 1500 gallons of water per day to thirsty cows, I smile when it rain every day.
> 
> Liquid sunshine.
> 
> It is July and we have only 50% of our first cutting done. The grass is over mature but at least we have plenty.


If I find someone who offers bovine swimming lessons I'll send them your way when they get done at the house. :lol: I agree after last years drought I was tickled to see rain but I really don't think Mother Nature had to make up for 100+ days dry with a steady rain. I was hesitant to experiment with an alfalfa crop but planted it anyway and now its sort of yellowed up and the best i can figure is to much rain. My brother ( Auburn grad Agronomist) got the nutrient levels where they need to be but its awful soggy out there.


----------



## Vol

DLCC2 said:


> I was hesitant to experiment with an alfalfa crop but planted it anyway and now its sort of yellowed up and the best i can figure is to much rain.


One good hot dry week here in the Southland and that yellow will disappear....and it looks like we may have it coming.

Regards, Mike


----------



## FarmerCline

Tim/South said:


> Our cows are not swimming yet but a few are learning to dog-paddle.
> I will never complain about too much rain. After last years drought and hauling 1500 gallons of water per day to thirsty cows, I smile when it rain every day.
> Liquid sunshine.
> It is July and we have only 50% of our first cutting done. The grass is over mature but at least we have plenty.


 In my opinion one extreme or the other is equally bad. Even after as dry as it was last summer if I had to choose between too little or too much rain I would still choose too little. At least in a moderately dry season the hay can be baled in a timely fashion without a high risk of getting wet and even though it might not be a bumper crop at least it will be of higher value. In a wet year there is an overabundace of mature and rained on hay that isn't worth much. At least that is the way I view it as a horse hay producer.


----------



## Tim/South

FarmerCline said:


> In my opinion one extreme or the other is equally bad. Even after as dry as it was last summer if I had to choose between too little or too much rain I would still choose too little. At least in a moderately dry season the hay can be baled in a timely fashion without a high risk of getting wet and even though it might not be a bumper crop at least it will be of higher value. In a wet year there is an overabundace of mature and rained on hay that isn't worth much. At least that is the way I view it as a horse hay producer.


Moderately dry is alright. There is still hay to cut.

We had the worst drought in recorded history here. No pasture grass, no hay to cut.

Our hay fields are thick again. We have ample grass in the pastures. Granted we have the expected weed issues in both pastures and hay fields. No grass left bare ground and a chance for anything to germinate and it did.

Last year during the Fall cutting I got one roll per 4 acres and glad to get that. This year it is 4 rolls per acre.


----------



## fball1208

Rain is a good thing but a few dry days every now and then would let us get this hay made. Most of what we make goes to horse people so its hard to get dry hay with all the rain.


----------



## FarmerCline

Tim/South said:


> Moderately dry is alright. There is still hay to cut.
> We had the worst drought in recorded history here. No pasture grass, no hay to cut.
> Our hay fields are thick again. We have ample grass in the pastures. Granted we have the expected weed issues in both pastures and hay fields. No grass left bare ground and a chance for anything to germinate and it did.
> Last year during the Fall cutting I got one roll per 4 acres and glad to get that. This year it is 4 rolls per acre.


 Yeah, I knew the drought was really bad in your area last here.....much worse than here and it was really bad here. There was no hay cut here after mid August as there was no moisture for anything to grow. Went over three months with almost no rainfall.

Like I said extremes like that either wet or dry are equally bad in different ways. This year has been quite wet.....I have seen it worse but it has been a real struggle to get hay made. Right now I have a barn full of mature hay that I don't have a market for and I still have some first cutting still to make.


----------



## Westernstar

Second cutting alfalfa, kinda smoky this morning


----------



## Vol

Nice looking lucerne.....fine stemmed. Do you have fires in the area? Nice country....it looks gamey.

Regards, Mike


----------



## sethd11

Just random pictures from North Illinois. 
Hay baled that day had a light pre washing event but was still fairly decent quality.


----------



## endrow

A new seeding wet hay today, tedded it up for dry tomorrow


----------



## Trotwood2955

What brand of wrap are you using endrow? Been seeing some that looks the same around my area this year.


----------



## endrow

Trotwood2955 said:


> What brand of wrap are you using endrow? Been seeing some that looks the same around my area this year.


 magic blue


----------



## PaMike

Magic blue? Never heard of that. Where do you get that?


----------



## stilsonian

3rd cutting Alicia Bermudagrass. Using a 348 Deere baler behind a 6400 Deere Cab tractor with a Parrish 10 bale accumulator and grapple (on a Kubota M9540) to pack and load with.

Mowed










Tedded










Raked & Baled


----------



## DLCC2

Vol said:


> One good hot dry week here in the Southland and that yellow will disappear....and it looks like we may have it coming.
> 
> Regards, Mike


That's what I needed to hear. It at least will help me sleep better. Granted the shot of potash and am. sulfate really darkened it back up, there is still some yellowing in the lower spots. To my knowledge, we are one of the few alfalfa grows in AL and I know for a fact the only one in our area. Some of the old timers I've talked to used to grow it before all the dairies pulled out of this area so I knew it could be done. I'll have to say HT has been the biggest help I've had with figuring out everything from soil prep all the way to harvest techniques because alfalfa is considerably different from the grass hay that is most common down here and for that i want to say. Thank You!

Tyler


----------



## endrow

got someone in to help combine the Rye we only have 18 Acres but is a terribly slow process, the straw is green ,the grain is dry and they want rain tomorrow


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

Progress is very slow UP here this year. Lots of rain and cool weather makes for slow progress. Pretty much all the fields have standing water in them or water that appears after the first pass of the tractor. Been hard to get the grass dry enough to wrap for silage even. Thinking I may have to put duals back on a tractor so that I can get some mowing done without getting stuck. Hopefully things turn around here soon.


----------



## endrow

Took a 30 Acre Farm with mostly hilly ground May 15th Planted corn right away, and with the weather we've been having it's been coming along pretty good for late corn


----------



## Teslan

Cutting some 2nd cutting orchard/brome. Gambling and praying


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## endrow

Trotwood2955 said:


> What brand of wrap are you using endrow? Been seeing some that looks the same around my area this year.


 the guy I buy it from gets it from Pollybenco, it is Amish owned plastic capital of the East Coast


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## PaMike

endrow said:


> the guy I buy it from gets it from Pollybenco, it is Amish owned plastic capital of the East Coast


I hear that Benco guy is a real piece of work...He has a reputation down in the Leola area..


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## Bgriffin856

endrow said:


> Took a 30 Acre Farm with mostly hilly ground May 15th Planted corn right away, and with the weather we've been having it's been coming along pretty good for late corn


Totally different world here only good dry ground that was planted around the same time as your corn looks that decent. Wet ground planted that early is not even close to looking that nice. Had high hopes of having a good corn crop this year and we planted alot more but mother nature pissed that away....I'll just say you can definitely tell where the wet ground is. Hopefully we'll be able to get it sprayed when it dries out before it gets too tall. But from the looks of things we are doing alot better than some. Just makes one sick when you see drown out crops or fields of beautiful hay that's way past prime standing in mud


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## Bgriffin856

Speaking of corn, had a group of ten bred Holstein heifers get out and helped they selves to some nice second crop and knee tall corn early last week. Chewed it right off to a stub. Three days later I went by it and had to stop and look twice it was grown back to almost look like nothing happened









Luckily only had three loads in this bag before we had a microburst/straight line wind come through with some golf ball sized hail for a couple minutes. One of my biggest fears of using silage bags were realized this day









Not real happy with this brand of bag either


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## Westernstar

Got all my dollars in a row . If my knotters will work without a mechanic present I'll be a happy man tomorrow. Accumulator and grapple are best thing ever


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## CowboyRam

Dad talks about when he was young grandpa bought a brand new New Holland baler, and they had problems with it, would not tie a knot. The guys from the factory came out to their farm and all they had was a sledge hammer and a crowbar. They bent on that baler, and as soon as they had left the darn thing stop working properly. I think this had to be back in the 1940's. They had an old Case baler that they never had a problem with. Dad ran the shuttle on the baler because he was the oldest and was strong enough to do so, my uncle Duane tied, and uncle Roy drove the tractor. They never had a problem with that old Case baler.


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## stilsonian

Got in a third cutting on one of our Tift 85 fields this week (baled today). This field is always a big producer for us (typically 2.5 - 3 tons/acre). Made 105 bales to the acre today (55# bale avg). Very pleased for a non-irrigated field.

Mowed










Tedded










Baled/Grappling


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## Westernstar

Well I think I figured out my knotter problem. The needles had moved into the chamber slightly and I'd lengthened the rod to compensate. Checked the book specs and it needed lengthened more. Anyway was throwing every knot problem in the book. Then would be sweet for a couple hundred bales. I've tied a couple hundred knots in the accumulator chute the last two nights. Finally put the needle carriage back bam brick after brick


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## 32-0-0

Very impressive yield...tell me about your fertilizing program...do you put down fertilizer after every cutting? Do you use liquid or dry fertilizer?

uote name="stilsonian" post="737642" timestamp="1499999523"]

Got in a third cutting on one of our Tift 85 fields this week (baled today). This field is always a big producer for us (typically 2.5 - 3 tons/acre). Made 105 bales to the acre today (55# bale avg). Very pleased for a non-irrigated field.

Mowed










Tedded










Baled/Grappling








[/quote]


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## paoutdoorsman

Pic #1 - Tedding out wheat straw after a bath

Pic # 2 - Raking it back into windrows

Video - Baling with the 4590 and Parrish accumulator setup.


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## VA Haymaker

Short shower right before I got to the farm, cut anyway. Hesston 1110 did a great job. Tractor is a JD5055d.

Second cutting Clair Timothy. Thick and thin spots, the pics don't do justice to what volume there is....


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## stilsonian

32-0-0 said:


> Very impressive yield...tell me about your fertilizing program...do you put down fertilizer after every cutting? Do you use liquid or dry fertilizer?


Nothing out of the ordinary really. We granulate early spring once final frost has hit (or so we think, some years) with at least 80 units of 46-0-0 and whatever potash we need. Most fields are good pH wise, so little lime is needed. For Perennial Peanuts, we put out 30-40 units of potash and some sulfur and boron. Hit the fields with GrazonNext and 2,4-DB (for the per. peanuts) and see what the rainfall does. Once grass appears in the per. peanuts, we hit it with cleanse or fusilade.

First cutting (late April) is usually earlier than normal as we often have some volunteer rye grass in the mix. After first cutting, we'll pop 15-20 gallons an acre of S25 liquid nitrogen (about 2.75 lbs of N per gallon) if we're expecting rainfall soon. If not, we'll fertilize with 46-0-0 again with N-Zone added to prevent volatilizing.

Second cutting, do the same and may have to spray for other weeds or invasive grasses if they've come up by then (usually mid-June or so). Perennial peanuts typically get first cutting at this point. We usually throw some potash back out on the per. peanuts after the first cutting to speed regrowth.

Third cutting, usually a little lighter on the Nitrogen as usually there's plenty in the soil at this point. Start looking for armyworms.

Fourth/Fifth/Sixth cutting, usually 15 gallons of S25 as we're getting into Hurricane season and rainfall is usually abundant and dry patterns are more predictable.

No fertilizer before final cutting (usually early November). Burn off fields in Jan/Feb and spray Round-Up as needed for Vaseygrass and Rye to prep for next season. Pray for rain and nothing to break.

After some cuttings, we'll go as heavy as 50-60 units an acre of N to really speed up growth. Tift 85 likes this more so than Alicia or Russell as they like to brown up a bit with heavy liquid application and 85 seems to take it better. Plus 85 grows like a weed with that much N and good rainfall (or irrigation). As long as you have the clients for coarser bermudagrass, 85 is tough to beat. Alicia is so much prettier though.


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## Uphayman

On a return from a delivery, traffic slowed west of Wausau Wi. Where there's smoke there's fire. Bad day for this load.


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## CowboyRam

Uphayman said:


> On a return from a delivery, traffic slowed west of Wausau Wi. Where there's smoke there's fire. Bad day for this load.
> 
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It don't take long to engulf a load. Years ago I stopped a truck that was on fire. It had just started in the back of the load, and by the time we got the trucker stopped and he quickly unhooked the tractor the entire load was a blaze. He was lucky to get his tractor unhooked.


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## Vol

Uphayman said:


> On a return from a delivery, traffic slowed west of Wausau Wi. Where there's smoke there's fire. Bad day for this load.
> 
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Probably a brake fire or a "flipped" cigarette. That is a bad deal.

Regards, Mike


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## chevytaHOE5674

Finally got to knock down about 20 acres of hay. Hopefully we can get it dry with how wet the ground is underneath. Always nice when you get something done with no breakdowns. haha


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## Vol

chevytaHOE5674 said:


> Finally got to knock down about 20 acres of hay. Hopefully we can get it dry with how wet the ground is underneath. Always nice when you get something done with no breakdowns. haha


How in the world do you keep the whitetail out of that field when it's surrounded by timber?

Regards, Mike


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## Smoothy

ChevyTahoe do you have clay ground that's a problem we usually have. Sun comes out and evaperates through the hay. Hay picks up moisture and takes another day to dry.


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## chevytaHOE5674

Heavy clay ground, hard drying especially this year. Lake Superior is only about 3/8 of a mile off in the distance of those pictures so it makes drying hard also.

All our fields are surrounded by timber, 20 acres for this area is a large field most of mine are 5-10 acres surrounded by trees. We have some deer, but the wolves and 300 inches of yearly snowfall thin down the heard pretty well.


----------



## endrow

Had to start spraying for leafhopper can't believe how far along some of my second cutting is, really growing fast. Also have second cutting laying and some of the cut yet. Raked some tonight to hoping to get it before the next rain


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## endrow

Had to start spraying for leafhopper can't believe how far along some of my second cutting is, really growing fast. Also have second cutting laying and some of the cut yet. Raked some tonight to hoping to get it before the next rain


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## Smoothy

Where you located ChevyTahoe?


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## VA Haymaker

2nd cut Clair Timothy going into the barn....


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## skyrydr2

Boy caught a break this weekend!
Managed to get 300 bales knocked out in less than 24 hours lucky lucky lucky!


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## chevytaHOE5674

Upper Peninsula of Michigan, about 1/4 of a mile from the shores of Lake Superior.


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## Smoothy

I'm just south of Ashland I know what you mean by dealing with the "big pond". Got another 40 up today only 200 left hopefully before the snow flys!!


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## paoutdoorsman

Third cutting alfalfa is past my knee and early bud. Probably going to work at some of that this week if the weather is favorable.


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## FarmerCline

paoutdoorsman said:


> Third cutting alfalfa is past my knee and early bud. Probably going to work at some of that this week if the weather is favorable.


 Nice looking alfalfa! How many days since last cutting? Mine would have already lodged flat on the ground before it gets that big.


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## paoutdoorsman

FarmerCline said:


> Nice looking alfalfa! How many days since last cutting? Mine would have already lodged flat on the ground before it gets that big.


Thanks! That field was last cut on June 20th, so 27'ish days.


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## Bgriffin856

"Rain is a good thing" "Rain makes grain" or something like that.....























Spraying with two tractors hooked to each other is about as fun as spreading manure with two tractors. ...

Luckily this is the wettest poorest field of corn we have the rest look much better


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## chevytaHOE5674

Smoothy said:


> I'm just south of Ashland I know what you mean by dealing with the "big pond". Got another 40 up today only 200 left hopefully before the snow flys!!


Yeah she really changes the weather. Got down to 44 degrees last night with the breeze off the water. Hard to dry hay at 44 degrees.


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## Coondle

Vol said:


> Probably a brake fire or a "flipped" cigarette. That is a bad deal.
> 
> Regards, Mike


First hand experience of a "flipped cigarette" at least that is what the insurance assessor said after inspecting what was left my truck.

Shifting a load of about 250 idiot cuboids on a tandem drive flatbed and at dusk caught a reflection of fire on the windscreen. Turned around and through the back window saw the load well alight in the front.

Hauled up real smart, called the fire brigade, then jumped out climbed up and started heaving the bales off. Had got quite a few off but then pulling up on the strings, the strings were burnt and the hay stayed. A passer-by had stopped and said the fire underneath had reached about 6 feet further back than me standing on top. Decided then to get off rather than fall into the burning hay below. No easy task being about 14 feet off the ground on 3 sides and a fire on the fourth side. Sure does focus the mind with the survival instinct kicked in.

A few bales off lowered my height off the ground and made a softer landing platform for me considering i had no parachute.

Fire brigades arrived with a tanker and they foamed 4,000 gallons of water but that meant the fire burned for an hour-and-a-half rather than an hour, plus made a lot of wet, charred hay on the road.

After I dismounted I went and opened the driver's side door to be greeted with a burst of very black smoke with flame dancing around in it. That caused me to abandon any thought of rescuing my personal belongings.

The fire in the cab was so hot that brass keys on the ring in the ignition melted together and fell through a hole in the floor (previously occupied by a rubber grommet) onto the road. The key in the ignition stayed there as it had a plastic head that merely melted and liberated the other keys on the ring.

The fire on the tray lit the drive tyres up on their top from the radiant heat.

The only items i salvaged were 2 new 12V batteries tat were unscathed, a couple of melted brass keys and an 18 inch shifting spanner (crescent) that I still have to remind me of one peril in the hay transport game. It is still blackened and mottled in appearance but hangs in my shed in all its forlorn glory.

Losing my truck to the fire was the first blow in the battle with the insurance company to give a full payout. It did eventually but it is easier cut load and cart hay than to deal with an insurance company bent on keeping hold of money :wub: .

I still remember the feelings of mixed frustration, anger, despair and helplessness as I stood and watched my recently bought truck and load of hay burn on into the growing darkness of night and the waiting in the dark for the tow truck (wrecker) and for my wife to take me home without a crucial part of my new non-hay business operation, the truck. That loss put me and my fledgling business to the doors of bankruptcy but fortunately the doors failed to open

Every time I see a report of a roadside hay fire my heart goes out to those effected.


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## Bgriffin856

Laid out the rest of the home farm......weather guessers miss the forecast two days of rain ended up with nothing :angry: could've had a lot more done
















Temps in the upper 70's low humidity and a good breeze. Drying quick


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## clowers

chevytaHOE5674 said:


> Finally got to knock down about 20 acres of hay. Hopefully we can get it dry with how wet the ground is underneath. Always nice when you get something done with no breakdowns. haha


Beautiful field


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## SVFHAY

Coondle said:


> then jumped out climbed up and started heaving the bales off. Had got quite a few off but then pulling up on the strings, the strings were burnt and the hay stayed.


 yeah, I been there brother.

My experience wasn't quite as traumatic as yours though. A broken spring mount on a drop deck semi trailer left tire rub steel deck causing hay to smoulder. I got on top, 8 layers, and there was smoke coming out up there.

I got into extreme unload mode at that point. Twenty couple years ago and I was in my prime, it didn't take long to get to second layer from the floor. I gave a bale a jerk and darn near fell off the truck with only 2 burnt strings in my hands. Burning bales off one side,good ones off the other. A couple of fire extinguishers and some snow thrown on the mess and I could breathe easy.

A passer by was gonna give me ride to a pay phone to call for cleanup help and just as we were pulling out, in rolled the fire department.

A little disappointed that they got out of bed at three in the morning for nothing they proceeded to water the whole mess down. Being below freezing the whole mess promptly froze to the ground. I think before they showed up I may have lost a dozen bales.

Father brought a dump truck and cleanup went on quite a while.

Coondle, I continue to be surprised with how many experiences we have in common. Just a shame you live on the wrong side of the big blue ball.


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## Coondle

SVFHAY said:


> Coondle, I continue to be surprised with how many experiences we have in common. Just a shame you live on the wrong side of the big blue ball.


Ahhh but IMHO I be on the best even if upside down side.

Same industry, similar language, not dis-similar heritage so many of us have to have a range of experiences that are common. There is a list of those that I would prefer to not have had on my CV and would be very happy to not have again.


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## Vol

Coondle said:


> Ahhh but IMHO I be on the best even if upside down side.


I don't doubt that for one moment Coondle.....we have forever lost our country to mind disease....liberalism....and it spreads like Rotavirus.

Regards, Mike


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## endrow

Cleaning Rye for seed


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## Farmineer95

Finally enough dry time to get hay dry. Only rained on 1 time.was making a mess with skid loader picking up bales so went over it with pulverizer to knock down the high spots.
Started raining 1/2through a 16 acre field


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## chevytaHOE5674

One field baled up before the rains came again. Another inch fell yesterday, seems like every 3rd pr 4th day we get at least .5"+ of rain. Nothing every dries up, standing water in places that I've never seen water.


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## stilsonian

Mowed some WAY overdue Perennial Peanuts today. Rain hasn't given us 4-5 days of dry/hot weather to have the confidence, but we got a favorable forecast for this week....so I mowed. Couple of days of low rpm tedding and we hope to bale this weekend. Fingers crossed.


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## somedevildawg

Good luck....I mowed 50 acres today....with three days forecast at 30% I decided to drop some on the ground as well. That's better than the 50-60% we've been a gettin'....


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## stilsonian

somedevildawg said:


> Good luck....I mowed 50 acres today....with three days forecast at 30% I decided to drop some on the ground as well. That's better than the 50-60% we've been a gettin'....


Good luck to you too. Been a challenging year to say the least. My dad always told me a wet year is WAY harder to hay in than a dry year. This year is testament to that.


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## 68cuda

leeave96 said:


> 2nd cut Clair Timothy going into the barn....
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> image.jpeg


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## SVFHAY

In an attempt to get caught up I hired a young local guy to make some 3x bales today. He bought this baler from one of our members, jdhayfarmer, and it performed well.

I ran the bandit on the same farm and we got some acres cleaned up without rain, that was a pleasant change. Anyway this farm has some steep areas and I had the first bundle tip of the season. Not to be outdone the youngster stood one up a couple yards away. Pic doesn't do the hill Justice.


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## 68cuda

Finally got some good weather to make some hay.my dad baling my wife and son picking up bales and me unloading and stacking


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## Troy Farmer

No pictures but I finally had favorable weather to get to one of my lease fields. 300 4x5 in two days on 60 acres. A new record for me. Actually did 202 yesterday. Now I got to get it moved.


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## stilsonian

I'll toss some pics up later, but we got 14 acres of Perennial Peanuts baled up today. 1535 bales at 65 lbs a bale. Bumper crop for this field....first time I needed a flap under the tractor to keep the windrow down. Totally exceeded expectations and glad I got it harvested in June as we should get a healthy second cutting off this field in the Fall. Still have two more field of peanuts to mow, but really pleased with today.


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## Troy Farmer

Here's a picture from last weeks baling. We had a good week of weather.


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## Vol

Troy Farmer said:


> image.jpeg
> Here's a picture from last weeks baling. We had a good week of weather.


Very nice Troy.

Regards, Mike


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## FarmerCline

Alfalfa has drowned out in some low spots. I guess I should have planted rice instead....seriously though it is very rare to have water standing here.


----------



## woodland

Just spent the day baling hay that had two separate one inch rains on it after being blown into piles from 60 mph winds before getting soaked. Spent 2.5 hours unplugging the baler from eating wet gobs and I'm exhausted. I was looking forward to baling some nice dry hay tomorrow but it just started raining here. Definitely been a challenging year to get anything put up nice between the humidity and unexpected showers. My cows eat all the "off" feed but it's becoming a problem since there's too much of it. I guess it's a better problem than no feed at all like two years ago here.








My view for wayyyyyyy too much of today.


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## TJ Hendren

It's been an very good year here. This is excess pasture after 1.5 tons of litter and 19 inches of rain in May and 6 weeks of grazing. It was more than the cattle could eat so I decided to bale it.


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## clowers

Nice looking hay


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## somedevildawg

I ain't seen a sky look like that in a month of Sunday's....still blue I see


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## Vol

TJ Hendren said:


> It's been an very good year here. This is excess pasture after 1.5 tons of litter and 19 inches of rain in May and 6 weeks of grazing. It was more than the cattle could eat so I decided to bale it.
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TJ, do you not use the center kicker wheels?

Regards, Mike


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## TJ Hendren

Vol said:


> TJ, do you not use the center kicker wheels?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Don't really need to Mike if it's tedded, and I ted everything anymore. Also what you can't see in the pic is that this was cut at 4.5 inches, so the pickup teeth had no problem getting under the hay. Another factor is that this new to us Explorer 10 wheel is so much better than what we had before there is no comparison in performance of the way the rake works.

Past and present


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## swmnhay

2 nd cutting Alf/Grass (Orchard,Ryegrass,Fescue & Festulolium)


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## Vol

TJ Hendren said:


> Don't really need to Mike if it's tedded, and I ted everything anymore. Also what you can't see in the pic is that this was cut at 4.5 inches, so the pickup teeth had no problem getting under the hay. Another factor is that this new to us Explorer 10 wheel is so much better than what we had before there is no comparison in performance of the way the rake works.
> 
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Yep, those front frame mounted wheels are definitely the way to go.....I have to get me a different wheel rake.

Regards, Mike


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## TJ Hendren

Vol said:


> Yep, those front frame mounted wheels are definitely the way to go.....I have to get me a different wheel rake.
> 
> Regards, Mike


You won't regret it!


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## endrow

Two inches of rain Friday night started cutting Saturday on High Ground ended up with 20 acres of second cutting and 20 acres of third cutting down.And had to let a couple Fields go cuz they were too wet. Got tedded today Sunday, might be able to bail on Monday. I even got to take my motorcycle for a 150 mile ride up north. between morning and evening milking Been running just around about Around the Clock since we started planting corn and now I can see the light at the end of the tunnel I hope we get a day or two off before corn chopping


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## Uphayman

Pulled the trigger and had a custom operator come in and do 100 acres of tf/alfalfa the beginning of last week. 50 semi trailers off 100 acres. Big time yield, not much quality. But we're caught up. Square baled 50 while they were doing their thing. Again big time tonnage. Amazing what 10,00 gallons of dairy manure per acre can do. Had ideal conditions, 15% moisture, bale a minute at 3 mph. (32 foot windrows). Challenge putting 3x5 windrows thru the baler.












View attachment 57450


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## Uphayman

And a few more for your viewing pleasure.....


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## endrow

Uphayman said:


> Pulled the trigger and had a custom operator come in and do 100 acres of tf/alfalfa the beginning of last week. 50 semi trailers off 100 acres. Big time yield, not much quality. But we're caught up. Square baled 50 while they were doing their thing. Again big time tonnage. Amazing what 10,00 gallons of dairy manure per acre can do. Had ideal conditions, 15% moisture, bale a minute at 3 mph. (32 foot windrows). Challenge putting 3x5 windrows thru the baler.
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 did you sell everything you chopped for forage, and was that grass or alfalfa


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## Uphayman

Mostly tall fescue that will be used to feed the heifers we custom raise, currently at 290 head with another130 expected in the next few weeks. Working with two different dairies.


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## paoutdoorsman

endrow said:


> Two inches of rain Friday night started cutting Saturday on High Ground ended up with 20 acres of second cutting and 20 acres of third cutting down.And had to let a couple Fields go cuz they were too wet. Got tedded today Sunday, might be able to bail on Monday.


I got 2 3/10's here, and wish I would have mowed Saturday as well. Going to mow the rest of my third cut alfalfa today.


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## chevytaHOE5674

UPhayman where are you located? Guessing central or southern UP? Nice looking operation.


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## Uphayman

Mid menominee county.


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## mutti_wilson

Just finished 700 bales off 10 acres. Not a huge number but pretty decent for never haying before. We used a Kubota L3350, a 7ft sickle bar, Ford side delivery rake and a Ford 532 balers that me and my brother bought this year. Spent more than a few hours working on machines and figuring the process out. The baler frustrated us a few times, but by the end we had it punching solid bales reliably. Looking forward to next year. The bales are used for my brothers cows and cut off both of our properties.





  








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## skyrydr2

Nice to see old stuff getting used. 
Last 2 afternoons my brother And I, managed to make 600 plus bales and moved 100 yards of fill an old military dump from the 80s.
Found that the old NH 310 makes nice bricks humming along at 500rpms and traveling at about 2mph with maximum capacity windrows. Had to kick pops off the rake! Now we can make bricks!


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## endrow

Last load yesterday steped things up cuz the weatherman moved to showers up


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## PaMike

Looks like a load of nice stuff. Hopefully actually worth some money this year...

I don't know if I ever saw any pics of that old IH before. Is that the tractor that gets used when all the others are tied up?


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## RockyHill

Finally thought to get some pictures from the field; could have something to do with the fact we just had this one small field and Jeff did the baling. While I was in photography mode and we had the three 2955's in use got that family photo  . The last pic's are from after last week's baling. Jeff will always caution me of things to watch for in the field. I was baling and off to my right I saw the big hole and had an ohmygoodness moment. Jeff was picking up hay so I stopped him and ask if he knew about the "big hole" that he would have mowed, teddered, and raked over. Nope. So half a bucket of previously picked up rocks and the track loader put to use. I do have a theory that rocks put into sink holes mysteriously find their way to the top of the ground in other places 

Shelia


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## Trotwood2955

Those are some sharp looking 2955s, and neat how you have one of each body style configuration.


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## RockyHill

Trotwood2955 said:


> Those are some sharp looking 2955s, and neat how you have one of each body style configuration.


We first got the cab tractor in the early 2000s for rolling hay. Jeff's cousin Ricky was a JD service manager and those were one of his favorite tractors. It was his recommendation and we found this one at an estate sale with a 265 loader.

Well I was always saying I wished we had another tractor that would have all the levers in the same place as the cab tractor (it was my moving rolled hay tractor) so I didn't have to figure out which hand needed to be doing what  . We really didn't want/need another cab tractor and Ricky said that a four post would be the same as the cab.

Looked for several years without finding one that would work for one reason or another. We went to a consignment auction where they had the roll bar one. I'd been vetoing the floor gearshifts but everything about the tractor was very good. Jeff had a price set and I kept on encouraging him higher. As the successful bidder I sure was hoping I'd not goofed up. It is frequently discussed that we wouldn't have gotten it without my input at that sale. Jeff really likes the configuration on it. Just a couple of days ago he said something to the effect of he needed to thank me for us getting that tractor.

Last year Jeff found a three different four posts on craigslist. One had been sold, one had some serious issues at a higher price, and the last one came home with us. We had talked about it, but the seller had called Jeff while I was in town and when I got home Jeff told me had bought the tractor. Since I wasn't hearing his buying conversation and we brought it home the day before my birthday, it became my birthday tractor :wub:

So far we haven't gotten the loader brackets put on my tractor so I get to move rolled hay with the roll bar. Amazing how getting the gearshift adjusted so it shifts better and having a seat that will move forward so I can reach the clutch has helped. Still prefer mine though.

Shelia


----------



## luke strawwalker

FarmerCline said:


> Alfalfa has drowned out in some low spots. I guess I should have planted rice instead....seriously though it is very rare to have water standing here.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg


We had rice drown out down here a couple years or so back... too much water and even rice will drown!

It needs to be flooded, but only after a certain point... They flood the fields, let it germinate and grow to about boot deep without the field flooded, and then flood the field a few times until harvest...

Later! OL J R


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

We had 4 days over the weekend of nice hay making weather (hot and dry) and I got a bit done. Have about 80 acres left to go for the season but they are calling for 3+ inches of rain today with some flooding possible and temps only in the 60's.

I used to just do hay for myself and it seemed like I always got it done without too much weather problems. The last 4 years or so I've grown my cattle numbers/hay production and also do more custom work and it seems like every year the weather gets more and more challenging. I upgrade equipment to be able to cover more ground faster which helps, but it just isn't enough to win against mother nature.


----------



## Tim/South

We finally got a weather window to work the larger fields. Made a personal best, 162 rolls yesterday.

It was rough baling upside down like that!


----------



## Vol

Tim/South said:


> We finally got a weather window to work the larger fields. Made a personal best, 162 rolls yesterday.
> 
> It was rough baling upside down like that!


I thought I might see Coondle and Waldo running around in those pics. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## clowers

Tim/South said:


> We finally got a weather window to work the larger fields. Made a personal best, 162 rolls yesterday.
> 
> It was rough baling upside down like that!


I bet it was hard to drink your beverage of choice as well, Tim.


----------



## Coondle

Tim/South said:


> We finally got a weather window to work the larger fields. Made a personal best, 162 rolls yesterday.
> 
> It was rough baling upside down like that!


Thanks Tim/South at last someone has posted photos the right way up for me.


----------



## fball1208

Finally got all but three fields in. The last three are going to be round baled. Then on to the second cut orders.


----------



## TJ Hendren

Tim/South said:


> We finally got a weather window to work the larger fields. Made a personal best, 162 rolls yesterday.
> 
> It was rough baling upside down like that!


I like that upside down thing-Let's the water run out. :lol:


----------



## Tim/South

A friend has a drone. He is fairly new at it and volunteered to do a test drive. This is a one minute video of the 25 acres we just rolled. Got 102 rolls from this field.


----------



## 32-0-0

Tim/South said:


> A friend has a drone. He is fairly new at it and volunteered to do a test drive. This is a one minute video of the 25 acres we just rolled. Got 102 rolls from this field.


Gotta love those odd shaped fields...they can be challenging to cut, but they make nice designs when seen from overhead...good job on the over 4 bale average!


----------



## Tim/South

32-0-0 said:


> Gotta love those odd shaped fields...they can be challenging to cut, but they make nice designs when seen from overhead...good job on the over 4 bale average!


Thanks.

The lower half of the field is in terraces. Yes, it is a challenge.

This field is a work in progress. I began working it 3 years ago and got 23 rolls of sage grass. Feels good to see things coming together.


----------



## woodland

RockyHill said:


> We first got the cab tractor in the early 2000s for rolling hay. Jeff's cousin Ricky was a JD service manager and those were one of his favorite tractors. It was his recommendation and we found this one at an estate sale with a 265 loader.
> 
> Well I was always saying I wished we had another tractor that would have all the levers in the same place as the cab tractor (it was my moving rolled hay tractor) so I didn't have to figure out which hand needed to be doing what  . We really didn't want/need another cab tractor and Ricky said that a four post would be the same as the cab.
> 
> Looked for several years without finding one that would work for one reason or another. We went to a consignment auction where they had the roll bar one. I'd been vetoing the floor gearshifts but everything about the tractor was very good. Jeff had a price set and I kept on encouraging him higher. As the successful bidder I sure was hoping I'd not goofed up.  It is frequently discussed that we wouldn't have gotten it without my input at that sale. Jeff really likes the configuration on it. Just a couple of days ago he said something to the effect of he needed to thank me for us getting that tractor.
> 
> Last year Jeff found a three different four posts on craigslist. One had been sold, one had some serious issues at a higher price, and the last one came home with us. We had talked about it, but the seller had called Jeff while I was in town and when I got home Jeff told me had bought the tractor. Since I wasn't hearing his buying conversation and we brought it home the day before my birthday, it became my birthday tractor :wub:
> 
> So far we haven't gotten the loader brackets put on my tractor so I get to move rolled hay with the roll bar. Amazing how getting the gearshift adjusted so it shifts better and having a seat that will move forward so I can reach the clutch has helped. Still prefer mine though.
> 
> Shelia


You sound very similar to my mother with the "birthday tractor". Her birthday is in April and that is spring auction season up here. She's gotten bulls, tandem trucks, and tractors as well over the years. The best one was the sp discbine as she loves running it and can do it as well as anyone.

Sharp looking tractors! The same vintage as most of ours.


----------



## woodland

Last week we managed to finish first cut except for one quarter of grass yet to cut. The last two baling days were the best we've had in a couple of years and managed 950 bales. Dad was running the rakes and said he could keep ahead of my brother and I in the balers at lunch when he started. He wasn't saying that when we caught up to him even with his three hour head start.

I'm glad we got done as my wife, kids, and I are running away for a week to Vancouver island for a cousins wedding. Kinda looking forward to it but as soon as we get back my brother and I get to go to Nebraska to check out the Pfizer plant with a tour our vet is taking us on. Really looking forward to that.









Making dust and progress which has been challenging with the rain and high humidity this year.








The quality control crew inspecting from the other side of the fence.


----------



## bulldogger

Most of the time I forget to take pictures but did get a couple when I was cutting last week.


----------



## 32-0-0

woodland said:


> Last week we managed to finish first cut except for one quarter of grass yet to cut. The last two baling days were the best we've had in a couple of years and managed 950 bales. Dad was running the rakes and said he could keep ahead of my brother and I in the balers at lunch when he started. He wasn't saying that when we caught up to him even with his three hour head start.
> 
> I'm glad we got done as my wife, kids, and I are running away for a week to Vancouver island for a cousins wedding. Kinda looking forward to it but as soon as we get back my brother and I get to go to Nebraska to check out the Pfizer plant with a tour our vet is taking us on. Really looking forward to that.
> 
> IMG_0786.JPG
> 
> Making dust and progress which has been challenging with the rain and high humidity this year.
> IMG_0785.JPG
> 
> The quality control crew inspecting from the other side of the fence.


damn, those are some nice looking windrows...how many bales per acre did you'll get? I'm guessing 5+.


----------



## Colby

Kind of picture I like to take in August


----------



## skyrydr2

Finally on the last field of first cut. This is a resurrection job,as it has not been hayed in decades.. only mowed once a year..and what a mess it was.. 
Best part... NO STONES! Next year this will be my first field for next year. All the stoney places are off my list for next year.. they make too much upkeep especially the last field we came off of... 10 blades later..and 5 tedder tines.. all that for 590 bales... nope... 5 fields are enough for me with a full time 55hr a week job.


----------



## swmnhay

Hay trailer dumping




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1646895335323172


----------



## skyrydr2

Here is a shot of the large field from one end after a few passes with the baler on. I got 1.5 turns and had 200 bales on. 
Added a short video of raked hay


----------



## Grateful11

Soybean and Browntop Millet hay mowed 2 weeks ago.


----------



## Grateful11

It was drilled in on June 14 and cut on July 29, excellent growing season for it. It got cut right after the Millet headed out to minimize seed loss.


----------



## Grateful11




----------



## slvr98svt

Well with 4 good days in the forecast and only and 1/8" yesterday I decided to drop my 20 acres of Teff. I was late getting it in due to the weather so this is first cut. Looks to be about prime stage so hopefully it turns out. Ground was still somewhat moist probably should have left in windrows until tomw and tedded but I was on a roll. Only had 1 of the 4 fields lodge for the most part so it wasnt a bad day mowing.


----------



## SwingOak

Finally got a break in the rain to get the second cutting off my girlfriend's field. I made 200+ really nice small squares of orchard/alfalfa mix, all 45-50 lbs and perfectly dry. The alfalfa was past full bloom and the leaves were starting to brown, but what can you do when it's been raining every other day since early June.

I tedded immediately after cutting, and again a day later early in the morning when the dew was still heavy. I followed the advice about running the rotary rake at a slower rpm with a higher ground speed and that was a really good tip. I had very little leaf shatter.

Unfortunately my girlfriend and I broke up last week so I probably won't get the third cutting. That's the least of my worries, although it's really nice hay...


----------



## Vol

Dang SwingOak....sounds like "Days Of Our Lives" up there in Wisconsin! Well you got 2 out of 3 cuttings....pretty good.

Regards, Mike


----------



## SwingOak

Vol said:


> Dang SwingOak....sounds like "Days Of Our Lives" up there in Wisconsin! Well you got 2 out of 3 cuttings....pretty good.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Actually I didn't get the first cutting, only the second. We're still friends, so you never know. Like I said, the hay is the least of my worries these days!

I'm hoping for another break in the weather to get the second cutting off my last 6 acres later this week. It should have been cut over a month ago, but the rain never ends...


----------



## slvr98svt

Hopefully the weather holds off one more day. Got everyone setup and ready for tomw. And just a quick dry lot shot of one of my better cows getting ready for AI this weekend.


----------



## Westernstar

Last field of third cutting went down today

















Guna be heavier than second cutting ????


----------



## Westernstar

Here's a first, frog in a sprinkler nozzle


----------



## Uphayman

Pulled off a minor miracle yesterday. Had 75 acres down that already had 1/3" rain on it. 50 of which was really nice 2nd crop OG/alfalfa. Major rain coming in last night and today, so needless to say some serious stomach churning pressure yesterday morning. No wind, heavy dew from previous night, fog till 10 a.m. Then at 11 a.m. the sun broke thru! Started tedding for the 3rd time, raking a couple hours later, chasing the rake with the baler. 34 foot windrows at 7-9 mph, 4 hours later a sigh of relief!!!!! Couple hours of bale moving........hay is in.....amen !!!!! Exhausted family crew, very happy. Adrenaline wore off after a couple hours and listening to it pour...........


----------



## DLCC2

I've had a heck of a time with getting my alfalfa established this year and was surprised it has done as well as it has. I planted this on a whim and didn't expect much out of my 5 acre test plot. It has been a learning experience with lots of time reading HT. :lol: but I finally got my young stand 95% clean. This was taken yesterday with 20 days of regrowth and its around 20"-24" tall.


----------



## BWfarms

Pictures of the first go around with the Mx110.







mowing 






raking wore him out  






does this baler make my tractor look big?


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

Been sitting around twiddling my thumbs for the last 2 weeks or so. 8+" of rain in the last 10 days, and now the temps are only in the 60's with nights in the 40's. Thinking it maybe about the end of the season for me, still have 60 acres of first crop I want to finish but the weather isn't looking promising until next week at the earliest with the cool nights/cool days/short days its getting harder and harder to get anything to dry.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Been rather disgusted with this year. Alot of what could've been last three weeks have been just about weather wise and if the last three-four months would've been like this we'd be doing alot better. Alot of late late first crop and what could've been for later cuttings, atleast the corn has really improved. Still alot of what could've been

First round of second crop was good and heavy averaged around 70-80 bales an acre on field was pushing 100. Heavy enough that we single windrowed it
















Got super lucky or someone was looking over us on baling day, had two days worth of round baling of first cutting down and a 1000 bales of second on the ground. Got 100 or so squares of second on the wagon while the old man was round baling first when it started a few drops.....a couple miles to the south it blew up into a pretty nasty thunderstorm with lot of rain and thunder. Was sunny and crystal clear over us and to the north and west as we kept baling








To add insult to injury 







The most expensive steering arm IH ever made apparently

Second round of second and last of first was just like the first round of second. Except when I got done mowing weather forecast changed to rain for two days of the five....worried my self sick of two days....on top of that was cloudy and humid so took an extra day to dry. First baling day old man just finished baling first and it poured mile and a half away at the home farm where we had 20 acres of second on the ground we didn't get any plus we had storms just to our north and south and one that fell apart just to our west throughout the day. Baled it the next day, definitely a higher power at work


----------



## BWfarms

Splint it with angle iron and duct tape it, it will be fine.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Help me out haybine experts. I've got a 1465 in near new condition, what's it worth? Also have a 1037 Stackwagon in the same shape, what about it?


----------



## FarmerCline

Lewis Ranch said:


> Help me out haybine experts. I've got a 1465 in near new condition, what's it worth? Also have a 1037 Stackwagon in the same shape, what about it?


 Last year I sold a 1465 that was in about the same condition for 9k.....felt fortunate to have got that for it here. Then like a big dummy I went and bought another haybine when my reasons for selling the 1465 was to get away from a sickle.


----------



## Ranger518

I have been trying to bale the last 3 weeks but due to work and rain I have not had a chance got home a little early today jumped on the tractor to start cutting and 50 yards into the first pass with the krone disc cutter this happened not sure what happened was but i got it all put back together tonight with a new PTO shaft so maybe I will get a chance tomorrow and hopefully it works ok.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

FarmerCline said:


> Last year I sold a 1465 that was in about the same condition for 9k.....felt fortunate to have got that for it here. Then like a big dummy I went and bought another haybine when my reasons for selling the 1465 was to get away from a sickle.


If it brought 9k I'd buy everyone in the group a beer or pop of their choosing. Yea you should have bought a discbine no doubt about that.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

What about a 1037 stacker with virtually no wear far as I can tell. Original paint.


----------



## Westernstar

Check tractorhouse, gives a good idea what people are asking


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Westernstar said:


> Check tractorhouse, gives a good idea what people are asking


Tractor house is not realistic market prices. Real prices are set by auction and this type of iron isn't real popular here.


----------



## Uphayman

Hectic week. Dry weather though cool. Combine crew did our oats. 110 acres. We also dropped 50 acres of second crop. Have 40 acres of straw left to bale today, rain coming in tonight.


----------



## Uphayman

Had ideal baling conditions yesterday.........first time this year. Baling 2nd crop tall fescue on Grantz' hill. Had 32' windrows at 12%, sunshine and low humidity. It's days like this that remind a person, why we do this, and how fortunate we are.


























Things have to be going pretty good to crack 30 tons/ hour !


----------



## Uphayman

What is Grantz hill? An old farmstead on the top of a 100' elevation, about 40 acres. Nothing but stone foundations left. So the story.......Large family, with one of the sons fighting in WW 1. He dies of influenza in Europe. When the family gets the body back, probably weeks later, it was customary to have the funeral in the homes "parlor". They made the tragic mistake of opening the casket . One by one the entire family got the flu, and it proved deadly. My great grandmother who was a young lady at the time, cared for them . 8 times she sent a young lad to get the undertaker. The tombstones are laid out in the cemetery next to our farm. After the last had passed, bells started ringing all over the area. 
They were ringing because it was the end of the war! She survived. That is why I am here today, and am able to bale hay on..........Grantz hill.


----------



## Teslan

I baled some 3rd cutting orchard/brome yesterday. I think these are the biggest windrows I've ever baled of 3rd cutting. They are two merged. The picture makes it seem a bit smaller then they were. But they were as wide as the pickup on my 3x3 baler and has high as the underside of my tractor. Less hay then you would think because the rake fluffed it up so nicely while raking. A little more then then 1.2 tons an acre. Which is good here for 3rd cutting. Probably going to get a nice 4th cutting also. Unless winter comes early......


----------



## Vol

Teslan said:


> I baled some 3rd cutting orchard/brome yesterday. I think these are the biggest windrows I've ever baled of 3rd cutting. They are two merged. The picture makes it seem a bit smaller then they were. But they were as wide as the pickup on my 3x3 baler and has high as the underside of my tractor. Less hay then you would think because the rake fluffed it up so nicely while raking. A little more then then 1.2 tons an acre. Which is good here for 3rd cutting. Probably going to get a nice 4th cutting also. Unless winter comes early......
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_4019.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_4020.JPG


Looks good enough to eat....just need a little dressing. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

UPhayman I'm jealous of your weather down there in the banana belt. Been in the 30's and 40's at night here in the north and days have been lucky to make 60 with dew that never dries off. 5" of rain in the last week so there is standing water everywhere but the beach sand.


----------



## Uphayman

chevytaHOE5674 said:


> UPhayman I'm jealous of your weather down there in the banana belt. Been in the 30's and 40's at night here in the north and days have been lucky to make 60 with dew that never dries off. 5" of rain in the last week so there is standing water everywhere but the beach sand.


We had our water issues mostly in June. 11.6". The picture of the corn was taken in northern part of our county , 2 weeks ago. That's 4" corn. New seeding pics from June. Mower ruts from getting stuck.


























Watching Texas getting blasted. We've got it pretty good.


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

We haven't had more than 4 days in a row without measurable rain since may. Only 6 days above 80 degrees for a high temps and dozens of night lows in the low 40's. I've got a few fields and my back yard that have had standing water since snowmelt, cat tails started growing and geese living there now. Hopefully 2018 is better.


----------



## SwingOak

Finished 2nd cutting - made 310 40-50lb small squares off 5-1/2 acres. Nice hay too


----------



## CowboyRam

Finished baling 20 acres of oats tonight; I would love to smack the guy that stuffed a wad of paper down the center of one of my spools of twine. The knotters could not pull the string; I could not figure out why it was pulling so hard until I happened to pull up thing string inside the spool, and there it was, a nice wad of paper. After that every thing went great.


----------



## IH 1586

Still not done with first. Will have 4 acres still standing when done baling Monday. Changed the weather so have to make sure to get what I have down cleaned up. 722 small square on 20 acres yesterday of 2nd baled and in barn thanks to uncles and cousins. Started baling at 2:30 and done unloading wagons at 8:00. That is hand stacking in mow. Most hay I have done like that in years. Today round and square baling 1st and Mon. square baling 1st.


----------



## endrow

Getting ready to rake third cutting


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> Getting ready to rake third cutting





endrow said:


> Getting ready to rake third cutting


 getting close some say showers tomorrow and some say not till Thursday


----------



## fball1208

Last field of first cutting finally done, got one field of second done and now they say rain is coming.


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> getting close some say showers tomorrow and some say not till Thursday


done


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> done


 Brought one home load home last night and left a load in the field we usually don't do that but the only one in rain till noon next day but they stepped that up till 7 a.m. the next morning and we got the last two loads home just before it rained


----------



## endrow

Because you asked about it the other day it in conversation ran across the scales at the stone quarry. Average moisture 17% ,Bale size 4 x 4.5 ,,, pressure 2400 PSI, speed 7 mph plus. Average weight 745 pounds per Bale. We usually would bale hay like this in 3x3's, and it's very rarely that the custom operator we work with lets us down but he just couldn't make it yesterday. Glad we could get through with our baler cuz it rained. Anyway there are some Bale weights


----------



## Grateful11

Still have about 20-25 acres to cut but see no window for drying in the next 15 days. Going into equipment maintenance mode here. Crazy weather here, damp, drizzly and 72˚ right now.

My prayers and heart go out to those in the Gulf areas.


----------



## swmnhay

Custom cutting job today.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1455276811228171


----------



## Vol

Nice steady clip of 8.5 mph....and it looks like the field was pretty smooth as your new Vermeer was looking smooth.

Regards, Mike


----------



## swmnhay

Vol said:


> Nice steady clip of 8.5 mph....and it looks like the field was pretty smooth as your new Vermeer was looking smooth.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Yea that field was nice going,nice and smooth just short of 1/2 mile long.Next field not so smooth with water way threw middle of it that had washed out some.

Kubota handles 2nd and 3rd cut at 8.5 mph but first cut had to go about 7.2 or I ran out of ponies in heavier hay.

Cutter has a charged hyd float system,floats nice.


----------



## Troy Farmer

Very nice. I wouldn't know how to act in a field that large and that smooth.


----------



## endrow

Planted some Roundup Ready Alfalfa yesterday. Ideally we'd a planted about a week and a half ago , but it rained too much


----------



## VA Haymaker

Finished a small second and third cutting of Timothy and a Timothy mixed grass. Our 2017 hay season is over....

Bill


----------



## endrow

Wrapped 50 bales Alfalfa yesterday, and raked what had already been tedded twice with hopes for dry Monday and maybe some on Sunday


----------



## Lewis Ranch

We just got started back up last week after a month of rain and although the quality isn't the best we are making lots of hay. 3-5 rolls an acre is the average.


----------



## endrow

Lewis Ranch said:


> We just got started back up last week after a month of rain and although the quality isn't the best we are making lots of hay. 3-5 rolls an acre is the average.


Yep feels good to be out raking sun nd low humidity. But haying time is coming to the end for this year


----------



## Hayman1

endrow said:


> Yep feels good to be out raking sun nd low humidity. But haying time is coming to the end for this year


I am surprised that you can do anything. I made some beautiful OG yesterday with the wind and sun, but no breeze today and 70. The windrow I left from yesterday (too green) was still not good today after 5 days and tedding 5 times. Weed whipped some 6" tall stuff in a full sun fence row that was still wet at 4 pm. Not cutting anything more unless we have 80s or 20 mph wind.


----------



## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> We just got started back up last week after a month of rain and although the quality isn't the best we are making lots of hay. 3-5 rolls an acre is the average.


We've been making a good bit of lower quality hay this year due to weather.....gonna be a tough year for hay buyers, the market will be loaded with lower quality at very cheap prices, premium hay will bring more of a premium.


----------



## endrow

Raking some Hill ground Sunday afternoon for tomorrow. Some of the hills are nasty , but they make a nice picture sometimes


----------



## Lewis Ranch

somedevildawg said:


> We've been making a good bit of lower quality hay this year due to weather.....gonna be a tough year for hay buyers, the market will be loaded with lower quality at very cheap prices, premium hay will bring more of a premium.


Yes sir I haven't made any good squares to speak of, barns are pretty empty.


----------



## Uphayman

It took till the second week of September, but we finally got our "haying season weather". Looks like a solid week of hi pressure......hallelujah. Up to this point never more than a three day window. 125 acres of 2nd and 3rd cut, of which 40 raked , 50 tedded, and the balance cut today.













Hope to start baling tomorrow afternoon, and maybe just maybe get by without juice. Man..... the hay keeps its color in September. And almost as fun as making bricks , is dropping walleyes in the live well. Hit the bay with the SIL's and did pretty good.


----------



## somedevildawg

Nice catch Up....what's the fish on the far left?

Me likes the high capacity speedrake too......

It is nice making low humidity last cut hay.....


----------



## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> Yes sir I haven't made any good squares to speak of, barns are pretty empty.


Same here, less than 20% of normal and I hear that echoed throughout the southeast....


----------



## Uphayman

somedevildawg said:


> Nice catch Up....what's the fish on the far left?
> Me likes the high capacity speedrake too......
> It is nice making low humidity last cut hay.....


perch on left, smallmouth trying to fall out of my grip in boat. 30 acres / hour on speed take at 7-1/2.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

somedevildawg said:


> Same here, less than 20% of normal and I hear that echoed throughout the southeast....


Same I'm ashamed of how few I've got put up but Dallas grass and crab grass has took me over and I refuse to put it in a little bale although looking back I should have with empty barns.


----------



## Hayman1

Lewis Ranch said:


> Same I'm ashamed of how few I've got put up but Dallas grass and crab grass has took me over and I refuse to put it in a little bale although looking back I should have with empty barns.


When you have nothing else, up here sept crab squares lot awesome


----------



## FarmerCline

Baled some 4th cut alfalfa yesterday. Despite very heavy dews the hay kept its color nicely.....not sure why. Temps have been unusually cool with highs around 68-70.....usually don't get that until mid October. Hay was on the ground 4 days and was still borderline dry but it should keep with preservative.


----------



## swmnhay

Pushing it before dew set in.The last bale jumped from 19% to 30%.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1469380233151162


----------



## Uphayman

Today is the ninth day of no rain. After pounding it for that time, were ready for a rain "break ". Weather coming in tonight from the west bringing some precip. Added up the fields, looks like 225 acres hay made, 30 straw. Could do another 100+ weather permitting, probably after the first frost. I'm pooped, family crew is pooped......but feeling blessed to be able to get it in with no rain. Got an order for some rounds,so on the last field, baled both squares and circles.


----------



## Teslan

Got a drone on Friday. Figured out how to fly it today. Took this video flying my pivot right after I started it. The field is a 4th cutting orchard/brome that will be cut in a week or so


----------



## Grateful11

Son got started on the last hay of the season Friday. Hopefully if all goes well there will be about 40 acres on the ground this time tomorrow. It's all second growth and volunteer. This is the first window we've had to drop hay in nearly a month. Wasn't planning on mowing any of this again but Mother Nature wouldn't let up on the rain to start tillage so hopefully we'll have some extra hay to carry over. Every shed is full now so not sure where it's going to go. I think he's going to have to think about another hay shed down the road.

This field is mainly crabgrass and a little foxtail millet, surprisingly clean only a few sprigs of pigweed. We decided to spread the swaths narrow to let the ground dry out a bit.


----------



## endrow

Started chopping Corn at 4 a.m.


----------



## hillside hay

How you like the Fendt?


----------



## OhioHay

All the custom guys here run 7am to 7pm.


----------



## VA Haymaker

Posted this to the other 2017 thread by mistake....

-----------

I lied....

Apparently our 2017 hay season was not over. Given the string of sunny days, I took the opportunity. Some of my recent posts were in regards to some extent for this cut and a prelude to what I might try/expect for next year.

Things I did:

Cut at 3 inch stubble height. Grass is already coming back, will over seed and in a few weeks add some nitrogen, as well as other fertilizer per our soil tests. The plan is to first cut at 5 inches to help the grass recover and survive the hot summer, cut closer in late summer/fall and overseed.

Bought a bale of 9600 plastic twine with 210 knot strength. Probably the first time from the initial fill-up the bale chamber to the last bale that we had ZERO missed knots or twine breakage. Amazing the difference. My JD348 was really cranking out some nice square bales. Didn't care for the twine diameter from a handling standpoint. Now I've got a decision to make for 2018.

First time using our hay preservative applicator. Even with plenty of sun, the heavy dews and shorter daylight days make for higher moisture in the bales. Further, we did NOT Ted this hay, but laid it out flat as possible from the haybine. Last second cutting I felt we left a goodly amount of hay in the field - grass blades that fell into the stubble to the ground. Our yield reflected no tedding (hey - nothing new. No tedders were used with sickle mowers for decades). The hay stayed on top of the stubble and the rake did a nice job of picking it up and mixing the green with the dry/sun exposed top. The preservative was the key in making useable hay. Buffered propionic acid. Moisture levels with the preservative were 20-25%. Agtronix BH-2 onboard meter. I got to believe the readings were a bit higher due to the acid and bale density. I'll be checking the hay for heating, dust/mold to see how this preservative works. As far as customers that object to buffered propionic acid, not really concerned. It's a legit/harmless product and if they can't understand, not my problem - kinda like inline bales with cut side on the string or sisal vs plastic twine. None of these, including acid, effect the quality of the hay IMHO.

YMMV - Bill


----------



## endrow

hillside hay said:


> How you like the Fendt?


 I do not own a fendt that was a custom operators tractor.


----------



## endrow

hillside hay said:


> How you like the Fendt?


 I do not own a fendt that was a custom operators tractor.


OhioHay said:


> All the custom guys here run 7am to 7pm.


 people who chopped our corn have three choppers, and they are currently running two of them with full Crews to haul around the clock. They use the third one for when one of the others needs maintenance or service or repairs. Really held out good this year here no idle time for the Chopper or the haulers. We put all the corn silage in agbags and run 2 baggers . For what you pay an hour he gets very costly if you hold people up.


----------



## chevytaHOE5674

Done with hay for 2017, was going to try some 2nd cut on a few acres to make some squares for the barn, but the weather isn't looking good for the next 10 days at least (after the weekend highs in the 50's and rain forecast every other day) and by that time it wouldn't be uncommon to be freezing at night UP here and have our first snowfall. So I'll just turn the cows out when the time is right.

Got the last of the hay hauled home and stacked (which is a good feeling). Now to do some serious cleaning and going over the equipment with a fine tooth comb to make sure its ready for next year.


----------



## Grateful11

Done here too. Baler and rake already cleaned and put away. Still have the tedder and discbine to cleanup. A record year here, 855 bales, 185 this week.

93 bales on 12 acres of volunteer.



















Wife says this is the worst of it. Still a nice tight bale.










Same bale as above.

Still haven't figured out why we get some random loose strands of twine , usually just a loose piece only a 12-18" long. It's always still holding the bale tight because it's wrapped across by another strand but just can't figure out why it's happening. As a whole the twine is very tight.


----------



## endrow

Most of our orchardgrass was ready to cut 2 months ago but way too wet could not even walk through it. I was surprised the quality was not bad and it is thick


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> Most of our orchardgrass was ready to cut 2 months ago but way too wet could not even walk through it. I was surprised the quality was not bad and it is thick


----------



## endrow

Will have to make another cutting of hay the row crops have been poking around hope we had no sun the month of May and it really set things back I was hoping to get a bunch of the row crops off before we did the last cutting these beans should be ready


----------



## IH 1586

Random pics of the past week of haying 80+ acres in Sept. heat wave. Wife upgraded my phone. Not smart, still flips open but camera not bad I think. We shall see if they come through.


----------



## PaMike

endrow said:


> endrow said:
> 
> 
> 
> Most of our orchardgrass was ready to cut 2 months ago but way too wet could not even walk through it. I was surprised the quality was not bad and it is thick
Click to expand...

You sure know how to rake a field clean and neat!


----------



## endrow

IH 1586 said:


> Random pics of the past week of haying 80+ acres in Sept. heat wave. Wife upgraded my phone. Not smart, still flips open but camera not bad I think. We shall see if they come through.


Nice pics and nice looking hay


----------



## skyrydr2

Whew! Just finished the second to last fields only one more left and I'm done haying.... quite possibly forever.. im tired of moving equipment, towing junk worn out hay wagons.. unloading hay wagons.. and fixing all this junk ..and not getting a plug nickle... selling off all my beef critters so I have no need for it..


----------



## Vol

IH 1586 said:


> Random pics of the past week of haying 80+ acres in Sept. heat wave. Wife upgraded my phone. Not smart, still flips open but camera not bad I think. We shall see if they come through.


Very nice looking place and countryside. Your new phone does a good job. I finished up yesterday myself for a nice break. I may cut one more field in a couple of weeks.....if it rains. No rain here in nearly a month....but it sure made catching up a reality.

Regards, Mike


----------



## endrow

Vol said:


> Very nice looking place and countryside. Your new phone does a good job. I finished up yesterday myself for a nice break. I may cut one more field in a couple of weeks.....if it rains. No rain here in nearly a month....but it sure made catching up a reality.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 we will probably cut everything again after killing Frost


----------



## IH 1586

endrow said:


> Nice pics and nice looking hay





Vol said:


> Very nice looking place and countryside. Your new phone does a good job. I finished up yesterday myself for a nice break. I may cut one more field in a couple of weeks.....if it rains. No rain here in nearly a month....but it sure made catching up a reality.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Thank you. Tallied up the total through the baler and was 3200 bales over 95 acres in 7 days with approx. 3 hours of baling every day. Still have hay to do but is custom or just me messing around cleaning up fields. Been a long year after last year being so easy.


----------



## clowers

Cutting last two custom fields of hay for the year tomorrow, unless we get some rain soon. Been nearly a month here with no rain.

Scott


----------



## Vol

IH 1586 said:


> Been a long year after last year being so easy.


Been a long haying season here too. Time to do some planting...if we could just get some moisture.

Regards, Mike


----------



## OhioHay

Best hay weather of the year has been the last two weeks.


----------



## Vol

OhioHay said:


> Best hay weather of the year has been the last two weeks.


Same here by far.

Regards, Mike


----------



## slowzuki

Weather has held amazingly well here too, friend had a 10 acre field of brome that hadn't been cut this year so knocked it down a couple of days ago. Gonna roll it up on the weekend.


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> Planted some Roundup Ready Alfalfa yesterday. Ideally we'd a planted about a week and a half ago , but it rained too much


 picture of that stuff we planted on September 1st


----------



## endrow

C chopping earlage


----------



## slowzuki

On the way to the field


----------



## FarmerCline

OhioHay said:


> Best hay weather of the year has been the last two weeks.


 Yep, same here. Only trouble is I haven't had any hay ready to cut. Might go ahead and cut a field of last cutting alfalfa next week if the weather holds.....still on the young side and kind of short but I hate to keep sitting around while we have this good weather.


----------



## Gearclash

The official end of hay season here.









Fifth cutting alfalfa. Brother wanted to bale it but the weather didn't cooperate so through the chopper it went.


----------



## SVFHAY

OhioHay said:


> Best hay weather of the year has been the last two weeks.


Here also. Did about 6k small bales 2nd and 3rd, just dad & I. Forgot haymaking could be pleasant. No rush, cut what you can it's dry 3 or 4 days later, only ted once. If some bundles sit out overnight it's cool. Actually saw 31% humidity one day. You western guys are lucky...


----------



## woodland

slowzuki said:


> On the way to the field
> 
> IMG_6686.JPG


Just curious what the plan is with the corn? We've grown some for grazing in the past and it's quite varied in yield depending on the weather.


----------



## VA Haymaker

For real this time - haying is over for 2017...


----------



## Teslan

And here I am waiting for decent weather for the last week and a half to finish up with 4th cutting. I need two more weeks of summer


----------



## skyrydr2

I have until Friday to finish the last field..then the weather is going to catch us out.. knocked an 1/8" of ice off the tractor seat Sunday morning...brrr..


----------



## slowzuki

Luckily not my corn, it was hammered by hot dry conditions. The field I baled was on land in a river interval/delta. There's probably 2000 acres of corn planted on it, maybe 500 in soybeans and 200 wheat and 500 other including hay.



woodland said:


> Just curious what the plan is with the corn? We've grown some for grazing in the past and it's quite varied in yield depending on the weather.


----------



## slowzuki

From a 17 acre patch of wheat, can see the 10 acres of hay then the corn starts and runs for thousands of acres. Long drive for 10 acres of hay but before I knew the weather would be poor I cut and left a lot of my ground banking on a 2nd cut that didn't grow.


----------



## woodland

Have a great day! From the great white north.









Tried swathing canola but only made 500 feet before the canvases quit turning. Rain isn't a problem ( done lots that way) but the ice crystals messed up that idea ( you don't know till you try). ????









The weeping willow is definitely living up to its name today.


----------



## Vol

woodland said:


> Have a great day! From the great white north.


That would make me suicidal this early. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## Teslan

Vol said:


> That would make me suicidal this early.
> 
> Regards, Mike


You better not ever move out to Wyoming then Mike.


----------



## endrow

Teslan said:


> You better not ever move out to Wyoming then Mike.


 I live the same place my whole life and if I ever move it ain't going to be colder it's going to be warmer.


----------



## endrow

Finally


----------



## endrow

Nope finally


----------



## Vol

Teslan said:


> You better not ever move out to Wyoming then Mike.


That has been the holdup Marc....the winters are just too long for my mental health. I think I might end up being a snow bird. Come back South about Thanksgiving and head out West for Cinco De Mayo. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## Colby

Tifton is getting a little rank on me... have about 200 acres to go. 100 of custom then I'll get into my feilds, one of them being this tifton patch. Wish the weather would give me 10 days to get this crap over with. It's October


----------



## skyrydr2

Get a call yesterday..pops runs my tractor out of fuel..on thw last field, all side hill..so hilly that the cutter only take 3/4 of its cut.. I can just see how this job is going to go..
Lucklily it fired right off with out any priming or fittily-farting around with out any bleeding of injectors or filters.
Finished mowing with out any issues.


----------



## IH 1586

Couple pictures of hay mow from our week long of nice weather. Not the best pictures. Have about 3000 in inventory of 2nd/3rd cutting.


----------



## Uphayman

Had the custom crew come in on Sunday,took 80 acres of corn silage. Only had 1914 GDD's before frost on Saturday morning. Needed another 300....no black layer. Made the decision to bunker it. Of course after the frost we hit 80 yesterday. Feed supply is non issue.


----------



## skyrydr2

Finally DONE! This field normally only yields 150 bales on second cut but this year we got 260 plus. And just as we were finishing startwd to loose a wheel bearing on the wagon.. doh! Made it home ..now got some fixin to do before spring..


----------



## SVFHAY

Best bale of the year! Last one, I think.


----------



## MattB

We are just starting up for the year. First cut at the dairy going in the silage pit.

Got 20 Acres of Alfalfa to do end next week.

Been really dry over here this winter/Spring. I think you guys have been getting it all! Not sure if I will be able to do much hay at my place this year.


----------



## slowzuki

Hauling last load of hay out saw this young eagle:


----------



## Westernstar

Glad to be done baling and doing more of this ^^^^. First year I haven't baled in October ????


----------



## endrow

Westernstar said:


> IMG_2926.JPG
> Glad to be done baling and doing more of this ^^^^. First year I haven't baled in October


 nice-looking load


----------



## stack em up

Combining corn the other night with my farming partner. He turned 10 last week.


----------



## SwingOak

So my ex-girlfriend said I could take the 3rd cutting off her field. Mowed and baled it the week after labor day. Made some really nice hay, it's weed free orchard/alfalfa. Only made 90 bales on her 3 acres but wow are they heavy, average weight is 60 lbs, all bales are over 50 lbs and most people around here seem to make them at 30 lbs. By contrast, I had very poor recovery after 2nd cutting on my own fields and only bothered mowing about 2-1/2 acres. I made 10 bales off that - all bales were around 65 lbs. Not worth the fuel so I didn't bother cutting the rest here. I was worried I didn't have enough drying time because of the heavy bale weights, but the hay broke clean, felt dry to the touch, and every bale measured 14.5 on the probe - and that's the lowest reading possible. First time I've been able to make a 3rd cutting here ever. So yes we're still friendly, she said I can rent her field.

Now I need to seriously consider renovating my own fields so I can get my yield up. It's formerly all pasture, and there's too much bluegrass in it for a good yield 2nd or 3rd cutting. If there's a 2,4-d resistant alfalfa out there, I'd add that in the mix with the orchard, tall fescue, and timothy plan my agronomist recommended a couple of years ago. THere was too much sweet clover out there when I first started controlling it, if I don't spray it regularly it will be back and take over again. I need to get rid of the foxtail that's starting to spread too!

All things considered, 2017 was a pretty good hay season for me, I made a bit over 1000 very good rain-free bales from 9 total acres in 2-1/2 cuttings. I would have gotten another 400 or so but my then girlfriend (now ex-girlfriend) let another farmer take her first cutting off for free.

And that's the final episode of "As the Hay Rake Turns" from north central Wisconsin for this year...


----------



## somedevildawg

Hey swing oak, you need to find a new one with a few more acres  before long the Ex will "give" you the field


----------



## Teslan

I cut my last field of the year. A day before it's supposed to snow 1-4 inches and get down to 25 degrees. Lets see if freezing helps dry orchard and brome hay faster. But then the temps get back to the high 60s for at least the next 6 days. I've never cut such heavy 4th cutting.


----------



## somedevildawg

Very nice Teslan....great looking yield!


----------



## Teslan

somedevildawg said:


> Very nice Teslan....great looking yield!


Yes it is. Now to get it dry. it has an inch of snow on it at the moment. Shouldn't hurt to much since it didn't dry any since I've cut it. Debating using my tedder on it later in the week.


----------



## Vol

Teslan said:


> Debating using my tedder on it later in the week.


I know you do not like your NH tedder, but I think it would be very beneficial to scatter your crop after the snow melted and maybe wait a day to help drain it a bit before scattering. It might fan out better if it drained some.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Teslan

Vol said:


> I know you do not like your NH tedder, but I think it would be very beneficial to scatter your crop after the snow melted and maybe wait a day to help drain it a bit before scattering. It might fan out better if it drained some.
> 
> Regards, Mike


maybe I'll try it on a smaller field. First that I cut on Friday first. Ground has to dry out a bit before I do anything.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

May I suggest that you run your tedder at 250-300 RPM?

That would fluff the crop without beating the leaves off it, will also tend to windrow to a slight degree, perhaps saving some color.

Good luck! Dave


----------



## Hayman1

I have freeze dried hay multiple times but never with snow on it. yuk! sounds like a challenge


----------



## valleyforage

Squares and rolls ready to be picked up and my 2yr old son who wants to ride in the tractor every chance he gets but is asleep within 15 minutes every time  and yes that is how he will sleep until I bring him back home.


----------



## Teslan

Hayman1 said:


> I have freeze dried hay multiple times but never with snow on it. yuk! sounds like a challenge


the snow is gone now. Tonight will get to 25 for about 5 hours. I've baled hay after snow once before. Didn't seem to hurt it any. But that was in September.


----------



## somedevildawg

Wow, 77 here with 90% humidity at 11:30pm......muggy


----------



## Teslan

Done for the year here. Here's a amateurish drone video of my final 70 acres for 2017. Kinda thin 4th cutting. Heavy wind stole some of my hay away. But I had perfect conditions this week to get it all baled and in the barn.


----------



## Vol

Teslan said:


> Done for the year here. Here's a amateurish drone video of my final 70 acres for 2017. Kinda thin 4th cutting. Heavy wind stole some of my hay away. But I had perfect conditions this week to get it all baled and in the barn.


Very good Marc. Sometime maybe you could video how you open a square pivot field when swathing.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Teslan

Vol said:


> Very good Marc. Sometime maybe you could video how you open a square pivot field when swathing.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I don't think a square pivot field exists. They all are circles or sorts circles.


----------



## Vol

Teslan said:


> I don't think a square pivot field exists. They all are circles or sorts circles.


What about the corners....did I not see those swathed in your pivot field? I was just curious how you started. Sorry for the confusion.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Teslan

Vol said:


> What about the corners....did I not see those swathed in your pivot field? I was just curious how you started. Sorry for the confusion.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Simple. I don't cut the corners. I only cut what the pivot gets. Well I do just mow any weeds that are in the corners. They are planted in dryland grass so I just mow them with the swather once or twice a year. My hay barn is in one corner, two homes in another corner, an irrigation pond in the other corner. So really just one vacant corner. And due to the corner arm it isn't that big.

However if it was a perfect square and the corners were worth cutting with the field I would go around the whole square 4 times. Then work outward from the first pivot track following the curve of the track. It would make for some annoying short windrows in the corners, but there really isn't a better way. I do that now in fact, but just don't go into the corners beyond what the endgun irrigates. In fact in the swather portion of that video I'm working on one of the corners. Working out from the last pivot track. Also with the stacker part I'm stacking in a corner. If you look to the right a bit where I go pick the 2nd bale the field turns browner. That is where the pivot doesn't get so it's unfortunately just weeds. I haven't managed to get a stand of dryland grass there as it's very sandy.


----------



## endrow

5th cutting


----------



## endrow

Nope this is the 5th cutting


----------



## endrow

Oats planted at the beginning of August after we combined the cereal Rye, going to cut for forage


----------



## Troy Farmer

Finished for the year. It's been a banner year. 1500 round bales and about 1500 squares. Never done that many round bales before. The Lord blessed us with rain when needed and good weather for haying. Now clean up and put everything away. And oh yeah I've got about 500 round bales for sale if you run across anybody needing hay.


----------



## Troy Farmer

Man, Teslan & endrow those big open fields! I wouldn't know how to act! Y'all need a few fire ant mounds and some ground where the feral hogs have rooted.


----------



## Gearclash

Almost finished on a quarter section of bean straw. This is the third of 4 quarters of bean straw I had to bale this fall.


----------



## endrow

Back home plugging away at the corn. Our grain dryers the bottleneck


----------



## PaMike

What moisture is your corn testing?

Took my 6 year old boy over to the neighbors and went for a ride in the 9500 as he finished up his beans..


----------



## endrow

Fancy stuff and this is probably going to be a record yeild 
... for 5th


----------



## IH 1586

Some specialty bales I made for a customer. 36"

Might be done for the year but not cleaning equipment yet.


----------



## IH 1586

Some specialty bales I made for a customer. 36"

Might be done for the year but not cleaning equipment yet.


----------



## Vol

IH 1586 said:


> Some specialty bales I made for a customer. 36"
> 
> Might be done for the year but not cleaning equipment yet.


Sure is some pretty countryside Chris.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Farmineer95

Beans came off and tried something different. I used a Brillion Till n Seed to put in a fall rye and oats cover crop. The local land and water is encouraging cover crops in a watershed. Will add pictures as it greens up.

We did a small patch of canary grass last weekend. Good thing for tracks on the skidsteer to pick up bales. Was the first time it was cut this year. 
Now we're done.????


----------



## Hayjosh

I'll throw up some pics of my microscopic operation. I guess I don't have a picture with my tedder. This was my first year with a rotary rake and it was heavenly. I'm already itching to start the next hay season and this year's has only just ended a month or two ago. I have a 6 acre field that got overseeded with alfalfa, timothy, and orchard grass in September so I'm excited to see how that field yields for me next year.


----------



## Josh in WNY

At the end of the season, my father and I decide to continue working the barns and had the back resided. Used the same color as the addition from a couple years ago. Still need to finish a couple small details, but it's already in a lot better shape for this winter.


----------



## woodland

Josh in WNY said:


> At the end of the season, my father and I decide to continue working the barns and had the back resided. Used the same color as the addition from a couple years ago. Still need to finish a couple small details, but it's already in a lot better shape for this winter.
> 
> Barn Siding 01.JPG Barn Siding 02.JPG Barn Siding 03.JPG Barn Siding 04.JPG Barn Siding 05.JPG Barn Siding 06.JPG Barn Siding 07.JPG Barn Siding 08.JPG Barn Siding 09.JPG


Should be good for another generation and look good doing so ????


----------



## woodland

Onto the last 70 acres???? Hope to beat it today.


----------



## endrow

Cutting barley beans just before the rain yielded dry in the low sixties


----------



## endrow

Long days but last week was a good week down to 45 acres of corn hundred and twenty Acres of double-cropping beans . Whenever I get a chance I stick some cover crop in got about 250 Acres of cover crops planted. We've also been cutting about 30 Acres of alfalfa at a shot and baling and wrapping that when we have a chance


----------



## Trotwood2955

Is that a stock rim on that front dolly wheel endrow?? Looks a little unique : )


----------



## endrow

Long days but last week was a good week down to 45 acres of corn hundred and twenty Acres of double-cropping beans . Whenever I get a chance I stick some cover crop in got about 250 Acres of cover crops planted. We've also been cutting about 30 Acres of alfalfa at a shot and baling and wrapping that when we have a chance


----------



## endrow

Trotwood2955 said:


> Is that a stock rim on that front dolly wheel endrow?? Looks a little unique : )


 someone put hubcaps on the front dollies just to be a smart axx and I don't think we know who put them on it was kind of funny


----------



## IH 1586

Some random pics of helping my cousin chop. Had to bring the Claas in when the head he was trying out after his went down would not feed on one side. Spent days fighting it. Could not fill one dump wagon with out plugging at least once and most of the time 3-5 times.


----------



## PaMike

Man those ruts make me cringe...I guess tillage will take care of some of it, or at least the surface issues...


----------



## IH 1586

PaMike said:


> Man those ruts make me cringe...I guess tillage will take care of some of it, or at least the surface issues...


Those aren't even the worst ones. The field that has the Claas in it I was just able to keep the 49 moving. Had to pull the chopper out once. Guess the Class is heavier than the JD as he has never had that stuck in 6 seasons of use.

When it's wet here this is "normal" I have pictures of the 4040 with chains on the front and rear pulling the 2955 with mfwd while chopping. Makes for a long day.


----------



## Farmineer95

When I was growing up the neighbor came with his mfwd1486 and 1030 case on front to chop down hill. A used tire between the pulling chains to take some of the jerk away. Got enough silage to hold us over till frost. What a mess.


----------



## Josh in WNY

woodland said:


> Should be good for another generation and look good doing so


I sure hope so. The Amish guy that I hired to do the work said that the slats on the vent were starting to get a little punky, but I'm hoping the fresh coat of paint will hold them over for awhile. Hopefully I'll be able to do any work on that vent from the inside after I've stacked eight layers of hay in the loft.

Either next year or the year after, we'll probably do the side of the barn opposite the addition. Then the front will get done after that... unless we win the lottery.


----------



## endrow

Question earlier why do you not let corn dry on the field. One of the answers was you could get a storm. Another one is in November it's difficult for the stocks to dry out once they're down. Ran into a bunch touchdown glad it's the last five acres before I'm done for the year withcorn


----------



## luke strawwalker

endrow said:


> Question earlier why do you not let corn dry on the field. One of the answers was you could get a storm. Another one is in November it's difficult for the stocks to dry out once they're down. Ran into a bunch touchdown glad it's the last five acres before I'm done for the year withcorn


Yeah, down corn is a TOTAL PITA... went through that on some badly goosenecked corn that went down prior to tasseling in a windstorm on the BIL's place a couple years ago... most of his crop was either goosenecked SO bad that the stalks were standing in the next row over, or down completely. Ended up combining some of it cross-wise to how it was planted to get it to flow in and through the header.

What made it worse at the time was he was running a 6 row 30 inch head, which was about 4 inches narrower than the outside duals of the 9600 combine. In normal conditions, it wasn't a problem, because unless you get off the marker line and narrow the rows up, the outside row simply slid by the outside dual... but when it was SO goosenecked over, you had to essentially "stand the rows back up" or elsewise you were flattening out the outside row of the next pass, because you were running over the base of the stalk, sacrificing that row. Of course it didn't want to stand back up, usually just broke the stalks off about halfway through standing them back up... if they held long enough to get into the stalk rollers, it picked okay... if not, you had a buck rake on your hands. Then of course the row on the other end of the head is being stood up and rolling over the end snout and a bunch of ears and stalks were rolling out that side... Just a huge mess.

This year they finished beans (more or less) early, before I even got up there at the beginning of October. They plant Plenish beans, and the stalks were still VERY green and tough but the beans were spot-on for moisture. They did leave some wet ground and really green areas near tree lines and some replant and stuff for another couple weeks or so, that we went back and got after corn was done. Corn, on the other hand, was running pretty wet... early planted shorter season fields we took off were running 26%; he didn't like cutting quite that wet but it was time to roll because the weather was about perfect. Within a few days those varieties were running in the 23% range, which is pretty good. BUT, we ran out of the early season early/ planted corn and the next field we pulled into started at 28% and rapidly went over 30%, so we parked the combine for a week. Unfortunately, the good unseasonably warm drying weather (for northern Indiana) ended with a cloudy, cool, rainy period for most of that week, and when we started up again, it hadn't dropped but a couple points... So we were still in the 26-28% moisture range... Ordinarily he wouldn't want to haul it to town that wet, but scouting around and finding some stalks going down here and there was enough to convince him that it was time to go and to heck with the moisture. We got it all combined, and the moisture situation did gradually improve-- we were down around 20% on sandy ground by the time we finished. Went back for the beans that were left as too green (still plump like limas) when they were cutting beans a couple weeks or so before, and they were down between 11-13%, though the vines still had some stray leaves hanging on and were still quite green in places. Didn't really even get a first frost til after we were done...

I prefer harvesting in the cool/chilly weather of October to the Texas heat in July when our corn and grain sorghum is ready, BUT, we don't have a problem drying it down in the field (other than aflatoxin, which you have to watch and better be harvesting at 22% or more to minimize it) and usually it's ready soon enough that down corn isn't even an issue...

Later! OL J R


----------



## woodland

Finished combining for the year last Sunday and just glad to have that behind us. This years crop was seeded late since we were harvesting and working in the half of last years crop that spent the winter out. Every bushel came off wet like 24% wheat, 18%barley, and 15% canola.









Tuesday the rain/snow started and just ended today(nice to see the sun even if it burns the eyes????). Now we are onto trenching water line which will take a while for three miles at 0*f. Helping my brother with some backfilling today.









Although one nice thing about the snow is how cooperative the critters are to move. They don't want to be left behind.


----------



## Eastfreo

Photo taken last week. Been away for a week for my day job but heading back to the farm today and will spend the next couple of weeks finishing hay. Looking forward to having a go on a new JD 469 baler which got delivered while I have been away (my normal job is with Chevron on a mega project called Gorgon which is off the coast of north west Western Australia).


----------



## Josh in WNY

Eastfreo said:


> Photo taken last week. Been away for a week for my day job but heading back to the farm today and will spend the next couple of weeks finishing hay. Looking forward to having a go on a new JD 469 baler which got delivered while I have been away (my normal job is with Chevron on a mega project called Gorgon which is off the coast of north west Western Australia).


Better copyright that pic before JD starts using it in the brochures! That is a really beautiful shot!


----------



## Vol

Josh in WNY said:


> Better copyright that pic before JD starts using it in the brochures! That is a really beautiful shot!


I doubt that they would use that pic with a red mower on a green tractor. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## somedevildawg

Wow, what kinda camera ya got down under.....what an absolutely beautiful picture....don't worry, JD with color that mower green in Photoshop


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## Coondle

Had some share farmers this year, they hop in take a feed and just laze around under the trees. Not a good year, in fact the lowest yield I have ever grown and the lowest quality. Rain 2 months late starting, then frost and a period of continuous wet with high winds to finish off, so some lodged and rampant rust spoiling colour. 2017 turned out to be Annus Horribilis


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## Coondle

Got some photos at last.

A share farmer supervising me baling at dusk.She has a joey (baby kangaroo) in her pouch and just after the photo hopped out of sight.

The windrows on a hill highlighted by the setting sun, and the last bundle on the last load on the last paddock for 2017. Obviously a self-drive tractor and truck.



http://imgur.com/A8mXuIq




http://imgur.com/J7Pk3Wl




http://imgur.com/qkecbiT


----------



## FarmerCline

Coondle said:


> Had some share farmers this year, they hop in take a feed and just laze around under the trees. Not a good year, in fact the lowest yield I have ever grown and the lowest quality. Rain 2 months late starting, then frost and a period of continuous wet with high winds to finish off, so some lodged and rampant rust spoiling colour. 2017 turned out to be Annus Horribilis


 Is your 2017 hay season already over? I would have thought due to our winter being your summer that you would be just getting started? I know the feeling.....2017 has been a terrible year for me as well.


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## Coondle

The hay season in my area is one cut in spring. The grasses die off in October and are a wildfire hazard by early November. We have had a large wildfire in May a few years back. Two days later 1 1/2 inches of rain started our growing season. This year I did not get enough rain to germinate the grass until about 28 June. Less than a week after the photo of the truck being loaded and the stubble would carry an all-consuming fire i.e. wild burn everything back to black charred ground.

Due to the wildfire risk my hay shed has a perimeter roof mounted sprinkler system with large droplet sprinklers interspersed with misting sprinklers. The sprinklers shoot water out from the edge of the roof (up down and sideways) at about 45* to provide a curtain of water. When there is a wildfire even if there is no wind on the day the fire creates its own wind . The reason for firing the sprinklers outward is tat the wind will push the curtain back onto the walls and that going upward is pushed back onto the rooftop and will thus still provide protection. Early sprinkler systems were rooftop mounted and the wind bringing burning embers pushed the water back removing the water from the dangerous side. I have not had an actual test of the system and hope it remains that way.

Maximum daytime temperatures are already in the mid- to upper 30*C or about getting near 95*F and closing on 100*F and low humidity such that if there was anything left to bale it would possibly be after mid-night start and finish within an hour of the sun rising. Too dry to bale and the hay becomes shattered chaff. Yet only a few tens of miles and nearer the coast bale all day. South of me where Eastfreo is the hay season is barely begun and that is about 200 miles away (see post 837 above). Going North by 300 miles the hay season was all over by the end of September.


----------



## Eastfreo

It was just an iPhone 6. I recently found an app called pro camera and it lets you alter your exposure which makes it heaps better for low light. It cost $8 Aussie dollars so probably less for you in the US!


----------



## Eastfreo

Where are you Conndle? Down here this had been the worst year in the 49 years my dad has had our farm. For us late rain, then very cold so nothing grew. First time ever we bought some hay (other than a year we had a bush fire and lost a lot of hay). We seem to have been lucky and got some really,good growth last month or so but still not sure if we will have enough pasture to get us through. Only thing that might help us is we put in a lot of rye ( and some oats) for hay (about a 1000 acres) and they seem to have gone well (afted a very very slow start and 4 weeks ago it did not look good so we were more than just a bit worried).


----------



## Coondle

North of Toodyay. My first memories of hay on the farm go back to the late 1950's and baling with a magpie baler which was old fashioned even then, dragging the hay to the baler with a sweep rake. (look on You Tube)

As already posted, 2017 is my worst year ever both for quantity and quality.

With your later finish giving a longer growing season you had the chance to recover something in the way of growth.

Before the reduction in winter rain starting with the drought of 1969, we could grow very good meadow hay but increasingly from that time we have had to plant a hay crop to get a reasonable quantity of hay. Changing to low/no till has helped production having produced up to 250 little squares per acre which was very worthwhile.

Continuous cropping to hay has been a challenge, and now because I was a lemming with a no burn regime, and no till I have developed a wild oat problem.

The bigger problem is the current fashion among horsey types of "no/low sugar" and blaming oaten hay for equine tooth decay. Nothing to do with all the molasses they stuff into their nags.

One owner/agistment operator near me buys $14.00 bales of 'low-sugar rye hay' from someone in York that cuts all his hay at 4.00 am when the plant sugar is lowest. Obviously tell the buyer what they want to hear. Oh yes the early morning low sugar cut is another social media bandwagon. I am selling my wild oat infested hay without a problem because some horse owners believe it is lower sugar but still palatable to their horses. I make no claims.

Several have turned to my WO mix because they have tried barley straw, rhodes grass, and meadow hay from the sand plains south of Perth but complain because their horses loose condition or will not eat it, or both.

Makes me laugh. Forty or so years ago I could not sell oaten hay to the horsey set. Wheaten hay was the go. Oats made their horses too hot. However with the advent of the bearded (awned) wheats, by product hay from wheat farmers fell off the radar due to the beard lodging in their nags gums so almost overnight oaten hay became the staple diet of horses near Perth and northward in particular. Now equine dentists claim the "high" rate of equine tooth decay is because horses are fed oaten hay. Their theory is because the supposed high rate of decay in WA s because more oaten hay is fed to hay burners here than in the Eastern States. Comprehensive research mind you, but in the days of social media especially among horsey gals it is a tsunami of opinion against oaten hay.

I am trying to sell the farming area I have left and retire but the rural real estate market is even slower than me! I have moved closer to Perth on a 5 acre lifestyle block to keep a bit of land around me. I have a very nice stand of Balansa clover that will be cut for my sheep as soon as the thunderstorms abate.

The change in hay preference may be a blessing in disguise. My plan this year is to reduce my already reduced oaten hay area by 50% and plant 50% to Baroota Wonder the only remaining wheaten variety that is available suitable for hosses. Baroota has persisted since the 1800's because it is so suited to the hay and chaff market. Hundreds of varieties of wheat have come and gone in that time but Baroota has persisted, however being a very old variety it can suffer from rust, bunt and almost every ailment in the book.

Growing Baroota will allow me to use selective controls on my wild oats so changing preferences may be a blessing. Strangely a market for wheaten horse hay has persisted in Kalgoorlie because their hay is generally sourced from either Southern Cross, or Salmon Gums, both areas more suited to wheat growing.

Better still a happy hobby farmer may decide tomove to the country and buy my remaining patch.

Like the photo you posted.

God luck with the rest of your season.


----------



## luke strawwalker

Eastfreo said:


> Photo taken last week. Been away for a week for my day job but heading back to the farm today and will spend the next couple of weeks finishing hay. Looking forward to having a go on a new JD 469 baler which got delivered while I have been away (my normal job is with Chevron on a mega project called Gorgon which is off the coast of north west Western Australia).


Isn't your picture upside down?? LOL

Seriously, great pic... nice machinery and beautiful looking crop and sunset... 

OL J R


----------



## TJ Hendren

Hayjosh said:


> I guess I'll throw up some pics of my microscopic operation. I guess I don't have a picture with my tedder. This was my first year with a rotary rake and it was heavenly. I'm already itching to start the next hay season and this year's has only just ended a month or two ago. I have a 6 acre field that got overseeded with alfalfa, timothy, and orchard grass in September so I'm excited to see how that field yields for me next year.


It doesn't matter if you have 1 acre or 1000, 35 HP or 350. It is yours to be proud of.


----------



## Eastfreo

Amazing how rain seems to follow you when you cut hay!


----------



## somedevildawg

Ya know, it's amazing, what Kevin speaks about "low sugar" hay is certainly happening here to.....the grapevine of info expanded rapidly with the www......doesn't take long for the hossy crowd. If they find a vet to say oat hay causes tooth decay it's gonna be a bad day  see what I did there  
We had one on here a few months ago, thankfully we don't have to read anymore of her ramblings.....not sure why. Like those new shoes that want to be worn, or that dress that still has the tags on em....she must have lost interest.....we are a boring crowd to hang with


----------



## Coondle

Eastfreo said:


> Amazing how rain seems to follow you when you cut hay!


Surely you must realise by now that cutting hay is the "Rural Raindance" just as washing the $100K SUV is the "Urban Raindance".

Both effective.


----------



## swmnhay

Corn stalk baling.I need a bigger windrow.Customer raked it and made a 3.5' windrow for a 5' wide baler.Hard to make a nice shaped bale.

There will be a few million cornstalk bales made in this part of the country the next couple weeks.




__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=1737886662890705


----------



## somedevildawg

Anytime it gets dry here the local folks will see me and ask if I can "go to cuttin' hay".....my pain is their gain


----------



## Eastfreo

Had some kangaroo company today as I was cutting.


----------



## Coondle

Eastfreo you are trying to confuse the folks in the US. Posting the photo sideways will have them wondering just here you are.


----------



## Eastfreo

I am not sure why it went like that. I took it with the phone and just loaded like it. Maybe I have moved to the equator rather than down under!


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## Westernstar

Half the pics on this forum are sideways;-)


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## endrow

On my S6 I hold the phone sideways and then they come out right


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## Farmerbrown2

My understanding is the phone button needs to be at the bottom or right for the pictures to show up correctly.


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## swmnhay

endrow said:


> On my S6 I hold the phone sideways and then they come out right


Iphone ?I can not post at all from my Iphone 6+


----------



## endrow

Eastfreo said:


> I am not sure why it went like that. I took it with the phone and just loaded like it. Maybe I have moved to the equator rather than down under!


 don't worry about it just keep on posting from down there I can easily turn the pictures. My niece met up with a guy from Melbourne Australia they are in school together at Penn State University. Looks like one of these days they're going to get married maybe I'll be down that way... yeah right I've never traveled anywhere else


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## endrow

swmnhay said:


> Iphone ?I can not post at all from my Iphone 6+


 I have a Samsung Galaxy S6 and as long as I have the portrait setting engaged and tilt the phone on its side comes out pretty good anything else it'll go crazy and the picture will be sideways or upside down


----------



## Eastfreo

Busy two days. Cut about 200 acres of hay and fingers crossed the 25% chance of rain goes in our favour. Still nice and green but now just ahead of it browning off so a race against time.


----------



## Eastfreo

14 year old nephew is helping out. First season cutting after graduating from raking and tedding last year. My 10 year old spent this morning with me in the JD while I cut and he is keen as mustard (Australian expression) to start too.


----------



## Eastfreo

Paddock today - home stretch after this one


----------



## woodland

Eastfreo said:


> 14 year old nephew is helping out. First season cutting after graduating from raking and tedding last year. My 10 year old spent this morning with me in the JD while I cut and he is keen as mustard (Australian expression) to start too.


That's the way I was taught as well. Now he'll do a good job cutting since he knows how the rakes and tedder need the swath to look to do a good job????

Nice to see green grass and someone young taking an interest in this "calling" we do. Keep the pictures coming. Good luck????


----------



## somedevildawg

That R series is one badass tractor......one day, about 10-15 years from now, if I'm still amongst the living, Ima get me one!


----------



## Eastfreo

I am loving it! Today was a big day. Got my baling lesson today on the new JD 469 and underway. Managed 160 bales which I was happy with. Only 3 failed so not a bad ratio. Would have done more but my wife has had an operation so I had to do school drop off and pick up as she can't drive for a few days. Next few days will be big ones so quiet before the storm.


----------



## Eastfreo

Did 261 bales this afternoon and evening. Had my first fun trying to cut out some tangled edge wrap in the dark. I think I lifted the gate too early and it didn't cut it properly.


----------



## Eastfreo

It's drying off fast now.


----------



## Eastfreo

Great lights on the JD


----------



## Westernstar

Eastfreo said:


> It's drying off fast now.


Is it always leaving that much crop behind the baler? Ya might need to adjust the pickup height. Liking the down under pics tho, thought I was tired of baling for the year but that looks fun.


----------



## Tx Jim

I agree a lot of hay not being picked up by pickup attachment. By chance are tractor tires mashing edges of windrow.


----------



## 32-0-0

Don't you hate being critiqued? But remember we are just trying to help you out....might try adjusting your rake to squeeze the windrows narrower.


----------



## Westernstar

Not trying to be critical, if I recall he's running a new machine and is jumping into baling without lots of experience


----------



## somedevildawg

Ya, looks like the rake needs to be narrowed a bit where the winrow forms.....the monster lugs on that Deere seem to be smashing the edges of the winrowed hay, but in the whole scheme of things, it ain't much....just something to work on and adjust, there will be plenty of that in your future....did I mention that's one badass tractor?


----------



## 32-0-0

Westernstar said:


> Not trying to be critical, if I recall he's running a new machine and is jumping into baling without lots of experience


Just being facetious...


----------



## Eastfreo

Thanks. I did notice it and will adjust it a bit more today. Appreciate the advice. Also we are having a few issues with the old rake - broke a couple of springs so it was patched up with a chain and some shackles we found in the ute.


----------



## somedevildawg

Eastfreo said:


> Thanks. I did notice it and will adjust it a bit more today. Appreciate the advice. Also we are having a few issues with the old rake - broke a couple of springs so it was patched up with a chain and some shackles we found in the ute.


A rake is such an essential tool for a good harvest, it will definately pay dividends to get a good one. Another educational curveball, this haying is full of 'em.....not only the type of rake, but the methodology of raking. When, where, size, speed, etc.....but the goal remains the same, pull all of the forage off the field in the quickest most efficient manner with the least amount of input for the baler operator.....


----------



## IH 1586

Helping my cousin some more. Filling the hole in his bunk with what he said will make "high protein slop". Just a muddy mess.


----------



## somedevildawg

Man that's wet.....


----------



## IH 1586

somedevildawg said:


> Man that's wet.....


 and we did not get done. It is currently rain and snowing in sheets but as he said "might be sunny on Fri and we'll finish then".


----------



## OhioHay

Must need the feed? Otherwise, seems like a lot of damage to the field.


----------



## IH 1586

OhioHay said:


> Must need the feed? Otherwise, seems like a lot of damage to the field.


Nope Just does not want it in the field. He likes to maintain high inventory of feed. Last year when he was taking hay off at this time of year, he commented on he had a years worth already in storage. He looks at it as being able to utilize inventory prices to get loans. That part of it I can see because I found out that him and I have the same loan officers through Farm Credit and I was only able to use them for a loan and they utilized my inventory for part of it.


----------



## IH 1586

Damage is of no concern to them, if it's time they will take it off.


----------



## OhioHay

Will that field be rotated to corn next year?


----------



## IH 1586

OhioHay said:


> Will that field be rotated to corn next year?


I doubt it. It was a new seeding last year.


----------



## Hayjosh

IH 1586 said:


> Helping my cousin some more. Filling the hole in his bunk with what he said will make "high protein slop". Just a muddy mess.


What is that there contraption you're pulling? I've never seen anything like that.


----------



## IH 1586

Hayjosh said:


> What is that there contraption you're pulling? I've never seen anything like that.


Kuhn MM 700 Merger. Very versatile machine. 2nd time running it and starting to get the hang of it that I am able to utilize it better. I'm going to try it on some dry hay next year and see how it works.


----------



## paoutdoorsman

IH 1586 said:


> Kuhn MM 700 Merger. Very versatile machine. 2nd time running it and starting to get the hang of it that I am able to utilize it better. I'm going to try it on some dry hay next year and see how it works.


Unfortunately, a merger doesn't make a very consistent windrow for baling... The speed and options of windrow placement sure is nice.

I'd sure be hating cutting up a field like that.


----------



## IH 1586

paoutdoorsman said:


> Unfortunately, a merger doesn't make a very consistent windrow for baling... The speed and options of windrow placement sure is nice.
> 
> I'd sure be hating cutting up a field like that.


Have you tried one on dry hay? I can see it being a possible issue with small square baler but should not affect round baling. They used it on the hay they round baled and uncle said it worked good, then again it could have been a half $#s job because I could tell you there theory on setting their rotary rake that would leave speechless.


----------



## swmnhay

6 bales per acre of stalks.


----------



## woodland

swmnhay said:


> 6 bales per acre of stalks.


What does a 5x6 bale of stalks weigh? Only a little bit of corn grown in the tundra up here for grazing or chopping. Cereal straw we figure about 1000 lbs or more depending on conditions and 3 bales an acre is a good crop.


----------



## paoutdoorsman

IH 1586 said:


> Have you tried one on dry hay? I can see it being a possible issue with small square baler but should not affect round baling. They used it on the hay they round baled and uncle said it worked good, then again it could have been a half $#s job because I could tell you there theory on setting their rotary rake that would leave speechless.


Yes I have, dry hay in small squares is all I do. Maybe a round baler doesn't need a nice consistent windrow like a small square - I have zero experience with them.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Been some time since I've been on. 2017 has been a busy year with milking a few more than normal, weather, a few more acres and doing some improvements as well as changing milk markets. Did some more second dry hay the end of August then it got cool and rainy till the middle of September. Chopped the rest of second and third crops that were worth cutting and filled the 14ft silo back up then started right into corn to finish that silo. Corn chopping was strung out over a month finishing on Halloween which isn't the latest we finished but we didn't finish a day too late as it has rained and snowed ever since. Weather this spring and summer really delayed the corn and we got lucky getting it of at just the right time and around the rainy periods. Did have a few places we got stuck but didn't leave much and had chopped some that was immature as the field is wet. Overall yields were surprising and quality is leaving something to be desired but can't complain. Only regret was leaving six acres of lighter yielding second crop to graze and 10-12 acres of third because the fields got too wet and were busy with corn when it was nice. Glad im not a crop farmer this year  will get some pictures up when I get a chance


----------



## swmnhay

woodland said:


> What does a 5x6 bale of stalks weigh? Only a little bit of corn grown in the tundra up here for grazing or chopping. Cereal straw we figure about 1000 lbs or more depending on conditions and 3 bales an acre is a good crop.


about 1200 lbs.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Ppl][/URL]

Getting third cutting


The yield on this field was rather heavy



Little overkill for raking 


Just three acres


Started corn the next day


----------



## Bgriffin856

Used the 400 for the first time on this baler made the last dry hay the end of August



Beautiful weather the middle of September made lots of haylage. ...should've made more dry hay










Did make some dry...hundred bales


----------



## somedevildawg

Ok, so wth.....I see a bunch of likes for pics of a photobucket speedometer saying 100% what gives? Do they allow them to be viewed a certain amount of time?
Was really looking forward to grifs pics....always good


----------



## Bgriffin856

Wtf they was there this morning


----------



## clowers

Hope you get those pics up.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Let me try this

Another addition








Used the 400 for the first time on this baler to bale some second crop end of August








Got rainy and cold till middle of September then we got summer. Made lots of haylage out of second and third crop


































Did make some dry about a hundred bales. Heavy dews turned it brown quickly








Getting third crop








Had surprisingly high yield on the third cutting








Double windrows were just about right for the chopper. A bit overkill for raking but when your normal raking tractor is being used elsewhere... 








Not bad for three acres








Started corn the next day


----------



## somedevildawg

Bgriffin856 said:


> Wtf they was there this morning


Photobucket is looking for some money from you griff.....that is if you want to keep using it for your photos.


----------



## endrow

Last of the Alfalfa Orchard Grass cut. we have about 25 more Acres yet that was iffy we maybe could have cut but I'm thinking we'll let it winter over and call it done. What's laying we hope to Bale and wrap Friday pretty nice weather here again


----------



## Bgriffin856

You're killing me endrow, snow and below freezing today in the tundra of PA only way we could get on the fields to do something like that is if the ground was frozen. ...


----------



## Bgriffin856

somedevildawg said:


> Photobucket is looking for some money from you griff.....that is if you want to keep using it for your photos.


I know but they came up so I used photobucket thinking they changed thier ways. I was wrong


----------



## Coondle

somedevildawg said:


> Photobucket is looking for some money from you griff.....that is if you want to keep using it for your photos.


SDD I have the same issue with Phitobucket, the old "it is free storage" but when you log on and join it sucks all of the photos out of your computer and says your "free" storage is full and now you need to pay.

With my limited tech know-how I can't delete photos already in Photobucket storage so was unable to post anything new to HT without coming up with a monthly fee.

I switched to Imgur which is a free hosting site and easier to use for an old non-techno dinosaur like me and is funded by ads and voluntary donations which I think is great. According to Wikipedia even the "Pro" category is now free. the ordinary category of membership was limited to uploading only 50 images per hour, but it is only those images you want to upload it has not snatched all of the images stored on my device.

Possibly worth consideration by HT members for sharing images on HT.


----------



## Vol

Coondle said:


> SDD I have the same issue with Phitobucket, the old "it is free storage" but when you log on and join it sucks all of the photos out of your computer and says your "free" storage is full and now you need to pay.
> 
> With my limited tech know-how I can't delete photos already in Photobucket storage so was unable to post anything new to HT without coming up with a monthly fee.
> 
> I switched to Imgur which is a free hosting site and easier to use for an old non-techno dinosaur like me and is funded by ads and voluntary donations which I think is great. According to Wikipedia even the "Pro" category is now free. the ordinary category of membership was limited to uploading only 50 images per hour, but it is only those images you want to upload it has not snatched all of the images stored on my device.
> 
> Possibly worth consideration by HT members for sharing images on HT.


Coondle, I started using Imgur after the photo bucket black mail.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

I have never been able to understand the need for off site storage! :huh:

I store all my photos in my own files, and upload directly from there! 

I admit I only have about 1,500 pics stored!


----------



## Coondle

Vol said:


> Coondle, I started using Imgur after the photo bucket black mail.
> 
> Regards, Mike


That is a perfect description: blackmail, and I cannot get rid of my foray into it, but about to change my ISP and the email address. P'bucket has is the one from that ISP; so maybe I will be rid of them soon.



Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I have never been able to understand the need for off site storage! :huh:
> 
> I store all my photos in my own files, and upload directly from there!
> 
> I admit I only have about 1,500 pics stored!


Have tried that Shetland without success to HT, have been able to post to other sites by storing photos on iPhoto, transferring to desktop and then uploading.

What OS are you using?;

and

What methodology to store photos and upload?

You may save other HT folk some aggravation.


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## somedevildawg

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I have never been able to understand the need for off site storage! :huh:
> I store all my photos in my own files, and upload directly from there!
> I admit I only have about 1,500 pics stored!


That's what I do, I have a 2tb storage and I store them myself......

Really simple Kevin...well, let me say it's really simple with a Apple OS, with a PC may be more complex and perhaps that's why folks post pics that are 90/180/270 degrees off? Can't seem to get them oriented correctly.....idk I've been an Apple guy since 1989 so I'm not much help with the clunky PC operating systems....haven't forgotten control/alt/delete tho


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## swmnhay

Last field baled for the yr.Cornstalks.


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## Gearclash

High volume bale handling. My nephew's triple spear on my brothers Volvo L70E. 3 spears per bale.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

What OS are you using?;

and

What methodology to store photos and upload?

You may save other HT folk some aggravation.

I'm using windows 11
I connect camera to usb port with cable that comes with camera, then download to my Documents file, specifically "My Pictures"
To post to HayTalk, I click on "more reply options", then go to "attach files" and click on "browse"
Find the picture in my files, and click on it, which will bring it to the box left of browse. Then click on "attach this file", when picture shows up above "attach files", click on "add to post".







VOILA!

Edit: Shoulda said Windows 10, not 11!


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## Coondle

Shetland, thanks for the heads-up. I use Mac OS and have just been bought an iPhone 6S, but the pathways are not outrageously dis-similar to windows, so will give it a try.

Maybe this old blind and grumpy dinosaur with fat fingers that lives upside down and no tech knowledge; that has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th Century (not managed the 21stC yet) can give you a little tip.

To quote a post in a reply:

Open the "Reply to this topic" box, scroll back to the post you want to quote and click on the "quote" box in the lower right corner and hey presto the post you are quoting appears like that of Todd's below that I want to comment on.



somedevildawg said:


> That's what I do, I have a 2tb storage and I store them myself......
> 
> Really simple Kevin...well, let me say it's really simple with a Apple OS, with a PC may be more complex and perhaps that's why folks post pics that are 90/180/270 degrees off? Can't seem to get them oriented correctly.....idk I've been an Apple guy since 1989 so I'm not much help with the clunky PC operating systems....haven't forgotten control/alt/delete tho


Todd, what pathways do you follow to get the photos posted direct to HT?

As I said above I use Mac os on a MacBookPro. I do not have any external storage but being non-tech have 500GB onboard and there is still 444Gb vacant so plenty of storage for me yet.

Using hosting sites I have found photos may be at other than vertical orientation and have to be re-orientated before posting or after if they post other than in the vertical.

I have tried Shetland's methodology but cannot view the actual photo it comes up as [attachment....blah....blah]









It works HOORAY the photo is of a couple of grey share farmers over the fence surveying the menu on my place.

Thanks Shetland and Dawg. My frustration levels with photos on HT just went down, plummeted in fact.


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## Grateful11

I use Mac OSX Sierra and connect my iPhone or load an SD card into the computer and load photos and videos into the Apple Photos software. Then edit if necessary. I choose the ones I want to upload and Export them to a folder named Exported in the Pictures folder. I use Tinypic.com for hosting my photos. Never have to worry about pics being upside down or turned on their side.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Coondle said:


> Shetland, thanks for the heads-up. I use Mac OS and have just been bought an iPhone 6S, but the pathways are not outrageously dis-similar to windows, so will give it a try.
> 
> Maybe this old blind and grumpy dinosaur with fat fingers that lives upside down and no tech knowledge; that has been dragged kicking and screaming into the 20th Century (not managed the 21stC yet) can give you a little tip.
> 
> To quote a post in a reply:
> Open the "Reply to this topic" box, scroll back to the post you want to quote and click on the "quote" box in the lower right corner and hey presto the post you are quoting appears like that of Todd's below that I want to comment on.
> 
> Todd, what pathways do you follow to get the photos posted direct to HT?
> 
> As I said above I use Mac os on a MacBookPro. I do not have any external storage but being non-tech have 500GB onboard and there is still 444Gb vacant so plenty of storage for me yet.
> 
> Using hosting sites I have found photos may be at other than vertical orientation and have to be re-orientated before posting or after if they post other than in the vertical.
> 
> I have tried Shetland's methodology but cannot view the actual photo it comes up as [attachment....blah....blah]
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_20150425_075704 3.jpg
> 
> It works HOORAY the photo is of a couple of grey share farmers over the fence surveying the menu on my place.
> 
> Thanks Shetland and Dawg. My frustration levels with photos on HT just went down, plummeted in fact.


Thanks Coondle! I was aware of the quote function, and have used it many times!
I just opted to copy & paste in that particular post!
I hope the info I posted is helpful to you. Have a great day "down under"
Dave


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## Coondle

Delivery of some of the 2017 produce.









Truck and trailer almost ready to go, a full load of 18 Bandit bundles (378 bales)









Truck with a full load of 10 Bandit bundles (210 bales)

Tractor comes along for the ride to unload

Stop at 5 miles into delivery to check the load

My offsider is in the driver's seat supervising me


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## Hayjosh

Teslan said:


> Done for the year here. Here's a amateurish drone video of my final 70 acres for 2017. Kinda thin 4th cutting. Heavy wind stole some of my hay away. But I had perfect conditions this week to get it all baled and in the barn.


This video was very satisfying to watch.

...almost like I was watching the opening credits to Farming Simulator.


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## Coondle

These are the sized bales I think would be ideal to handle. A model magpie baler powered by a steam engine and miniature boiler at an antique fair was being fed broken up hay and produced the little bales. Fantastic to watch, but as always work fascinates me,....... I can watch it for hours 

Sadly did not get the full machine or all of my brother and me in the photos, but that is what happens when "she who must be obeyed" is the camera operator.


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## Bgriffin856

Some from corn chopping and of cows grazing third and fourth cutting. Corn yielded way better than expected and they later cuttings of hay that we grazed grew really well.

This field was the biggest surprise, posted pics of it at spraying and it was really poor looking from the cold and rain









Some chopping while it was nice and dry
















Mid October and just started looking like fall









One field is rolling and low spots are like mud pits.... 








Rest went smooth for the most part. 574 started puking oil out the breather too badly to use on the blower and the bagger was unavailable when we wanted it so that delayed us a few days. Plus had quite a few fresh cows and heifers to tend with as well. Corn in the valleys got a hard frost in beginning of October, corn was still juicing the bagger the end of October. Really dislike shorter days and having to mess around in the dark




































































Oh and out with the old in with the new....brand new. It was time


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## Gearclash

Once the bales are all made the hauling commences. I have about 1500 to haul. The MX150 has its hands full.


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## Vol

Gearclash said:


> Once the bales are all made the hauling commences. I have about 1500 to haul. The MX150 has its hands full.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DA4E7A35-44C4-4337-A23D-1C04718A3831.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> F74DB8F5-23FE-4019-890E-02F96F88C14B.jpeg


Sure is pretty dirt.

Regards, Mike


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## Gearclash

Vol said:


> Sure is pretty dirt.
> 
> Regards, Mike


And expensive.


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## haysmith

Bgriffin856 said:


> Some from corn chopping and of cows grazing third and fourth cutting. Corn yielded way better than expected and they later cuttings of hay that we grazed grew really well.
> 
> This field was the biggest surprise, posted pics of it at spraying and it was really poor looking from the cold and rain


Its great to see a small dairy (no offense intended) still in operation. I am envious.

Also love that little IH 4wd. Is it a 674?


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## swmnhay

Gearclash said:


> And expensive.


Probably some of the highest priced farm ground in the country that is never going to be turned into houses.


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## Bgriffin856

haysmith said:


> Its great to see a small dairy (no offense intended) still in operation. I am envious.
> Also love that little IH 4wd. Is it a 674?


Get lots of comments just like that from alot of people who l like to see a farm our size in operation still. There are quite a few smaller operations in our area yet.

No it's 574, it's a great tractor we use it alot probably around 300-400+ hours a year. Has 11K+ hours most weren't easy. Going to have to overhaul the engine this winter


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## skyrydr2

Boy Griff those are a few jobs I would not want to do with an open station tractor!


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## Hokelund Farm

This is quite the video


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## Hayjosh

Hokelund Farm said:


> This is quite the video


That was very satisfying to watch. There's some serious hay porn there.


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## stack em up

All the horses in the world don’t equate in value to the dollars of machinery that guy has. Unless Elmer’s is having a shortage of glue....


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## Lewis Ranch

Hokelund Farm said:


> This is quite the video


https://jdrussellhay.com

Sure looks like a top notch operation


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## Grateful11

stack em up said:


> All the horses in the world don't equate in value to the dollars of machinery that guy has. Unless Elmer's is having a shortage of glue....


I don't know. I know the former owner of this horse pretty well. We talked her recently and she said she sold a horse right after a show because she couldn't pass up on the offer. It's hard to tell what she got for the Morgan horse.


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## bbos2

From this summer


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## FarmerCline

Hokelund Farm said:


> This is quite the video


 Wow! That is one heck of an operation they have.....very nice. That is similar to the kind of operation I hope to have one day.

They sure have some interesting equipment. Did a bit of a double take when I saw they were using Freeman balers since the scenery didn't look like the west of the Rockies where Freeman balers are typically seen. Had to look at there website and see that they are in Ohio.....very surprising they are using Freeman balers there......wonder what their reason is? The couple times I have bought a piece of equipment that is typically used in the western states it never works out for me (Twinstar rake for example).


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## bbos2

FarmerCline said:


> Had to look at there website and see that they are in Ohio.....very surprising they are using Freeman balers there......wonder what their reason is?


They can be Rechambered.

Beautiful farm. Nothing out of place


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## FarmerCline

bbos2 said:


> They can be Rechambered.
> Beautiful farm. Nothing out of place


 Rechambered as in replaced when worn or as in rechambered to a different size of bale?


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## bbos2

Rechambered to make different sizes bales. I think it can be done on a new Holland but I gave up and just went to a Barron. It can definitely be done on a Freeman


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## Bgriffin856

skyrydr2 said:


> Boy Griff those are a few jobs I would not want to do with an open station tractor!


All we've ever have had. I've never driven a tractor with a cab. Sometimes it makes you look tough sometimes it makes you look stupid

The women dig the permanent farmers tan


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## JD3430

Gearclash said:


> Once the bales are all made the hauling commences. I have about 1500 to haul. The MX150 has its hands full.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> DA4E7A35-44C4-4337-A23D-1C04718A3831.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> F74DB8F5-23FE-4019-890E-02F96F88C14B.jpeg


Gearclash,

Can you 'splain to me how the farm tractor & trailer setup works? I see that you have a dolly pulling the flat deck out to solid/flat ground, then you switch it over to a road tractor? Is it difficult/time consuming to lower/raise landing gear on trailer, or is yours hydraulic?
Might be a great option for me on out soft ground. Can't help but think the trailer tires with sink in ground causing ruts. Would it be a great find to get a trailer with super single type tires? 
My J__ tractor has air brakes and glad hands. Do you use air brakes when you pull your trailer? I've only ever seen one tractor dolly like yours , so I don't know where to even begin looking for one.

I'm at the point where I'm making enough bales that I'd like to be in a road tractor of some kind by next winter. My thought was to buy a utility company 4x4, shorten it to a road tractor, install trailer package on it and buy a shorter (say 40') aluminum flat deck. 
Goal is to haul more like 30-36 4x5's per trip instead of 22.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Bgriffin856 said:


> All we've ever have had. I've never driven a tractor with a cab. Sometimes it makes you look tough sometimes it makes you look stupid
> 
> The women dig the permanent farmers tan


Got a Sims cab for the 5610. Brother made plywood sides and doors for it. It is small and awkward to get in and out of to the point I'd rather use my Carharts, and not mount the cab!


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## paoutdoorsman

JD, I know every time I pass through Ohio I see double 53's and occasionally triple pups. The 'dolly' they use for the double 53 foot trailers looks similar to what Gearclash is using.


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## Bgriffin856

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Got a Sims cab for the 5610. Brother made plywood sides and doors for it. It is small and awkward to get in and out of to the point I'd rather use my Carharts, and not mount the cab!


Reminds me of those year-round after market cabs. Be in and out of one or two on tractors we were looking at buying and yeah im not a big fan of them and I never actually used one


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## Tx Jim

Bgriffin856 said:


> Reminds me of those year-round after market cabs. Be in and out of one or two on tractors we were looking at buying and yeah im not a big fan of them and I never actually used one


I think a Year-a-round cab especially if equipped with AC is a little better than a frame with plywood sides & no AC. I sold/installed Y-A-R cabs back in the 70's & although they were noisy they weren't too bad.


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## endrow

Tx Jim said:


> I think a Year-a-round cab especially if equipped with AC is a little better than a frame with plywood sides & no AC. I sold/installed Y-A-R cabs back in the 70's & although they were noisy they weren't too bad.


 oh but how the cabs have impproved. but I'll tell you when I was a kid I can remember plowing or Hauling manure in the winter and working all day on a Open cold tractor. When we got our first tractor with a year-rounder I thought Heaven had arrived early


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## swmnhay

Bgriffin856 said:


> Reminds me of those year-round after market cabs. Be in and out of one or two on tractors we were looking at buying and yeah im not a big fan of them and I never actually used one


Year Around cabs were built in Mankato,Mn.I recall rows and rows of cabs sitting outside ready to be shipped.

Think they made the canvas type heat housers also??


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## endrow

one of the old green ones ,an original ,still hangs in the second story of the old shop I walked by it a million times in my life. It is green with yellow letters it says"HEAT HOUSER Fort Dodge Iowa


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## luke strawwalker

Grateful11 said:


> I don't know. I know the former owner of this horse pretty well. We talked her recently and she said she sold the horse right after the show because she couldn't pass up on the offer. It's hard to tell what she got for this horse.


A fool and their money are soon parted...

Ain't no horse ever been born worth more than a plug nickel to me...

Later! OL J R


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## VA Haymaker

First try editing with iMovie....

#1 driver at the helm, youngest son helping to stack...


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## stack em up

Nice video! Good looking hay.

I think my Dad would beat the ever living hell out of us if we stacked like that. We could never have a tier stacked the same direction as the one beneath it, makes a much more stable load.


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## VA Haymaker

stack em up said:


> Nice video! Good looking hay.
> I think my Dad would beat the ever living hell out of us if we stacked like that. We could never have a tier stacked the same direction as the one beneath it, makes a much more stable load.


Whatever we're doing works as we never loose a bale off the wagons, however, IMHO, a solid brick shape bale does more to maintain a stack than anything else. Now that my boy on the rack is bigger than I am, this Dad ain't going to "beat the ever living hell" out of him - but don't tell him as he still thinks I could...????


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## VA Haymaker

Another iMovie....

This one is of my smokey Farmall 756 gasser doing rake duty on a small patch of hay that got rinsed, tedded out and had to be re-raked. The 756 is overkill for a hay rake, but was the tractor readily availble to quickly rake on that day. Debating rebuilding the gas engine or doing a Cummins 5.9L diesel swap. I really like this 756.


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## stack em up

I keep playing around with a 4 cylinder Perkins diesel I got to put in a 450 Farmall. One of those projects that int gonna get done any time soon.


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## endrow

leeave96 said:


> Another iMovie....
> 
> This one is of my smokey Farmall 756 gasser doing rake duty on a small patch of hay that got rinsed, tedded out and had to be re-raked. The 756 is overkill for a hay rake, but was the tractor readily availble to quickly rake on that day. Debating rebuilding the gas engine or doing a Cummins 5.9L diesel swap. I really like this 756.


That would be very handy tractor for haying , can you buy something to put a 5.9 in there or must you concoct it yourself


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## endrow

leeave96 said:


> First try editing with iMovie....
> 
> #1 driver at the helm, youngest son helping to stack...


Beautiful hay ,Nice flat field , when I drove down that way I saw a lot of hilly ground


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## stack em up

There's a company that make kits to do the swap, a lot cheaper to make them yourself.


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## Gearclash

paoutdoorsman said:


> JD, I know every time I pass through Ohio I see double 53's and occasionally triple pups. The 'dolly' they use for the double 53 foot trailers looks similar to what Gearclash is using.


That's a turnpike double in the picture. The dolly I was using was shop made out of the rear end of a tandem highway tractor.

Last day of hauling stalk bales. This is a fraction of the 1850 bales I made and hauled in here.









The loader I'm sitting in is a Deere 544K II high lift with just over a 100 hrs on it. Very nice machine to run for the most part.


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## VA Haymaker

endrow said:


> That would be very handy tractor for haying , can you buy something to put a 5.9 in there or must you concoct it yourself


Leamans has a kit to install 5.9 engines in several IH tractors.


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## FreemanBalers

FarmerCline said:


> Wow! That is one heck of an operation they have.....very nice. That is similar to the kind of operation I hope to have one day.
> 
> They sure have some interesting equipment. Did a bit of a double take when I saw they were using Freeman balers since the scenery didn't look like the west of the Rockies where Freeman balers are typically seen. Had to look at there website and see that they are in Ohio.....very surprising they are using Freeman balers there......wonder what their reason is? The couple times I have bought a piece of equipment that is typically used in the western states it never works out for me (Twinstar rake for example).


The main reason is being able to Rechamber. This Particular customer had rechambered to a size no other baler or person has on the Market and is loved by his horse market customers. The nice thing about his size bale is he can get a min of 90 to 100 more bales on a truck compared to another person with a 14x18 chamber. He ships ALOT of hay and there is a major cost savings.


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## Gearclash

JD3430 said:


> Gearclash,
> 
> Can you 'splain to me how the farm tractor & trailer setup works? I see that you have a dolly pulling the flat deck out to solid/flat ground, then you switch it over to a road tractor? Is it difficult/time consuming to lower/raise landing gear on trailer, or is yours hydraulic?
> Might be a great option for me on out soft ground. Can't help but think the trailer tires with sink in ground causing ruts. Would it be a great find to get a trailer with super single type tires?
> My J__ tractor has air brakes and glad hands. Do you use air brakes when you pull your trailer? I've only ever seen one tractor dolly like yours , so I don't know where to even begin looking for one.
> 
> I'm at the point where I'm making enough bales that I'd like to be in a road tractor of some kind by next winter. My thought was to buy a utility company 4x4, shorten it to a road tractor, install trailer package on it and buy a shorter (say 40') aluminum flat deck.
> Goal is to haul more like 30-36 4x5's per trip instead of 22.


I was doing the entire haul with the ag tractor. Longest run was about 7 miles and fairly flat. No trailer brakes, but an ag tractor with air brake would hook right up. Stopping without trailer brakes wasn't bad at all. My tractor was woefully short of power on long steep hills, but could power out of the worst field driveways with no fuss. Raising and lowering the landing gear would be a pita with a full load unless there was hydraulics involved. Truck tires are the worst thing for ruts in a field, super singles won't help at all as the ground contact area is no greater. The converter dolly I was using was shop made of the black end of a salvage road tractor. There are plenty of commercial convertor dollys tandem and single, be aware they all have ring hitches. A single should turn a little better behind an ag tractor. An ag tractor will feel squirrelly compared to a road tractor. The biggest thing is for a tighter turn you need to slow down before the turn then power through it so the tractor is telling the converter dolly what to do and not the other way around. My nephew recommends a spread axle airbag trailer for this kind of work, he says they are more stable coming out of a narrow driveway than a tandem spring ride trailer. He would know, as he hauls something like 18,000 bales a year.

Edit to add, the skateboard I was pulling is heavy, even though it is a steel/aluminum hybrid. Tare weight was in the 32,000 lb range, 15,000 of that was the tractor. Highest gross I had was 66,000 with 23 heavy 5x6 stalk bales.


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## Coondle

Here are a couple of photos of a Zetor I had, cleverly disguised with green and yellow paint.

Tractor was very good for me, no complaints other than I would like to still have it.


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## paoutdoorsman

I don't see any pics Coondle...


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## Coondle

Thanks paoutdoorsman for bringing lack of pics to my attention. Here goes again.

Do not know where the pics went and even more puzzling my attempted post was to another topic. Must have got lost or at least wayward in the trip from down under.


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## IH 1586

Last of the 2017 hay headed home to be resold. Customer traded his pre purchased hay for baleage for his Buffalo. Won't be an issue selling this hay with the year we had.


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