# When's Your First Cutting This Year?



## Anonsky's Hay Service (Feb 1, 2017)

How far are those of you in northern climates behind this year? When are you hoping to start cutting hay? Has anyone in a warmer climate done it, yet?


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

I have a small piece of new orchard grass that is over knee high without a seed head in sight. would make beautiful hay if I cut it next week. thinking... The rest is probably going to wait until Mem day weekend. LIke to start here by May 15 if there is decent weather but it was just too danged cold this spring.


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Getting ready for our second alfalfa cutting in a week or so.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

We most likely will not take our first cutting until about the middle of June. I am hoping to get what we plowed up seeded here this next week.


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

I've started here in the palmetto state. We have had damp cool weather up until this past week. This past week was ideal for hay making, low humidity, breezy, warm and plenty of sun. The only thing that is bothering me it is starting to look like the water spigot got turned off. I hope we're not in for a dry summer.


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## IHCman (Aug 27, 2011)

Hard to say here. Looks like it will be 2 weeks late or later but it might surprise me. Alfalfa is barely breaking dormancy. Cool season grasses greened up and in places have shot up the last couple of days with the warmer weather and the nights staying in the upper 40s and low 50s. We really need a shot of rain soon to get things growing. If it doesn't rain in the next week or two there might not be much first cutting.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

2-3 weeks behind here.Broke dormancy 10 days ago and just greening up now.A touch of winter kill but not to bad.Spread fertilizer on it yesterday,was a touch wet in spots but it was supposed to rain last night then it didn't.

Probably be cutting around June 7

Cut lawn today for first time.

Start on corn planting tommorow.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Ryegrass began being cut last week around here for hay. Haylege started being cut three weeks ago.

A friend that borders one of our pastures cut and rolled 40 acres of mixed grass hay last week. I will help a friend with his ryegrass this week.

All of my ryegrass is grazed. My warm season grass hayfields have been sprayed and fertilized.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

7-10 days behind, at least would be my SWAG method. Still feeding cows hay, pasture is at least a week before turning them out to harvst themselves, (normally by May 1 they are self harvesting) Lawnmower hasn't been warmed up yet, normally, would have used once or twice by today.

Larry

PS

I forgot to add some real numbers for MY area (as of 5-6-2018). This info is supplied by locally by MSU, for anyone in Michigan BTW.

Alfalfa GDD (Growth Degree Days)
Current 218 GDD - Average 352 GDD

Corn GDD
Current 172 GDD - Average 259 GDD

MSU web site -

https://enviroweather.msu.edu/weather.php?stn=msu


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

We had a long hard winter this year with a late start, but all the fields around here seem to know what time of year it is and have been playing catch up. I suspect we'll be on our normal schedule this year of starting in late June.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Suspecting the 1st of June, the Good Lord willing, and the creek don't rise! Slow start, but coming on quick!  Prolly get 3 weeks of intermittent showers, starting just about then!  :angry:


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## woodland (May 23, 2016)

Probably Canada day (July 1) as usual up here. Although if this wind keeps up it might be slim pickings as it's getting dry. The pasture is just green but not doing much but hopefully by June 1 it'll be ready (May 20 is more normal). The ice just left our little lake the other day and the white poplars are popping a few leaves out. Could be out seeding (just) but still fixing equipment and calving cows









That fuzzy looking water closest to me is the last of the ice. Springtime on the tundra????


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Just three weeks ago grass finally greened up . Last week we where still getting heavy frost in the morning. Now I was out looking around and some of the old school orchard grass is pushing heads . So I guess hay baling is right on schedule for end of May. How can the weather go from a month behind to rite on schedule.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

The grass is very rich and green here and starting to grow, but rain would help. The best field I have *might* be ready by Memorial Day, it's just about getting to a foot tall and we're supposed to get heavy showers this weekend. On this particular field I spread dairy manure in Feb and i think I can see the pay off. My other fields are green but will be June cuttings.


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

Memorial day weekend depending on weather we have warmed up and the grass and alfalfa look good but April was cold and dry we could use an inch or two of rain over the next couple of days a lot of rain has missed us to the north and east winds off lake Michigan has been the cause of both problems. Lots of corn and beans have been planted since May 1 Good luck and stay safe saw on the news a SUV ran into the back of a rowgator looked bad


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Baling ryegrass today. Helped a friend cut his 24 acres Tuesday. Daytime temps have been in the upper 80's.

My warm season grasses, Bahia and Bermuda, began to green up the last of February. Then Mother Nature became fickle and things just stoped and stood still, except the cool season weeds.

Have the batwing hooked up and am going to clip sprayed weeds in the Bahia and Bermuda hay fields as soon as we get the ryegrass rolled.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

In the last week we've had up to 6" of rain. The ground is pretty saturated and the winter kill was easy on us this year. I would think if there is good drying weather, we could be cutting end of may for some rocket fuel.

I walked a field from last year that was new seeding, I'm pretty happy with the way it looks so far. I had a mix of orchard, timothy and alfalfa.


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## clowers (Feb 11, 2011)

Cutting and baling rye grass here as fast as possible with temps in upper 80's to low 90's.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

First 12 acres on the ground for baleage, will be baling Friday. Get any issues worked out with the equipment and we will be ready to roll. Only a week and half later than "normal".


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Irrigating for our third cutting. Alfalfa is going for $210-$220.


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

Cut my first batch this morning! Now I gotta keep it in the air to get it dry enough to bale by Friday afternoon! Tedder will get a workout the next couple of days! 30% chance of showers Saturday AM!


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Cut my first today as well, cut right as the dew was coming off, and tedded a few hours later. Hot and sunny today and the next two days will make for good drying conditions and baling on Friday. Sat I might mow my next field and another field after that in the last week of May hopefully.


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## foz682 (Jan 10, 2013)

Probably still 3 weeks away from first cut. Mowed my lawn on Monday for the first time this year, trees just got their leaves in the last few days...

We're right on par with most years, even though it was a dry winter for us with about half of the typical snowfall.

Hard to say though, next 2 weeks forecast says high temps of only 12°C (54°F)


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

I cut 20 acres Tuesday afternoon and plan on baling it this afternoon. I'm 5 days ahead of my schedule last year with about 80% of the volume. Winter kill hurt us pretty bad. I decided to cut now based on the weather predictions for the next 10 days. Hopefully the weather cleans up a bit and i can get some more laid down. I'm curious what kind of yield folks are seeing. I'm in Southern Indiana near Louisville KY.


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## southernOHIOboy (Jun 11, 2017)

Ours is nowhere in sight. The past couple years I have gotten mine done mid-May and as of now the 14 day forecast has rain most days. Hay is ready, looks great, just don’t have the dry weather.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Can mow anytime I can get to it, orchard grass is heading out, probably 6-12" shorter than normal.


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## GNA_farm (Jul 21, 2014)

Have 90 acres of alfalfa and 40 acres of alfalfa/grass either ready or close to ready, waiting on a decent weather window at this point to not wreck an entire first cut. hoping to cut a couple smaller fields around 6/2 if the weather cooperates and can get a little bit of a window of no rain. Has been hot here for a week but also very humid and quick storms rolling through most days.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Still no luck with a window for first cut. Alfalfa is ready, Timothy is ready, and Brome is not far behind. Spring was early for me last year and weather was similar. I looked back in my 2017 records, and I did cut alfalfa May 16th for haylage, but didn't have weather to start on the Timothy until June 8th.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

paoutdoorsman said:


> Still no luck with a window for first cut. Alfalfa is ready, Timothy is ready, and Brome is not far behind. Spring was early for me last year and weather was similar. I looked back in my 2017 records, and I did cut alfalfa May 16th for haylage, but didn't have weather to start on the Timothy until June 8th.


I was done last year before June 1 with first cutting. What a difference a year makes. Like you, nothing in sight for the 10 day


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I’m ready to cut 1st cutting of Bermuda if it will ever quit raining.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I was ready to start two weeks ago. The weather has other ideas.


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## Monsenhay (Jan 13, 2018)

Got 22 acres of pure alfalfa baled dry today in southern WI. Beautiful hay. Fertilizer buggy showed up at 2:30 didn't get the bales moved until 8. Finally into the house hopefully I didn't miss much while fertilizing in the dark with a 706 with one front light and one back


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

Looks like I will be able to cut Sunday or Monday. Rain is finally going to move on.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Still waiting for some drying weather. Very rainy May.
Chance of rain and cloudy every day until about 6/5.


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