# 3 Day Humid Hay



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Looking at the forecast, continuous thunderstorms, but for the moment, the weather is calling for cloudy skies 4 days in a row later next week - going into Memorial Day weekend.

Thinking about cutting a small patch to run-in my equipment for the larger/later cuts.

Pre-Day 1 - do nothing, let the rain stop and breeze dry things out to the extent possible.

Day 1 - start cutting at daylight. Ted everything about 1pm.

Day 2 - ted everything.

Day 3 - ted late morning, afternoon, rake in front of the baler and bale.

I don't know - I've never had much luck with 3 day hay even in good weather conditions.

Speaking of the humid east, I'm in the mountains of VA. This patch is Timothy mixed grass hay - no legumes. Running the Krone mower conditioner for the first time - not sure what to expect. Impeller machine, probably will have the hood cranked all the way down for max conditioning, 5 inch stubble and wide swath spread for max drying/exposure to the sun. Buffered propionic acid locked and loaded...

What do you think? 3 day humid hay or just park the equipment and grill hot dogs over Memorial Day weekend...

Thanks!
Bill


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We talking small squares? I hope so.

In my experience in similar climate you will want another tedding on the afternoon of day 1. The only stuff that will dry is the top layer so assuming 2 ton per acre yield similar to us, you have to keep tedding if it's marginal weather. It would be easier too if you had acid on your baler. Probably won't be able to bale with much density either.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Personally I would not attempt it. In good curing conditions grass hay is possible to do here in three days......but I emphasize good curing conditions. No way could I do three day hay with wet ground and cloudy humid conditions. Most of the time in average conditions here in May it takes four days to dry grass hay. Poor conditions like you are talking about even longer.

Hayden


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

I follow this site to get pan evaporation numbers (forecasted however), before cutting.

http://www.awis.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/zipwx.uncgi

Then using some HayWilson's numbers (golly, I sure miss his wisdom) on how much moisture (pan evaporation amounts), I need to remove from crop. If numbers add up I might cut, depending upon the forecasted humidity on expected baling day (WVU, page 3, figure 5). If humidity is above 70%, hay has a hard time, getting below 15-16% moisture.

Larry


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Yes - small squares. My biggest concern is not so much drying the hay from the sun or partly cloudy days (maybe it should be), but the moisture in the ground evaporating up - right into the hay.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Based on Rain everyday:

If you have to go, use the lightest tractor you have and tuck your windrows as narrow as you can go.

Day 2 9-10 am flip hay in single rows with a side delivery rake to expose the bottom. Later that afternoon ted it out.

Day 3 ted again about 9 am, ted at 12, start raking when it seems right and you can finish baling with an hour left of daylight. Bale the hay that will fall under shade first.

You're going to waste a lot of fuel and add to compaction woes. Just be patient and wait it out, especially if you have a bunch of springs under it like some of my fields. I just baled 3 day hay on pastures cows already grazed (mostly stems) so yield is less and easier to dry but still had some wet stems with 90 degree days. I'm in the same pickle, I will be laying 30 acres as soon as I have a 5 day window.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

How long is daylight down where you are? We’re running around 15-16 hours of daylight in late May, makes a world of difference vs October with 10 hours or so.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

leeave96 said:


> Looking at the forecast, continuous thunderstorms, but for the moment, the weather is calling for cloudy skies 4 days in a row later next week - going into Memorial Day weekend.
> 
> Thinking about cutting a small patch to run-in my equipment for the larger/later cuts.
> 
> ...


Bill, I am looking at that also. I just don't think without wind it will work. Supposed to have a deluge in the morning and the ground is saturated now with continual rain for the last 48-60 hours. I am afraid that it will just tear up my fields and leave me with junk but sooner or later it is going to start growing mold in the lodged areas.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Looked out about 3hrs ago and clouds disappearing blue looking stuff up there. Looked again a few minutes ago. Thought about googling it and then realized it's sunshine... LOL. It's been a while.

More thunderstorms in the forecast later today, but the forecast is moderating later next week. I subscribe to the belief that the weather forecasters are just as wrong about rain predictions as sun. If the wind picks up, we have sun - I'll at least cut a windrow to run-in my equipment.

My "luck" says late this week and into Memorial Day weekend might be an excellent window. I've been telling family we just might be forced into a lazy, relaxed holiday weekend due to the rain forecast and instead have lots of grillin' and maybe a short trip to see some family. As soon as I said that, the weather forecast for next Thursday turned "mostly sunny". If my "luck" holds true, everyone might be in for a huge hay cutting weekend - a week from today....

We'll see...

Bill


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Looking at similar weather here. Just be patient.

You need 4-6 days drying over wet ground. First day--let ground dry. Second day--cut about 10AM or later (after dew is completely burned off) into tall, narrow windrows. This allows the bare ground to dry. Tall windrows put more hay "up in the air" allowing it to dry more. Third day--ted about 3 PM. This allows hay to dry more, ground to dry more. Fourth day, ted about 3 PM. Make sure thick parts of windrows get picked up. This spreads the hay out evenly. Fifth or sixth day--Rake about 11 AM. Bale later in day.

This is the routine I use. Some times it works.

Ralph


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

No schedule cast in stone here every day is a different day . we push every thing to the max weather will always change.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I'm twiddling my thumbs. Mowed the swamp today, apparently my deck belt was weak because it managed to break. The extra wet load made it work hard, could barely hold the belt it was hot. Ordered 2 belts to have on hand so I can finish next time. Apparently I forgot to replace the belt that I replaced the last time. Oh well.

Hay equipment is ready to go but it looks like June is when I'll get rolling again. My 10 day still says rain.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

Do you guys in NC have quite a bit of humidity? Where I am in SW MI, 3 day hay is the norm and if I let it go 4 days, it gets too dry and bleached. At 3 days, I'm at 10% moisture in the bale. I mow at noon, as soon as the dew is off the next day I ted. On day 3 I rake into fluffy windrows with rotary rake as soon as dew is off, and then bale late in the afternoon. I know Larry has even made 2 day hay before when his pan evap numbers were ideal.

I'm planning on laying down 7 acres next week, but I've already got all the hay sold so I can't afford to mess it up. The forecast is still morphing but rain is supposed to be done on Monday so thinking of letting the ground dry on Tues then cutting and tedding on Wed (first time I'll have ever tedded on the same day as cutting), then ted again on Thurs if necessary, and bale on Friday. The AWIS site is predicting good drying conditions for my area for that time.

Larry introduced me to this site as well, if you haven't used it it's pretty helpful.

http://www.awis.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/zipwx.uncgi


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

I would not attempt 3 days this early in the year, 4 days min.. Grass has so much moisture right now. I have been watching and think this week will be doing baleage. We are just so wet right now with 2.5 inches last week and another 1/2 this week end and another rain event planned for Tuesday.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

IH 1586 said:


> I would not attempt 3 days this early in the year, 4 days min.. Grass has so much moisture right now. I have been watching and think this week will be doing baleage. We are just so wet right now with 2.5 inches last week and another 1/2 this week end and another rain event planned for Tuesday.


Yep, too much water in the grass and too much in the ground. Need a good NW blow and and some sun just to get ready. Had to spread manure in a paddock yesterday because I can't reach the normal stockpile area due to mud. Even in the paddock with short grass and exposure to air, I was making tracks but I needed an empty spreader. I have made a lot of 3 day hay here in Va but not with 60% humidity which is what is called for for the next 10 days. Man I would like to have the 25-35 mph winds now that plagued us all winter.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Hayjosh said:


> Do you guys in NC have quite a bit of humidity?


 Like being in a sauna.

Hayden


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

last week cut Wednesday morning tedded that afternoon raked baled Thursday only a few acres just making sure everything was good to go.


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

I was told once a long time ago . You cant bale hay that isn't cut . Now are we talking 30% chance of rain or what ? Its all a gamble so if you think its right , cut it . If not , don't . Ever thought of rolling it and wrapping . That takes mother nature out of the equation a little .


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

siscofarms said:


> I was told once a long time ago . You cant bale hay that isn't cut . Now are we talking 30% chance of rain or what ? Its all a gamble so if you think its right , cut it . If not , don't . Ever thought of rolling it and wrapping . That takes mother nature out of the equation a little .


 My 87 year old grandpa says the same thing. I might Tuesday afternoon through Friday this week. Looks like we have a window in Southern Indiana.


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

It amazes me how much you guys in the east have to fight the humidity. Here in the Pacific Northwest when the conditions are ideal (mid 90's with full sun and a breeze) I can cut at day break, ted at noon, and bale it dry that evening. Even if conditions are less than ideal, I can be baling it by middle of the next day. And that's 2.5 to 3 ton to the acre timothy and orchard grass.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Idaho Hay said:


> It amazes me how much you guys in the east have to fight the humidity. Here in the Pacific Northwest when the conditions are ideal (mid 90's with full sun and a breeze) I can cut at day break, ted at noon, and bale it dry that evening. Even if conditions are less than ideal, I can be baling it by middle of the next day. And that's 2.5 to 3 ton to the acre timothy and orchard grass.


Yeah, I have been struck by how unfair the hay world is 3 times, once on the high plains in irrigated land just east of Denver, once in Montana with rediculously low humidity and beautiful timothy, once in the valley in Northern Ca. Each of you should be given an additional handicap just to make things even with our humidity. Just sayin..


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

To me the paradox in all of this is - if you make hay in the middle of high humidity and thunderstorms, you're gambling dusty or moldy hay, none of which is of interest with horse customers.

Wait on the weather to clear to perfect haying conditions and you've got overripe stemmy hay many horse customers are not interested in either.

Maybe the silver lining is when you finally get to make hay, the quantities are off the chart and with a lower price, via volume sales to the "feed 'em what's on sale" crowd, it pencils out the same.

Then there is buffered propionic acid...

Question is - the orchard grass and fescue I'm seeing in hay fields around are IMHO moving past prime. How are you folks growing this stuff coping with that early maturity with this stormy weather - and successfully selling it into your customer base?


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

I think you've answered a lot of your own questions. Higher yield can help make up for lower per bale or per ton price. And, unless your customers have other, further away sources to buy hay (i.e. outside the area), or you just happen to be the unlucky one in your area getting all the pop up storms that go around everybody else, everyone's hay quality is going to be roughly the same in your area. So, odds are the customers may only get to be but so picky in a year where it is challenging for everyone to get hay made right.

I hate seeing overripe hay just as much as anyone else, and most of mine just goes to the cows. But when it rains or showers every other day there just isn't much we can do about it beyond baleage, and even that is a challenge with weather we've had the last couple weeks (and projected for the next couple). I'd still rather be baling overripe, but semi-green and decent smelling hay that was put up right than rained on or dusty hay that might have been mowed closer to peak quality nutrient-wise. But that's just me, I know "by the book" many say it's better to cut and get it rained on some than let it get overripe. That might be ok if it just gets a shower or two. Totally different if is down for a week or two getting rained on every other day and losing all color in the process.

When the weather is like this about the best way to deal with it is only mow small acreage at a time. I hate doing it and would much rather knock out bigger chunks at a time, but the forecasts are just so finicky. Then if you don't mow the weather will work out perfect....the age old struggle. So that's why if you get a bit of a window it's worth chancing, just not on a grand scale.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Then of course if it has been horribly wet you can deal with the humidity in the air and the humidity coming out of the ground.

More than once I've tedded or raked just to have what once was dry end up getting wet from the ground.

Here there is a better market for ripe or mature hay than rained on dusty/moldy hay. Even my beef customers rather have ripe than rained on.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Update - haying is off. Weather forecast just doesn't look very promising or firm. Looks like over Memorial Day weekend we'll be grillin' and chillin'...

Thanks!
Bill


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Here there is a better market for ripe or mature hay than rained on dusty/moldy hay. Even my beef customers rather have ripe than rained on.


Ditto.

Regards, Mike


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

mlappin said:


> Then of course if it has been horribly wet you can deal with the humidity in the air and the humidity coming out of the ground.
> 
> More than once I've tedded or raked just to have what once was dry end up getting wet from the ground.
> 
> Here there is a better market for ripe or mature hay than rained on dusty/moldy hay. Even my beef customers rather have ripe than rained on.


But it also depends on the market for subsequent cuttings. Even if there's less market for rained on, you can still be better off if it creates the opportunity for a few weeks extra growth on the next, presumably more valuable, cutting.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

leeave96 said:


> To me the paradox in all of this is - if you make hay in the middle of high humidity and thunderstorms, you're gambling dusty or moldy hay, none of which is of interest with horse customers.
> Wait on the weather to clear to perfect haying conditions and you've got overripe stemmy hay many horse customers are not interested in either.
> Maybe the silver lining is when you finally get to make hay, the quantities are off the chart and with a lower price, via volume sales to the "feed 'em what's on sale" crowd, it pencils out the same.
> Then there is buffered propionic acid...
> Question is - the orchard grass and fescue I'm seeing in hay fields around are IMHO moving past prime. How are you folks growing this stuff coping with that early maturity with this stormy weather - and successfully selling it into your customer base?


 That is something I struggle with and have not been able to figure out. My main market wants early cut hay. They will not buy mature stemmy hay at any price. But at the same time this is horse hay so it can not be moldy or musty either.

I have come of the opinion that once rained on early cut hay is better than mature hay that was not rained on. I made some orchard grass and alfalfa week before last that got rained on but I was able to get it dried back out without it molding or getting a musty/sour smell. Except for some color loss you would never think it got rained on.....really surprised me how well it turned out. Delivered a load to a customer today and they loved it. Now if I had not taken the chance on making that hay and let it got overmature they would not have bought it......and I wouldn't have the next cutting already growing either.

After that experience I'm more willing now to gamble on the weather if it's just a day or two of a chance of thunderstorms provided there is a couple days of clear weather after the rain to be able to get it dried back out if it does happen to get wet. Now if it looks like good chances of rain for the next several days I'm not going to risk it because then you will not be able to get it dried back out and it will end up being a moldy, slimy mess and hurt the regrowth. In that case it is obviously better off to wait on the weather and have mature hay than rotten hay. But that brings us back to the issue of if that happens and you have a barn full of mature hay what do you do if your market won't accept that kind of hay?

Hayden


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

FarmerCline said:


> That is something I struggle with and have not been able to figure out. My main market wants early cut hay. They will not buy mature stemmy hay at any price. But at the same time this is horse hay so it can not be moldy or musty either.
> 
> I have come of the opinion that once rained on early cut hay is better than mature hay that was not rained on. I made some orchard grass and alfalfa week before last that got rained on but I was able to get it dried back out without it molding or getting a musty/sour smell. Except for some color loss you would never think it got rained on.....really surprised me how well it turned out. Delivered a load to a customer today and they loved it. Now if I had not taken the chance on making that hay and let it got overmature they would not have bought it......and I wouldn't have the next cutting already growing either.
> 
> ...


Ditto Hayden, that is my approach as well. That is why I wasn't tempted this week since there are too many days of gunky weather following the 3 days of sun. However, the forecast changed a bit and I will make another decision tomorrow morning based on how much rain we get today with TS and what the prognostication is for the 6 day. Looks like showers late sat, but unknown how late, showers off and on sunday and rain on MD. That is just too much chance to have happen to hay that is just about ready to bale for me. We need a big Bermuda High to sit off the coast for two weeks.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Oh, well, the monsoon system just moved back in on us. Heavier (really?) rain forecasted for tonight so cutting tomorrow is out of the question. Guess I should go buy some bourbon.


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## Trotwood2955 (Sep 4, 2012)

Yep, depending on how much we get tonight, I'm planning to mow some late tomorrow or early Thursday to bale and wrap Friday. I'm like you...not quite sure what Saturday is shaping up to be so I will probably wait another day or two before mowing any to bale and wrap Saturday. If I wasn't planning on wrapping I wouldn't even think about trying to do dry hay this week with wet ground plus what is coming this weekend and beyond. At least in my case if I get a few showers on it I can still force it up and wrap.

Given the long range forecast showing no more windows, I get antsy about trying to push and do more acres than good sense tells me to the end of this week. Gotta remind myself I'd rather get 15-20 acres done right than take a chance on doing more, but then the forecast changing, or have a breakdown...at least a few acres ought to get any bugs out of the equipment and scratch the itch for a few days anyway.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

We are lucky here, a substantial portion of horse hay market wants to see fully headed out timothy in the bales. I’ll struggle with early season and put some in but it’s a gamble. Putting acid on the baler right now actually.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

We've had just shy of 4" as of Sunday AM over three days. Forecast Monday AM called for 10-12 days no rain.

Checked bean fields bare ground--sloppy wet. I figured hay ground would dry out enough come Thursday to cut, allow 4 days to dry, bale Sunday, maybe Monday. Forecast now calls for 50% chance Sunday.

Ralph

"It's another rainy hay season, and I ain't got no dry ground around." (Sung to "It's another saturday night...).


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Changed my mind...







Small patch to run in our equipment before the mother load.

Heavy rain last night except on the farm/general area. We had 10 minutes about 7pm and measured maybe 1/16".

Krone did great as did the IH Farmall 756.

Bill


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Idaho Hay said:


> It amazes me how much you guys in the east have to fight the humidity. Here in the Pacific Northwest when the conditions are ideal (mid 90's with full sun and a breeze) I can cut at day break, ted at noon, and bale it dry that evening. Even if conditions are less than ideal, I can be baling it by middle of the next day. And that's 2.5 to 3 ton to the acre timothy and orchard grass.


How do you get the stems dry that fast? And at what moisture are you baling? Do you mow with a moco?

I would think that it would take at least 24 hours at 20% humidity to get the stems dry.

Ralph


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

rjmoses said:


> How do you get the stems dry that fast? And at what moisture are you baling? Do you mow with a moco?
> 
> I would think that it would take at least 24 hours at 20% humidity to get the stems dry.
> 
> Ralph


I use a 10' discbine with rubber roll conditioners and lay as wide a swath as possible (about 90% of cut width) first thing in the morning. As soon as the swath is about 2/3 dry (noonish), I ted it to re-mix and fluff it. If it's hot and breezy that afternoon, the last 1/3 of drying goes really fast. Depending on crop/field/weather conditions, sometimes it's ready to rake and bale by about 4pm, but sometime, if it's not quite ready, I'll rake it and not start baling until about 6pm in order to give it a little more time to dry in the windrows. I have both a probe and baler moisture tester and try to keep the readings under 15%. Usually it's 12%-14%. If I were to leave this hay until the next day to bale, it would be discolored by that night's dew, and over dry. Now if it's overcast at all, or only in the mid 80's, it wouldn't be ready to bale until the next day. This will be my 4th season of using this method, and I have very happy, returning costumers.

I would be happy to elaborate on this method more, but on this thread I feel like the guy saying that he say big foot... or the Loch Ness monster. Even some of my neighbors think there's something wrong with me. But I tell you the truth... it works!... for me.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Bill, I modified your post to 4 day humid hay and posted a test cut pic in hay pics. Figured that the worst that could happen is it is trash, I roll it, and put in the woods or give to my cow friends.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Idaho Hay said:


> I would be happy to elaborate on this method more, but on this thread I feel like the guy saying that he say big foot... or the Loch Ness monster. Even some of my neighbors think there's something wrong with me. But I tell you the truth... it works!... for me.


There might be something wrong with you, but it's right!

I was lucky, once, to cut today, bale tomorrow. And that was third cutting alfalfa. Most of the time, I need 3-4 days because my average humidity seldom gets below 60%,

Ralph


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Hayman1 said:


> Bill, I modified your post to 4 day humid hay and posted a test cut pic in hay pics. Figured that the worst that could happen is it is trash, I roll it, and put in the woods or give to my cow friends.


Funny thing is - my outcome might be hay for the edge of the woods too - but I really put a lot of thought into our haying. My Wife thinks I'm nuts!!!!!

However....

In my neck of the woods and driving out and about within a 50 mile radius - REGARDLESS of the circumstances, once the first field goes down, EVERYONE feels the need to cut their hay too - LOL!!!

Thing is - I purposely cut at near daylight for 2 reasons. 1- to get a full day's sunlight (3 day hay IMHO means 3 full days, not 2 half on each end days and 1 full day in the middle) and 2- to cut the hay when the sugar content was lowest.

If the folks up and down the road decide to cut tomorrow, they are looking at 2 day hay at best or wet 3 day hay as the thunderstorms move back-in on Saturday.

However, I'm no smart guy - take what I say with a grain of salt. Some of these haymakers I see out and about don't appear to EVER have bad luck. Kind of like an uncle of mine fishing. Corn, junk zebco, deep sea thick fishing line, splashing and flailing around in the water - YET, full stringer of trout while us boys with the nice fishing tackle came-up empty handed. Sometimes I think haying is that way too - LOL!

Bill


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

leeave96 said:


> In my neck of the woods and driving out and about within a 50 mile radius - REGARDLESS of the circumstances, once the first field goes down, EVERYONE feels the need to cut their hay too - LOL!!!


Ain't that the truth!


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Idaho Hay said:


> I use a 10' discbine with rubber roll conditioners and lay as wide a swath as possible (about 90% of cut width) first thing in the morning. As soon as the swath is about 2/3 dry (noonish), I ted it to re-mix and fluff it. If it's hot and breezy that afternoon, the last 1/3 of drying goes really fast. Depending on crop/field/weather conditions, sometimes it's ready to rake and bale by about 4pm, but sometime, if it's not quite ready, I'll rake it and not start baling until about 6pm in order to give it a little more time to dry in the windrows. I have both a probe and baler moisture tester and try to keep the readings under 15%. Usually it's 12%-14%. If I were to leave this hay until the next day to bale, it would be discolored by that night's dew, and over dry. Now if it's overcast at all, or only in the mid 80's, it wouldn't be ready to bale until the next day. This will be my 4th season of using this method, and I have very happy, returning costumers.
> 
> I would be happy to elaborate on this method more, but on this thread I feel like the guy saying that he say big foot... or the Loch Ness monster. Even some of my neighbors think there's something wrong with me. But I tell you the truth... it works!... for me.


 I don't doubt you but it just amazes me that hay can dry that fast.....just can't wrap my mind around it.....sure must be nice though. Just shows how much faster things can dry in a low humidity climate. I bet your hay has absolutely beautiful color being dried that fast.....would love to see some pics sometime.

Hayden


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

leeave96 said:


> Changed my mind...
> 
> 
> 
> ...





Hayman1 said:


> Bill, I modified your post to 4 day humid hay and posted a test cut pic in hay pics. Figured that the worst that could happen is it is trash, I roll it, and put in the woods or give to my cow friends.


 Hope you boys in VA sure have a better forecast for the end of this week/weekend than here. Looks like it's only going to be fit for ducks and frogs here in NC.....they are talking about that tropical disturbance down in the gulf moving up through the southeast this weekend. Best of luck on the hay.

Hayden


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

We had beautiful drying weather yesterday, breeze and low humidity. Hay dried a lot, but light fog this am-arg. Still low for today, moderate tomorrow but very high on Sat. Hoping for tomorrow late. TD is supposed to not be coming here now. But rain on Sun and Mon and showers late sat. So if it isn't up by 4 on sat, it is lost in all probability. Glad I did not cut more but think we are going to get up a small amount of pretty hay.


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## paoutdoorsman (Apr 23, 2016)

Hope you do Rick! Glad my hay isn't pushing yet, cuz my 10 day probably looks similar to yours. Would like to get 1st cut alfalfa down for haylage next week if possible, but no dry hay will be made until into June the way it looks now.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Hayjosh said:


> The AWIS site is predicting good drying conditions for my area for that time.
> 
> Larry introduced me to this site as well, if you haven't used it it's pretty helpful.
> 
> http://www.awis.com/cgi-bin/uncgi/zipwx.uncgi


I need to give credit for this the directions to this site to other HT folks. IDRC, it could have been Mlappin (Marty) or GlassWrongSize (Mark) or I just plain forgot, but I was just passing on the info.

Larry


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

FarmerCline said:


> I don't doubt you but it just amazes me that hay can dry that fast.....just can't wrap my mind around it.....sure must be nice though. Just shows how much faster things can dry in a low humidity climate. I bet your hay has absolutely beautiful color being dried that fast.....would love to see some pics sometime.
> 
> Hayden


Here's a picture from last year from one of my Timothy fields. I've been thinking of putting a little youtube video together this year of the process. If that works out, I'll share it on HT.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Idaho Hay said:


> Here's a picture from last year from one of my Timothy fields. I've been thinking of putting a little youtube video together this year of the process. If that works out, I'll share it on HT.


Lordy Idaho, long straight flat fields with a view and dry weather. Did you land in heaven?


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## Idaho Hay (Oct 14, 2016)

Hayman1 said:


> Lordy Idaho, long straight flat fields with a view and dry weather. Did you land in heaven?


Heaven? No, I'm still waiting for that day to come. We're definitely blessed here, but it's not all unicorn and rainbow. Last year we had a good bit of hay get rained on due to a freak thunder storm. However, thanks to preceding hot dry weather, we were able to get it tedded and dried back out the next day. The other summer time woe we often get around here is intense smoke from the wild fires. Last summer we spent all of August and September with brown skies and the smell of smoke. Some days it was so thick that you could look right at the little orange glow in the sky that was supposed to be the sun.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

First person I recall of using the AWIS was Bill (hay) Wison of Tx.

Regards, Mike


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Vol said:


> First person I recall of using the AWIS was Bill (hay) Wison of Tx.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Could have been, I just know it wasn't me, that should get the credit. Thanks Mike.

Larry


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Day #2

Drying down nicely...









I might be liking these Krone impellers...

It would be handy if the baler would tie a knot tomorrow...

Need to get it baled as they are calling for afternoon showers....


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

leeave96 said:


> Day #2
> 
> Drying down nicely...
> 
> ...


Hope you make it Bill. Mine is drying nicely also. Raked it last night to extract all the green stuff from the lodged material. There was plenty but it got 3-4 hours of sun in the windrow and I will ted out at 11 this am after the dew burns off. Probably will ted twice today, and rake this afternoon and hopefully bale this evening. Going to be in high 80s and low humidity today but the sauna returns tomorrow with showers late in the day.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

The irony. Northern states haying and the southern states are sitting idle. Humidity was bad yesterday, hardly working and shirts were drenched.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Humidity at 8:41 am is 87% to be exact.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Update: Successfully got our hay made - in 3 days. Cut on Wednesday morning, tedded several times and baled early afternoon on Friday. Moisture meter on the baler showed 12-15% the whole time.









Made about 125ish bales - depending on who was counting...

The effort was to run-in our equipment and it was not all good.

Struggled with the JD348 baler knotters cycling. The star wheel would rotate, causing the knotter to trip, but the trip dog wouldn't always spring/roatate around and cycle the knotters.









When the trip arm that it is setting on moves out of the way, the trip dog (spring loaded) rotates and cycles the knotters. For whatever reason, this trip dog sticks from time to time. Makes me wonder if there is some rust on the shaft the trip dog rotates on causing it to bind. Once "tapped" out of position, it moves freely. Checked the spring that moves it - it's OK and verified by looking at two other 348 balers. Anyone had the trip dog on a JD baler stick?

2nd problem was the pan kicker. When it worked, it worked great. I believe the pump or actuator valve might be going south. There are no air leaks. There is a noise at the hydraulic reservoir, heat and given it is an open center system, I'm thinking there is a restriction - maybe at the kicker valve. The trip mechanism that actuates the kicker became more stiff (for the lack of a better word) and the force to actuate it became to great for the bale pushing against to actuate. After some manual tripping, it essentially seized causing us to drop the last 15ish bales on the ground. Later after everything cooled, the kicker would cycle again. Most frustrating.

Krone did a great job. Got a fast dry down - can't say how much that was the impellers vs just low humidity. Having never used an impeller machine, still feeling out this thing. One thing we noticed, the hay was VERY soft to the touch once in the bale - almost like a second cutting. Don't know if the impellers act like a meat tenderizer as it pounds the hay up, against and off the conditioning hood.

Next stop - weather permitting, the mother load...

Bill


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

leeave96 said:


> Update: Successfully got our hay made - in 3 days. Cut on Wednesday morning, tedded several times and baled early afternoon on Friday. Moisture meter on the baler showed 12-15% the whole time.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 Glad you got your hay baled in good condition Bill. That low humidity will really dry hay fast.....been a sauna down here. That is some nice looking hay.....is it Timothy? I find that hay cut on the early side will have a very soft touch when baled vs mature hay.....one of the reasons most horse customers prefer early cut hay.

Hayden


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

FarmerCline said:


> Glad you got your hay baled in good condition Bill. That low humidity will really dry hay fast.....been a sauna down here. That is some nice looking hay.....is it Timothy? I find that hay cut on the early side will have a very soft touch when baled vs mature hay.....one of the reasons most horse customers prefer early cut hay.
> Hayden


That is a field that started out as climax Timothy. It's still there, but has not performed well at all. Slow to mature (still waiting for the heads to emerge) and with a legacy seed bed in the ground, other grasses have come in fast - mainly orchard and bluegrass with a little fescue. I don't think I'll ever plant climax Timothy again. The rest of my fields are Clair Timothy and that's going to be the hay customers are going to fight over.

Funny thing about this mixed grass hay is - it tests out great and my customers really like it. Pretty easy to keep a mixed grass field going (and I overseed with Timothy). Low overhead hay, good margin. Sometimes I think I should focus on a dominate Timothy mixed grass hay, clean and cut early for quality and second cut potential and the heck with killing off a field and starting over every few years.

Bill


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