# Drydown issue?



## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Been doing hay about 10 years now, just when I think I have things somewhat figured out, new issues arise.

I cut a couple of small "test" fields of fescue this past monday to test out a new to me Kuhn rotary rake and a new to me (but almost as old as me) stack wagon before we go whole hog into production on our orchard grass fields.

As stated, cut Monday with disc moco with impellers, tedded tuesday, raked late Wednesday. Weather could not have been better for drying Tuesday an Wednesday, high in the 80's, low humidity, sunny. Hay was not overly thick.

After raking Wednesday, the hay "felt" pretty much ready to bale.

So Thursday turned off overcast, a little cooler, and the humidity up a bit. My helper got in the field with the rake to flip the hay about 2:00 and i was about an hour behind him with the baler.

As soon as i got in the first windrow my moisture moniter alarmed, hay was at 22%, plugged the baler and broke a shear bolt.

Got out an felt the hay and it definately felt wetter than the previous day.

We kept flipping it over with the rake, managed to get a few spots baled that were dry enough but wound up leaving most of it in the field, could not get it dry enough. It is going to get rained on this morning.

I 've never had problems gettig hay to dry in 4 days with these conditions before, and I would almost swear that it gained moisture between raking Wednesday and Thursday.

Only thing that i have done different this year is apply liquid nitrogen about 30 days ago, this is the first year i have done that.

I'm baffled that we couldn't get this hay dry and worried about my ability to get my orchard grass dried down in the coming weeks. The liquid N and all the rain we have had has really kicked it off and it is the thickest/best looking grass i have ever had and I am worried about being able to get it dried down based on this weeks experence.

Any thoughts suggestions appreciated.

Dave


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

"So Thursday turned off overcast, a little cooler, and the humidity up a bit." This is one part of your problem......and the other is there is a lot of moisture in the ground in early spring and the hay will surely draw it with no sun beating down on it.

Probably time to consider a preservative applicator if you don't want to be slowed down by the elements and high moistiure hay. It is just tough to get hay "crisp" and firm in April in the Eastern U.S.

Regards, Mike


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I agree with Mike about the "little cooler". Putting it simply, there is a big difference between 80 degrees in April and 80 degrees in August.

For one thing, the ground temp is much lower. Right now, we're running about 45 degrees hereabouts. The lower ground temp tends to draw more moisture so, while the humidity overall may register low, the humidity at ground level will usually be higher with low ground temp. HayWilson has done some excellent posts on this topic.

Second thing, "April showers bring May flowers." I don't know about your area, but we usually have pretty high ground moisture this time of year---and it's even worse this year! Part of what you might be seeing is moisture evaporating out of the ground.

Right now, I'm looking out the window at might OG, just chomping at the bit to get cutting. But....from the looks of everything weather-wise, it might July before I can get started (that happened 4(?) years ago.

Just be patient.

Ralph


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Amelia Farms said:


> and I would almost swear that it gained moisture between raking Wednesday and Thursday
> Dave


Pretty much always going to gain some moisture overnight.Dew,Humidity,And ground moisture are all factors.

For grass hay I like to rake it and bale it same day so it doesn't get rained on in a windrow.Rake as soon dew is off and then bale a couple hrs later after wet spots have dried out.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

You're pretty much my neighbor, I'll call you when I cut so you'll know when it's time 

I would sound like a broken record on repeat, Mike and Ralph are right. Folks get excited about the low humidity in the air and forget about ground moisture. I swear they also forgot about the record rainfall we've received.

For next year when you get started early (even over the next 2 weeks), have a round baler and wrapper on stand by. They should be available around here at this point.


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## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Ok, thanks for all the replies. I usually don't cut anything before the first week of May but wanted to test out the new to me equipment before getting into a real heavy first cut. (Learning the ins and outs of a 1047 stackcruiser is going to be fun)

I guess a couple of weeks can make a big difference.

I should have just switched to the round baler but we kept messing with until it was too late yesterday.

Always something new to learn in this biz. Keeps me on my toes!

BW, where are you located?


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Eli Whitney


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## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Yea, we are practicly neighbors. If you ever need anything, let me know.

Looks like there is a slim chance we might get thru the day without rain and salvage this little cut after all.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here is an article from WVU, along with the chart that I doctored up to help me understand what the humidity IN the windrow is, compared to the moisture of the hay. I had a hard time understanding why sometimes hay just won't get dry enough to bale, until I digested this article/table.

HTH

Larry


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Rootin for you. If you sneak by today you will be making great hay tomorrow.


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## Palmettokat (Jul 10, 2017)

My nephew cut some oats here (about 20 miles west of Myrtle Beach) Monday and today was still not dry enough to round bale it. He also applied liquid nitrogen but think little longer than 30 days back. We still have wet dirt from all the rain and flooding of Hurricane Florence, still wetter than normal. Our rivers which flooded worst ever are still full, so makes sense our ground is heavier than normal moisture for this time of the year. Our ground has been wet enough for long enough seeing good bit of lawns with areas grass missing, our lawn being one with large area like that and we did not flood.

We had some oats we square baled last year and did not have such long drying period but not near the rain over the winter and those were cut a week or two later in the year.


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## Troy Farmer (Jul 31, 2011)

Amelia Farms said:


> Ok, thanks for all the replies. I usually don't cut anything before the first week of May but wanted to test out the new to me equipment before getting into a real heavy first cut. (Learning the ins and outs of a 1047 stackcruiser is going to be fun)
> 
> I guess a couple of weeks can make a big difference.
> 
> ...


I've been learning much the same lesson this year on rye/fescue down in SC. Earliest I have ever baled and it is definitely a different ball game than what I'm used too. I did build an applicator system over the winter and used Guardian preservative did 55 bales Thursday. Much the same story as you. I cut Monday. Tedded twice Tuesday and once Wed. Everything looked good Wed evening. I thought this will be just right tomorrow. Went to the field Thurs about 11 am and got my feelings hurt. Hay looked like I hadn't even tedded the day before. Just like everyone said the humidity, ground moisture and sun light are very different this time of the year. So I tedded again. Started round baling about 1:30. Bale moisture was running 17 - 19. I shot the Guardian to it and rolled trying to beat the rain. And after all that it didn't hardly rain here.


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## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Well what I left in the field got thoroughly rained on yesterday. I'll ted it back out today and try to make goat hay out of it over the next few days.

Thanks again for all the responses, understanding the issue and knowing that others are going thru it helps.

And, it looks like we have a 5 or 6 day window again starting today, having a hard time not going and hooking the mower up this morning????

Any body in the Carolinas mowing today?


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## Red Bank (Apr 28, 2019)

Mowed in North Carolina today only 5 acres. I was scared to do it after reading your post but thought we would try it. It’s a new field that surprisingly doesn’t have much weeds in it. We cut it and sprayed our other hay field.


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

I mowed 15ac Friday, Fescue & Tetraploid Rye mix, fluffed Saturday, lost a wheel bearing on the tedder but was able to finish. Will tedder it again today it my "fix" holds up. I am shooting for rolling Wednesday afternoon..

I'm outside Spartanburg


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## Red Bank (Apr 28, 2019)

I lost a wheel bearing on my tedder yesterday too and a trip to Tractor Supply and a little drilling and welding we were back in business. I am planning on baling Wednesday if I can get it dry enough


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Mowed some today as well. Didn't like the amount of moisture in the ground Saturday nor the wishy washy forecast for morning rain today that didn't pan out. Either way I came out ahead by waiting an extra day and should be able to roll on Wednesday.


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## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Managed to salvage yesterday what got rained on Friday, turned out fine actually.

Couldn't resist and mowed another 5 acres of orchard grass yesterday.

Overcast this morning but supposed to clear up, come on sunshine!


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

Whenever I put any N out, I need to add another day to dry. Combine that with an early cut in a crop full of sap and it takes a long time to get it dry. Tedding is going to definitely help, but that can still be a lot of water.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

What I mowed Sunday is still green as of 1300, stem moisture is still way too high. Between the one overcast day and the high humidity nights. Wife took the day off so I could get going but I'll be baling Thursday instead of today. Extremely glad I didn't cut on Monday.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

BWfarms said:


> What I mowed Sunday is still green as of 1300, stem moisture is still way too high. Between the one overcast day and the high humidity nights. Wife took the day off so I could get going but I'll be baling Thursday instead of today. Extremely glad I didn't cut on Monday.


BW-that's what happens here when you push early hay. High ground moisture and just not enough heat for the spring grass loaded with water. Invariably, you get one nice day and think you should cut more but know better. Then you have to work like a dog to dry it out. Think I tedded 6 times on early test hay two years ago. Hard to make money that way.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Yep. Only have surplus pasture down. Cut a pasture that was drilled last fall so cutting now will help the new grass compete. I would tedd but I wanted to minimize traffic and I still have Thursday and maybe Friday.

Unreal the number of guys that are baling yesterday and today, just no way they are dry. I'm standing here looking all depressed lol.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

You raked on Wednesday and baled (or tried to) on Thursday. What you experienced is exactly why we very rarely rake the day before we bale. Too often the windrow will take on more moisture overnight than it can lose the next day. If the soil is wet the problem is worse.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

On spring hay I never rake the day before unless I fully intend to Ted it back out as soon as the dew burns off.


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## Amelia Farms (May 16, 2012)

Just got done loading out 500 bales of orchard grass that we cut Sunday. Tedded it every day and raked and baled today. Moisture was 11-14% on the meter.

Love the new to me Kuhn rotary rake. Makes a beautiful fluffy windrow


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## SCtrailrider (May 1, 2016)

Well mine was doing good, was able to bale about 3/4 of what I had raked, then a broken hyd line put a stop to that...


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Baling aint happen'n here! Not with 21 days out of 30 rained.....grass sure is green and lush though lol...but fields are all bogs or soft as sponges, cant even get fert. On them.. I cant even plant 'taters or onions yet its so danged goopy...at least hauling water kept ya busy, mudd just plain sucks..


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

87 percent humidity again. I would have never guessed a whole week of this and I have a bad feeling about the rest of the spring. I'm strongly considering a self loading bale wrapper.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Several issues are conspiring against you this time of year.

Wet ground and heavy dues/humidity will add moisture back to the row. If the ground is wet we'll lay the swath out narrow as possible to let the wind and sun dry out the area between the rows.

My cousin let the coop fertilize his hay early spring, stems on the OG were practically the size of pencils and those weeped moisture out of the stubble for days after it was mowed. We fertilize after first cutting.

If you cut early I've found it harder to get a immature crop to dry, if its green and lush with no signs of seed heads yet I've found it generally harder to get dry, if the grass is setting seed or the alfalfa has a few blooms I find its easier to get dry.


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