# 2015 Haying photos and videos



## Grateful11

I figure most folks are starting to get under way with their haying so i started this thread. Feel free to add to it.

Son cut the Oats in the flat today. I took these and thought they turned out pretty good, so has the hay so far.


----------



## RockyHill

Looks really great!

Shelia


----------



## FarmerCline

Those oats look pretty thick. Most of my oat hay the yield has been down since I had some winter kill which made some of the fields pretty thin. I'm going to cut the last of my oats tomorrow.


----------



## Grateful11

This field turned out about the best of any of them except the one they're saving to Combine, it's the cleanest too, figure they'll have the least amount trouble combining it with the old IH 82 Combine. They're hoping for 200 bushels off 4 acres.


----------



## FarmerCline

Here are a few pictures from cutting orchard grass and my alfalfa field today. Notice the pile of orchard grass pollen on top of the haybine.


----------



## Trotwood2955

Just a few pics of us getting started this week on some OG mix. We have had a cool spring, and most fields haven't looked the greatest from the outside, but so far have been pleasantly surprised once I've gone a few rounds.


----------



## Bishop

Love the pictures. We're still 2 weeks out from starting and this is getting me excited to prep all the equipment tomorrow.


----------



## Teslan

FarmerCline said:


> Here are a few pictures from cutting orchard grass and my alfalfa field today. Notice the pile of orchard grass pollen on top of the haybine.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg


That's a big pile of pollen. Something I don't miss when cutting with a disc swather. I'm allergic to that stuff.


----------



## Colby

From a few weeks ago;


----------



## Teslan

Nice to see blue skies in these pictures. I feel like I haven't seen the sky in a month and that's rare here


----------



## panhandle9400

You and me both Teslan , We were ready to start May 1st been getting rain every week for over a month now. All we got done in the last month was cut the turnrow out on a 125 ac. circle and it was too muddy to run then. Go from 1 extreme to the other for us , we have been running the heat in the mornings in the pickups, misting right now in the upper 40's. Norm this time of year is upper 80's 90's, burned up wheat has sprung up 4 '' to 12'' shooting a small head out at this rate we wont start harvesting until July ? I can only remember this type of weather 2 times in 40 plus years. Maybe it our turn to have some bountiful moisture ?


----------



## Teslan

I would like a nice 3 week break and weather in the low 90s. Then it can rain again, but I doubt it will work that way. Maybe I better go buy a tedder


----------



## TJH

Great pictures everyone! It's going to at least another week and a half or 2 weeks' here. I ain't grippin though.


----------



## FarmerCline

Here is a couple fields of oat hay.


----------



## sethd11

Trying out the new to me Krone discbine, on super early first cut alfalfa!


----------



## Bonfire

sethd11 said:


> Trying out the new to me Krone discbine, on super early first cut alfalfa!


Nice. How much HP are you operating that with?

What's the adjustment on the right side of the machine? Tilt?


----------



## Trillium Farm

sethd11 said:


> Trying out the new to me Krone discbine, on super early first cut alfalfa!


Looks like it's doing a super job!


----------



## sethd11

Roughly 160hp, IH 1466. Yeah that lever is for adjusting cutting height. Pretty effective so far


----------



## luke strawwalker

sethd11 said:


> Roughly 160hp, IH 1466. Yeah that lever is for adjusting cutting height. Pretty effective so far


Be nicer if the pic was turned upright... LOL

Great looking rig-- congrats!

Noticed the chrome hooter on that old IH... straight pipe, eh?? Hope you wear earplugs/earphones... Otherwise you'll end up like me... deaf in one ear, can't hear out of the other...

Later and best of luck! OL JR


----------



## luke strawwalker

There, fixed it for you... 

Nice looking tractor...

Later! OL JR


----------



## Trotwood2955

First day of baling for the year.


----------



## endrow

Finally some weather for dry. Hay5 rd


----------



## VA Haymaker

After some major refurb effort this Spring, the New Holland 68 was back in the field.


----------



## Grateful11

It's a start. Done with Spring hay. 330 bales rolled so far. Hoping for 400 more.


----------



## SVFHAY

My dad is getting at it at 85 years of age. He would get more done if I wasn't in his way.


----------



## barnrope

Baled some winter Rye last Saturday and some alfalfa. The first few rye bales were a little lop sided. Got er figured out and things went better.


----------



## deadmoose

When was the rye planted? Whats next on the field?


----------



## luke strawwalker

Here's what we've got to deal with...

More rain on the way... Been like this for the past month or so...

Later! OL JR


----------



## Flacer22

luke strawwalker said:


> Here's what we've got to deal with...
> 
> More rain on the way... Been like this for the past month or so...
> 
> Later! OL JR


Pull mower with a boat maybe? Or plant rice?


----------



## Grateful11

Son mowing Oats with a little Italian RyeGrass in it. As best we can figure this field made about 3 1/2 tons per acre, not too bad but not the best. The bales are testing 15.6% to 17% moisture.


----------



## Grateful11

This video, shot today, shows just how dry it is here. 1/4" of rain in 5 weeks. Driest I think we've ever seen in May.


----------



## NebTrac

Finally able to get into the field. First alfalfa of 2015. The new seeding is Hi-Gest 360. The new release from Alforex. Seed was floated on April 30th. 38 degrees this morning.





















Happy Haying!

Troy

I'll try and get bigger pictures....sorry.


----------



## Colby

God bless Sandhills. 25" of rain fell in May and I'm cutting June 1. Although it's only about a 1/10th of the acreage I cut it sure is a start. Main reason is to get regrowth to make squares second cut


----------



## Teslan

25 inches in a month is an incredible amount. I would be flooded for sure if that happened here


----------



## Colby

Teslan said:


> 25 inches in a month is an incredible amount. I would be flooded for sure if that happened here


This is the only one that's dry. Most feilds have water standing in them up to a foot deep and the other ones that don't have water I wouldn't dare go in them with anything bigger than a four wheeler


----------



## iflylow

Picking up and wrapping


----------



## Colby

Gotta love T-85


----------



## Grateful11

Off Topic but some of these look so real:


----------



## Grateful11

Colby said:


> Gotta love T-85


Sorry but what's T-85? Googled it and came up with nothing, looks a little Teff.


----------



## gwagen

My favourite was the Unimog on the drill! ^^^


----------



## Bonfire

Grateful11 said:


> Sorry but what's T-85? Googled it and came up with nothing, looks a little Teff.


Tifton


----------



## deadmoose

I would have had no idea about T 85 a few years ago, but it sounds like something great to come out of Dawgs area for forage producers.


----------



## ARD Farm

No haying pics here. Can't do squat, too wet and supposed to rain on Thursday and Friday again plus the 15 day sucks.


----------



## barnrope

Moose, can't get my quote thing to work..Rye was planted after corn silage in September, Soybeans are now planted where the rye was.


----------



## Orchard6

The ole' 268 is still knocking them out!


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Finally off to a start around here.


----------



## sethd11

Cutting some pretty much natural prairie grass, that thin looking grass ended putting 4.5 big 3x3s An acre. Was pleasantly surprised. About until everything went wrong with everything.... Oh well and made a few thousand small squares in this window too... Got to use an awesome New Holland 6070 tractor to mow and that thing is awesome but I don't need a $60000 tractor to mow hay....1/4 done or with acres with the majority of the rest in small squares...


----------



## Bgriffin856

Been grazing cows. This field is now in corn



Been delayed with discbine dealings


----------



## endrow

after a week of rain . they give us 2 days maybe 3 until the next period of rain. ..started cutting Friday morning. we will probably have to wrap it


----------



## JoshA

endrow said:


> after a week of rain . they give us 2 days maybe 3 until the next period of rain. ..started cutting Friday morning. we will probably have to wrap it


I'd love to see more pictures and your thoughts on that mower!


----------



## Orchard6

Got the last few round bales of first cutting out of the field today!


----------



## Bishop

First 7 acres dropped. Thicker than normal, but no height. Yield looks meh. But around here you gotta get 1st cut off now to have a chance at 3rd cut in August.


----------



## Colby

Tifton 85, 9 acres made 49 4x5.5's


----------



## Grateful11

Not exactly hay but it will make good straw. This shot was taken just before the bearing went out on the threshing rotor. It's making close to 60 bushels per acre.


----------



## Orchard6

Finally got my phone and photobucket to see eye to eye!

The O-6, 268 New Holland and a wagon in tow. I wish I'd have snapped a pic with a full wagon as my dad and brother managed to jam 170 bales on it!


----------



## endrow

On the home stretch for 1st cutting . Working on a 60 acre farm not so close to home . . Cut 20 acres Fri am ,weather said 10 percent . Mix hay getting old and heavy. Ted once and rake twice. Baled the endrows and rows under trees last nite and wrapped it , Rest should be dry Sunday late day


----------



## endrow

hoping for dry hay Sunday ....rain Sunday night


----------



## DSLinc1017

First time out a few days ago with new diskbine and jx1100u!
View attachment 4352

View attachment trim.E0D40EDA-6493-4B28-87CB-B7F1B98878B6.MOV

Hay got washed a day ago over night. Was able to Ted it out a few times and should be baling today!!


----------



## Colby

See if Tedder will take a day off drying time. First Time I've used it in years


----------



## Bishop

@Colby: Is your wife wondering where the meat thermometer is?


----------



## bluefarmer

So proud that my 86 yr. old grandpa still wants to bale his own hay. I told him I would come and bale it for him with my equipment, but he wouldn't hear of it, said you got your own to worry about!!


----------



## SwingOak

I finally finished putting the Haybine back together last night and tested it out. I'm really liking the new stub guards, not a single jam up even though it was wet. Figured I'd test out the new Tedder this morning too. Thunderstorms this afternoon, but that's OK, I didn't cut much and now I have a Tedder so I'll kick it out again in the morning.


----------



## endrow

endrow said:


> hoping for dry hay Sunday ....rain Sunday night


It did get bailed on Sunday 88 bales dry. Lucky didn't listen to the weather man


----------



## Lewis Ranch

West Texas sunset


----------



## Hugh

sethd11 said:


> Trying out the new to me Krone discbine, on super early first cut alfalfa!


Nice stand. This cut is going to be a "high test" cut. If you send it to a lab, please give me the numbers.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Not much explanation need here!

View attachment IMG_80531.MOV


----------



## Colby

Lewis Ranch said:


> West Texas sunset


Already got the R450?


----------



## Bgriffin856

Got some in the silo yesterday


----------



## DSLinc1017

Bishop said:


> @Colby: Is your wife wondering where the meat thermometer is?


Nice! Took me a second look.


----------



## endrow

had an inch of rain Monday night we cut this Tuesday midday. Ted late Tuesday. Hoping to bale dry late Wednesday . Showers by noon Thursday ?? the tractor in the picture does not look quite as nice as Greatfulls


----------



## Bonfire

endrow said:


> had an inch of rain Monday night we cut this Tuesday midday. Ted late Tuesday. Hoping to bale dry late Wednesday . Showers by noon Thursday ?? the tractor in the picture does not look quite as nice as Greatfulls


There's nothing wrong with that tractor.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Colby said:


> Already got the R450?


Sure did!


----------



## sethd11

Hugh said:


> Nice stand. This cut is going to be a "high test" cut. If you send it to a lab, please give me the numbers.


Sent it off yesterday. We shall see


----------



## Teslan

Racing the rain with some 1st cutting. Though the rain in the distance in the picture never got to us. I got about 250 3x3 bales in the barn without rain. Hopefully the 80% chance of heavy rain today is wrong and I will get more in the barn.


----------



## SwingOak

Made the first bales of 2015 last night. I only made 35 small squares, and tested almost every one - meter reading was 16% or less most of the time, with some reading 20-22%. The Agritronix manual says the meter is calibrated for 100% alfalfa, and grass hay will read higher than actual.

I think the tedder helped take at least a day off the usual drying time, but I would have been OK with leaving it down another day. Not an option though, as we have a flash flood warning in effect for this afternoon and evening.


----------



## lidaacres

Got to try out my new (to me) toy doing some first crop Baleage.


----------



## sethd11

Hugh, average protein was 19.89% and the rev was 119. I personally thought it was a little better than that but oh well.


----------



## Dill

Before and after, hay looked awesome when I mowed it, but ended up 1/3 down from last year. Still have to unplug and fix my baler.


----------



## Teslan

lidaacres said:


> Got to try out my new (to me) toy doing some first crop Baleage.


How did it do? Make sure you keep an eye on the fly wheel. A former nh tech told me the first year of the new Nh baler fly wheels were falling off. I forget the reason why. Something about a cheap part NH was using.


----------



## FarmerCline

Cut a field of spring planted oats today. This is the first time having any luck with spring planted oats here....we are a winter oat area. Rather than using the winter oat seed that is available locally as I tried in the past I ordered a variety of spring forage oats and they turned out pretty good considering they went for almost 5 weeks in May with only 2/10ths an inch of rain. When I planted these in march I did a test and made one pass with the drill of winter oats and the rest in spring oats. The winter oats were knee high or less and already turning golden with very little grain on them while these spring oats were waist high and not quite into milk stage with a large head. Nice thing about these spring oats is it spreads out the season for oat hay instead of trying to get it all done at once.....by now winter oats are ready to be or have been combined.


----------



## deadmoose

Chrome stack on the 86 is looking sharp.

Grass is green. Sky is blue. And tractors are ...


----------



## FarmerCline

deadmoose said:


> Chrome stack on the 86 is looking sharp.
> Grass is green. Sky is blue. And tractors are ...


 .....red AND green. Neat thing about the 86 series is the muffler is under the hood so you get the looks of the chrome straight pipe without the noise.


----------



## lidaacres

Teslan said:


> How did it do? Make sure you keep an eye on the fly wheel. A former nh tech told me the first year of the new Nh baler fly wheels were falling off. I forget the reason why. Something about a cheap part NH was using.


It worked terrific, I had to get out once because it tried to tie a knot where it switched balls of twine and I hand tied it. So, no 3 stringers. It can sure eat hay. Thanks, about the fly wheel. I'll need to look and see what would need to break for that to happen. I don't think that would be a very good day if that did happen. Only negative on it thus far is it seems to be really good at collecting material under the "hood" it's like the flywheel creates a vacuum, but I have a good backpack blower to handle that type of stuff.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Still waiting on weather but did finish corn planting last week and still have six acres to seed down but was too wet. Got stuck a couple times. Aftet all this rain it doesn't look like it'll get done any time soon. ...



Got a start on another kicker rack. Gonna be a 9x20 and yes that beam on the right is bowed. Had then since 2012....they are red oak 4x10's or 12's I don't think they are gonna break anytime soon...


----------



## Colby

Tifton 85.. No fertilizer no problem, just add water. Should make 6-7 tons acre in SANDY land.


----------



## bluefarmer

hopefully we will get to use these tomorrow. Hay/tropical depression Bill is supposed to be outa here!


----------



## Colby

bluefarmer said:


> hopefully we will get to use these tomorrow. Hay/tropical depression Bill is supposed to be outa here! 20150619_161607.jpg


He was all bluff down here... Passed just to the west of us about 150 miles inland. Only 3"


----------



## Dill

Started square baling saturday


----------



## Teslan

Since I didn't want to start a new thread "Where are you at in your hay season 2015" since this thread is kinda the same thing I'll put some of my 1st cutting haying pics here.


----------



## FarmerCline

Teslan said:


> Since I didn't want to start a new thread "Where are you at in your hay season 2015" since this thread is kinda the same thing I'll put some of my 1st cutting haying pics here.


 Teslan, I've been waiting for you to start that thread.....last year we had it and a picture thread. I love seeing your pictures from out there with the wide open fields and no trees.....pretty county you have out there.


----------



## Trillium Farm

Lovely sight, Tesland!That looks like mighty fine hay !!!


----------



## SwingOak

The ol' NH s68 churned out these lovely 45# bales of 100% grass, 99.8% weed free, 12-14% moisture hay last Friday night. 250 bales in the barn so far, and considering how much rain we've been getting (and how often), I'm pretty happy about that right now. My hay quality program seems to be working out better than my expectations, so that makes me even happier.

I learned the only time my baler has problems turning out consistent length or weight bales is when I'm pushing them on the wagon with the baler. If I don't stop, jump out, & stack every 5-6 bales, they bunch up, back up into the chute, cause bale lengths to go wild, and when they really jam up I sometimes miss a tie. If I have a wagon jockey stacking, or drop them on the ground they come out just about as good as you can expect from a 50+ year old machine and it ties every bale perfectly.


----------



## Colby

More tifton... Picture does no justice. 7'+ windrows out of a 10' mower. They are as high as the front axel on a 2wd 6420 and I was bogging the tractor down at 3mph with the 1412. Crazy!


----------



## deadmoose

Forecast changed. Go time. Didn't make my first lap. Found a pothole that wasn't here last year. Waiting on chevy to pull me out. 10 ft ditch 2 feet away...





















Rough start.


----------



## Bonfire

deadmoose said:


> Forecast changed. Go time. Didn't make my first lap. Found a pothole that wasn't here last year. Waiting on chevy to pull me out. 10 ft ditch 2 feet away...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20150623_111206.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20150623_111212.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20150623_111220.jpg
> 
> Rough start.


go ahead and call it beer:30


----------



## deadmoose

Bonfire said:


> go ahead and call it beer:30


It is now. After a lil tug out all went well. I did see the culprit: Badger hole? Later I kicked up a fawn and a handful of pheasants and chicks.


----------



## Vol

deadmoose said:


> It is now. After a lil tug out all went well. I did see the culprit: Badger hole? Later I kicked up a fawn and a handful of pheasants and chicks.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20150623_114306.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 20150623_114248.jpg


Sounds like you live in a gamey area?

Regards, Mike


----------



## deadmoose

Vol said:


> Sounds like you live in a gamey area?
> 
> Regards, Mike


There are many deer, turkey, and pheasants here. Some very nice bucks not far from here. Last year a doe and a fawn seemed to home on my hayfield. She may still be there with this years.


----------



## SVFHAY




----------



## Hawk40

Early 1st cut alfalfa for my area.


----------



## Vol

Hawk40 said:


> Early 1st cut alfalfa for my area.


Absolutely beautiful.....hard to beat that beautiful alfalfa that is grown in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho.

Regards, Mike


----------



## slvr98svt

What are your guys opinions of the windrows? This is only my second year with this hobby and the first with an old KR250 round baler. The broken twine bale was my first ever round bale made that the twine pickup missed due to adjustment, and the one at night was going around collecting out of the field. Made 58 so far over the last 2 weekends and think I'm getting the hang of it. Sure would be nice with net wrap and tandem axles on the baler for my crappy fields! One more of the double bale spear I finished up during the rain yesterday.


----------



## Tx Jim

Your windrows look fine but for my rd baler(JD 467 mega-wide PU) I want wider & flatter widrows so very little if any weaving is required.


----------



## Colby

Rain got close this afternoon. Hopefully it can stay away till Saturday so I can finish up


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Colby said:


> Rain got close this afternoon. Hopefully it can stay away till Saturday so I can finish up


That's some heavy hay! Wish ours looked that good here.


----------



## Colby

I've had a few choice words this morning. Damned vassey grass and nutsedge is as hard to kill as the damned hogs


----------



## Timz

Just finished this Coastal field with rain on 3 sides of me. Stayed dry but did have to run to the house once with too close lightning.


----------



## sethd11

Just figured I'd catch up on pictures. 
1 picture is super late first cutting alfalfa. Just now got a window to get it baled.
2&3 are of a new seeding of oats as a cover for grass/alfalfa. 
4 is a picture of my 3 year old bull who actually turned out pretty nice.
5 is the new equipment in action!
Hopefully with no rain in the forecast I can finish baling and start second lol
-Seth


----------



## Flacer22

All my wonderful (sarcasium) hay ground is on some steep nasty hills all horrible shapes and all bad dips. Just few pictures I was impressed with how nice I was able to get hay to look on it. To bad after all that the 5% chance of rain came ture....


----------



## Vol

Flacer22 said:


> All my wonderful (sarcasium) hay ground is on some steep nasty hills all horrible shapes and all bad dips.


Looks mighty flat compared to here.... 

Regards, Mike


----------



## hillside hay

Yep trade ya hills any day!


----------



## luke strawwalker

Flacer22 said:


> All my wonderful (sarcasium) hay ground is on some steep nasty hills all horrible shapes and all bad dips. Just few pictures I was impressed with how nice I was able to get hay to look on it. To bad after all that the 5% chance of rain came ture....


Whatcha runnin there?? 2290??

Nice looking tractor...  OL JR


----------



## Flacer22

Vol said:


> Looks mighty flat compared to here....
> 
> Regards, Mike


2590

Pictures are decieving I guess it's alot steeper than it looks.biggest problem is how oddly shaped that are always trying to run and monuver in the most akwared place. Alas its what I got so I make it work least untill I can get ahold of one of our good fields from farmer we rent it to. Family owns 250 tillable acres we rent out. I currently do 30 acres they can't use. Be nice to get about 30 more acres that's not all hill or hell just take it all and do 280 acres!


----------



## luke strawwalker

Flacer22 said:


> 2590
> 
> Pictures are decieving I guess it's alot steeper than it looks.biggest problem is how oddly shaped that are always trying to run and monuver in the most akwared place. Alas its what I got so I make it work least untill I can get ahold of one of our good fields from farmer we rent it to. Family owns 250 tillable acres we rent out. I currently do 30 acres they can't use. Be nice to get about 30 more acres that's not all hill or hell just take it all and do 280 acres!


I've run a 2290 for my BIL in Indiana, which he sold this spring with some other stuff to buy a newer planter... now I run the 2390 or the 4890... 

Nice tractors... OL JR


----------



## slvr98svt

Started mowing yesterday about 9, baling at 3 and then tried my new to me wrapper. Only way seems to make hay this year! Cut about 5 acres of hills that I was able to get on. Tried to stay out of the flat land as much as possible as its all under water still.


----------



## Teslan

Early morning starting the pivot on some a grass hay field after 1st cutting.


----------



## Vol

Beautiful pic Marc.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Bgriffin856

Made a video for you fellow haytalkers






Only have 15-18 acres down due to a unreliable forecast. Have reliable equipment now just need reliable forecast.... still kinda damp in places


----------



## IH 1586

Had some time to get caseih and our pictures up. This was taken during the 4th holiday weekend. Moved about 4000 bales fri.-sun.


----------



## Colby

2 people, 6 hours and 750 bales in the barn. Glad it's done. Get to do it all over in 24 days


----------



## Vol

Colby said:


> 2 people, 6 hours and 750 bales in the barn. Glad it's done. Get to do it all over in 24 days


24 days will pass quickly. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## Farmerjoesask

North Central Saskatchewan.


----------



## Colby

Few squares to make tomorrow.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Had to stop and pick up a bale that overshot the wagon on a corner


----------



## haystax

Found a few pics. Got busy and didn't take any more. First cutting was kinda blurry this year, weird weather patterns had everything ready all at once. Managed to get around 2400 tons up in two weeks start to finish. Triticale did 5 ton/ac. 1300 3x4 bales, was really wishing we had HDP balers! Thunderstorm came out of nowhere yesterday so no Timothy baling tonight.








Edit: upload stalled out. Will try again!


----------



## haystax

Let's see if it works


----------



## SVFHAY

haystax said:


> Let's see if it works image.jpg image.jpg image.jpg


staxs, after the last 60 days of precipitation here your climate looks really appealing to me. You hiring?


----------



## haystax

SVFHAY said:


> staxs, after the last 60 days of precipitation here your climate looks really appealing to me. You hiring?


We could trade places places for a month maybe. After that we'd probably both be happy to go home!


----------



## Flacer22

Haystax wow just wow that is some amazing stuff right there.


----------



## Coondle

SVFHAY said:


> staxs, after the last 60 days of precipitation here your climate looks really appealing to me. You hiring?


Who is about hiring would just about volunteer. Good food, good company and would volunteer


----------



## haybaler101

Decided to wash the under carriage on the way to the field today.


----------



## Vol

haybaler101 said:


> Decided to wash the under carriage on the way to the field today.


Not good.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Bishop

haybaler101 said:


> Decided to wash the under carriage on the way to the field today.


I think your lightbar is saying turn, but I wouldn't.


----------



## haybaler101

Sign said road closed, but the detour takes an extra 45 minutes one way. Would not have went thru it in pickup, about 12" deep in the low spot and moving fast. Supposed to rise another 1' before crest.


----------



## haybaler101

And if anybody is wondering, that is the West Fork of the White River and HWY 358. The West Fork is Indianapolis's storm drain and radar is indicating another 3-5" rain has fallen in Indy again this evening, which will be here by the end of next week.


----------



## haybaler101

To the right side of the road WAS a beautiful field of corn tasseled out, to the left was a nice field of beans. Just glad I don't try to make a living farming river bottom.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Couple pics from today. Laid down 50 acres in just a hair over 3 hours, 16 acre/hr isn't to bad in an odd shaped field.


----------



## haystax

Lewis Ranch said:


> Couple pics from today. Laid down 50 acres in just a hair over 3 hours, 16 acre/hr isn't to bad in an odd shaped field.


Big M ?


----------



## Lewis Ranch

haystax said:


> Big M ?


R450


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Love cutting B-Dahl, it's a beautiful Sunday here in north Texas!


----------



## Orchard6

Got started on second cutting today. The orchard grass was thick and heavy with all the rain we've been having. I can't wait to get a disc mower!


----------



## 3string

Not the greatest picture. Been tough getting hay up here. Lots of rain.


----------



## SwingOak

Lewis Ranch said:


> Laid down 50 acres in just a hair over 3 hours, 16 acre/hr isn't to bad in an odd shaped field.


It took me just over two hours to mow 4 acres yesterday (7' Haybine).


----------



## Grateful11

I've never seen a grass seed harvest like this, impressive:


----------



## Vol

Grueling slow pace.....and still had all the hay to bale!

Regards, Mike


----------



## Grateful11

We'd love to have some of that hay. I like how the Combines make nice windrows.


----------



## JD3430

Went to get out of the tractor the other day and a 6' black snake was there to greet me


----------



## Orchard6

I baled some 2nd cut orchard grass today. 600 squares for a guy that boards about 30 hay burners. Glad he was the one picking them up!


----------



## SVFHAY

Kinda rare to get into 3 crops in the same day here. Nice to have a little weather. Rye straw at 11am, ripe first cut in afternoon, and pure 2nd alfalfa at 9 p.m. can you trust at moisture meter under the lights in the mountains. Scares me. About 2k bales, 3 old guys and too much distance between fields and storage.


----------



## Bishop

About 1/2 through second cut. Baled 600 bales of fescue / clover mix yesterday off 7 acres. Happy with yield, normally get less, but fertilzer, rain, and cool weather in June helped punch out an extra 20-30 bales per acre.

Now I'm in a break. Rest of second cut isn't going to be ready for 2 weeks. Might cut early depending on weather. This year, if there is a window, I'm going early.


----------



## Teslan

Grateful11 said:


> I've never seen a grass seed harvest like this, impressive:


For some reason I had though that it was smaller specialized combines used for seed harvest. I'm not sure why. I wonder what the feed value is of the hay left over. Probably not much.


----------



## RockyHill

Jeff & Millie waiting to load out some hay for a new customer


----------



## sethd11

Finally put a dent in straw today after plowing through a bunch of extremely late first cutting. Definitely quantity and no quality to be found on the last of our first cutting. We just can seem to catch a break around here with a all the rain. Started baking straw yesterday and made 3000 bales. Hoping to follow that pattern today... I'm just waiting for my 15% chance of rain turn into 100%. I'll just keep praying like usual that I can get done.. As panhandle says. " patience is a bitter cup that only the strong can drink from." Good luck to everyone else.


----------



## stack em up

Haven't gotten any pics of alfalfa yet, but did snap a couple of the most miserable mowing job ever conceived.


----------



## Teslan

Getting ready to bale today.


----------



## FarmerCline

Here is a couple pictures of my alfalfa 17 days after cutting......it is knee high.....it really amazes me how fast this alfalfa regrows.


----------



## Vol

FarmerCline said:


> Here is a couple pictures of my alfalfa 17 days after cutting......it is knee high.....it really amazes me how fast this alfalfa regrows.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg


Makes me want to graze that Hayden.... .

Regards, Mike


----------



## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> Makes me want to graze that Hayden.... .
> 
> Regards, Mike


 I actually couldn't help myself when checking the field and had to snap a few tender stems and give them a taste......not too bad.


----------



## Teslan

A field of 2nd cutting grass ready to rake and bale. Only problem is there is a 25 mph wind right now that would wreck any windrow I tried to make. So it will wait until tomorrow. In addition it has only been cut and tedded about 27 hours. Which seems wrong to even be ready to bale so soon.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Mark, don't ya just love that tedder?
Dave


----------



## Orchard6

Got the last 500 bales of 2nd cutting orchard grass done today. It baled up a good bit more than I figured it would, as I was only figuring for 300-350.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Figured this made a nice picture op. Sure do like being able to mow back and forth



Was surprised how heavy some of our oats were. Close to 4-5 feet tall on good drained ground. Alot lighter and shorter on wetter ground. Only problem was temps were mid 80's pushing 90 with low humidity some got almost too dry for silage








Had a few nice sunsets with this stretch of nice weather


----------



## HALLSHAY

Colorado Mountain Timothy





  








DJI 0449




__
HALLSHAY


__
Aug 1, 2015












  








DJI 0452




__
HALLSHAY


__
Aug 1, 2015


----------



## Grateful11

We got some decent rains in July. Wife wants to get the jump on getting some stuff in the ground for late season hay. The Millet was really just starting to come out in head but it was thick and the last storm lodged some of it on the downwind side of a tree line so she decided this was as good a time as any and hopes to get some BMR in there by Wed. The Beans didn't fair to well, we couldn't hardly find any amongst the Millet. This something her late Dad use to do, sow Beans and Millet together, he said if one didn't make it chances were the other would, it was good advice for this operation with limited acreage for and a fairly large herd.











Before Tedding










After Tedding


----------



## Grateful11

Never seen anything quite like this:


----------



## haybaler101

Grateful11 said:


> Never seen anything quite like this:


Looks like a bad dream to me.


----------



## IH 1586

Some of my stored hay that I for sale.


----------



## Coondle

haybaler101 said:


> Looks like a bad dream to me.


Had one of these, bought it following a hay season when a contractor picked and stacked about 1500 idiot cubes a day for me. Thought that was a way to manage labour costs.

Mine became a nightmare. It was not in the first flush of its youth when I bought it.

They had not been sold in Australia as far as I could find out for over 10 years at the time.

On flat straight runs they may be great but rows of bales forever curving because of contour farming was not the ideal layout. My shed at the time was not ideal for unloading either.

There were several versions of the machine, one with tandem axles, as well as the single axle version shown. Some had links in the chain made from bent rod and another with links made from flat bar with holes in the ends..

As with a lot of hay handling gear when working well they were fantastic. The machine has one power take off connection to run the pickup phase and a slower connection to run the unloading phase. Unloading can be on demand with a rope pull, or can be continuous by pulling the rope and hooking it on to the unload chute.

When things go wrong the temper deteriorates. The little carriers can and do jump their track which is double the fun if it jumped with bales above and below in the multi-tiered spiral. Easy access is not a design feature. Cutting and removing a bale helps access. What is more the little wheels will have moved on from the point they jumped and become jammed in the tight spots. No reversing feature. Fun up by a factor of 4 now. Better still lose one of the wheels and replacements were not easy to obtain as well as having to put the carrier back on track. Yes there is a point on the right side just behind the pickup where carriers can be threaded onto the tracks. Carriers never jump off near there.

The single axle models had a disconcerting tail swing when manoeuvring in tight spaces. Ask my contractor executing an 'S' shaped turn through gates and hooked the rear metal curved section over a steel gate post. The steel post was stronger than the Kemper. Luckily, there was nothing half a day in the workshop could not fix.

Greater fun can be had when the chain breaks. It still hurts to even think about that exercise.

Get it properly jammed and the easy solution is to cut the bales out. Near on 100 bales cut out of the kemper make a sizeable pile of loose hay.

Only good news is after having it idle for a couple of years, abandoned on the side lines, a devotee bought it for what it had cost me originally, I guess he desperately wanted some parts. Better than it rusting into the ground.


----------



## Vol

Looks like it ought to be at a carnival somewhere.....

Regards, Mike


----------



## HALLSHAY

How many acres are you willing to cut at once?

Watch in HD


----------



## SVFHAY

I would be fine cutting that many acres at once.......as long as it was someone else's! If I did that here it would rain for 3 weeks. Beautiful. Is that considered meadow hay?


----------



## haystax

HALLSHAY said:


> How many acres are you willing to cut at once?
> 
> Watch in HD


Neat to see all the windrows patterns in those meadows. Takes a good hand in the swather to remember all the ditches and pick out any swampy ground year to year. I kinda forgot what a pain it was to put up meadow hay. Thanks for sharing!


----------



## FarmerCline

HALLSHAY said:


> How many acres are you willing to cut at once?
> 
> Watch in HD


 Great video with beautiful scenery! Seeing the windrows of hay from above was really cool with all the different patterns.....like a maze. How many acres of hay on the ground?


----------



## Trotwood2955

Finally a decent stretch of weather to get some more second cutting done. Nice to bale when all the equipment cooperates and you aren't looking over your shoulder for the next storm to pop up.


----------



## deadmoose

Beautiful mountain views trotwood.


----------



## Colby

Whatcha baling there trot wood?


----------



## Trotwood2955

Second cut orchard grass. If it keeps raining should get a third this year.


----------



## hf449269

3rd cut hay that we finally got put up without rain. Demoed the Claas baler and was really impressed with it. It would really eat the hay. I was running 8.5 mph where the new holland could only run 6 before it would start popping shear bolts. Claas has a lot nicer baler than I had heard. Bales off 97 acres in two hours.


----------



## haybaler101

4th cutting alfalfa at 25 days. Mowing as soon as rain chances pass tomorrow.


----------



## stack em up

Snapped a pic of mowing 3rd cutting Sunday morning. This is actually more blossoms than I care to have, about 20%.


----------



## deadmoose

knew southern mn had some hills but man, that's ateep! Nice looking alfalfa.


----------



## Vol

stack em up said:


> This is actually more blossoms than I care to have, about 20%.


Hah....I like lots of flowers......I don't sell to dairies and the horse owners sure don't need the high protein.....and I like the yield of those pretty purple, white, and yellow blossoms.

Regards, Mike


----------



## VA Haymaker

Mowing with the MF50 diesel today and the MF32 sickle mower - mighty fine combo and both are only 50ish years old, hardly broke-in... 









Bill


----------



## stack em up

Vol said:


> Hah....I like lots of flowers......I don't sell to dairies and the horse owners sure don't need the high protein.....and I like the yield of those pretty purple, white, and yellow blossoms.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I've cut at 50% bloom and although do like the tonnage increase, I end up better off with less tonnage but higher quality for my operation. Even with my beef cows, I use less higher quality alfalfa in the ration to get the desired effect. Personal preference is what it boils down to.


----------



## Vol

stack em up said:


> I've cut at 50% bloom and although do like the tonnage increase, I end up better off with less tonnage but higher quality for my operation. Even with my beef cows, I use less higher quality alfalfa in the ration to get the desired effect. Personal preference is what it boils down to.


I agree....it's personal preference....but I am surprised that you do not let your alfalfa stands come to full bloom once during the season....everything I have read says that increases stand longevity greatly. One thing that I have learned in a short time with alfalfa is that you are much better off with a densely planted stand in the long run.....it helps with stem size immensely....which is very beneficial during first cutting or during a rainy period.....and DRYING!

Regards, Mike


----------



## stack em up

We plant a fine stemmed alfalfa that is bred by a local seed company. I used to let our alfalfa bloom more, but with our shorter growing season, the reality of 4 cuts isn't a possibility then.

First cutting alfalfa goes in the silage bunker. It's an automatic thing for me. Can't get it dry here in June without losing quality. Second generally goes in the bunker as well. Third and fourth are made as dry hay. Have made a fifth cutting one time in late September on a field that was going to corn. Happened once that I remember.

When I seed alfalfa, I shoot for 20 lbs per acre, so it naturally is a little finer stemmed anyway. Have tried up to 30 but didn't see any drastic change in stems, only seed cost.


----------



## Vol

I sow about 20 pounds per also....seems to be plenty.

Regards, Mike.


----------



## Vol

Getting mighty dry here....gonna lay some more alfalfa/orchard down tomorrow afternoon.....and I am betting it will be ready sooner rather than later.

Regards, Mike


----------



## PaMike

Never had any experiance with an accumulator and grapple setup, but they sure look interesting. How many bales are you getting per wagon?


----------



## panhandle9400

I have not taken many pics this season but here are the only pics of 2015 .


----------



## Grateful11

Son put down some Millet and some Sudan Sorghum BMR today. Pretty much ideal haying conditions right now, highs in the upper 80's, low humidity, northerly winds and a 5 day window.

Some of the BMR.


----------



## Vol

PaMike said:


> Never had any experiance with an accumulator and grapple setup, but they sure look interesting. How many bales are you getting per wagon?


I usually like to put 150 on a 20 foot wagon....can go 180 easily, but cannot get into the wagon shed that high if rain is coming.

Regards, Mike


----------



## PaMike

That's pretty good. Wagons didn't look real full (high) but 180 is a nice load.


----------



## Vol

PaMike said:


> That's pretty good. Wagons didn't look real full (high) but 180 is a nice load.


Yes, they only had 120 each as that is how it worked on the numbers last time....as there were storms brewing in the immediate area and I just missed them. I have a nice long 108' side shed that I can connect the wagons with short chains at the rear of each wagon and pull a "train" into the shed.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Mike, you might like the rear hitch extensions I have on my wagons! 
No short chains needed! 

Shhh!  Don't tell anyone what the "black" on the woodwork is!


----------



## panhandle9400

HALLSHAY said:


> How many acres are you willing to cut at once?
> 
> Watch in HD


Our 1st cutting we will have 1200 to 1400 acres down at once, not all afalfa, some triticale and or wheat hay.


----------



## Colby

panhandle9400 said:


> 036.JPG 038.JPGI have not taken many pics this season but here are the only pics of 2015 .


Damn panhandle you got some serious hp on them balers!


----------



## panhandle9400

Colby said:


> Damn panhandle you got some serious hp on them balers!


210 to 290 works fine on a 4x4 baler , it dont work these as hard , still puff smoke when it plunges .After you get used to bailing with a articulated you would not want to go back to a 2wd. Did have a 4650 mfwd turning 177 hp and it would not stay up . edit I think they are 235 pto an 250 pto ? hp.


----------



## Vol

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Mike, you might like the rear hitch extensions I have on my wagons!
> No short chains needed!
> 
> Shhh!  Don't tell anyone what the "black" on the woodwork is!


Nice Dave....look rock solid. Great work.

What I like about the chains is the flexibility of hookup......I can pull the loaded "lead" wagon by another loaded wagon just stopping the rear of the lead wagon close to the tongue of the wagon to be hooked.....take the short chain(about 6foot) that is fastened to the rear frame of the lead wagon and just pull it over to the tongue and hook up and go.....no backing and trying to hook to a stationary location. Kind of a hit and run way to move on the farm getting to the shed quickly to avoid pop up storms.....definitely not a good way to go down a highway tho....

Regards, Mike


----------



## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> Looks like a bad dream to me.


Looks like fun if that big ole long conveyor chain ever breaks or comes apart.


----------



## Bgriffin856

stack em up said:


> Snapped a pic of mowing 3rd cutting Sunday morning. This is actually more blossoms than I care to have, about 20%.


Not gonna lie I kinda miss the 499

Well not so much it plugging up in less than ideal condtions.... there were times I wanted to back it off a cliff and pull the pin


----------



## Bgriffin856

Had a gustnado or what you call it come through some raked hay. Must've been a decent size one went the entire width of the field



Field was close to the barn we put this hay in so I decided to stack two layers higher than normal. Sure is a bit different than im used to gets a wee bit more top heavy



Managed 250 I figured if I could've got 300 if I were able finish the front and rearranged my stacking job some. But was able to put the field on two wagons so thats all that matters


----------



## mlappin

panhandle9400 said:


> 210 to 290 works fine on a 4x4 baler , it dont work these as hard , still puff smoke when it plunges .After you get used to bailing with a articulated you would not want to go back to a 2wd. Did have a 4650 mfwd turning 177 hp and it would not stay up . edit I think they are 235 pto an 250 pto ? hp.


Once you get used to em articulated has a lot of advantages over MFWA tractors. I used to cultivate and build ridges with a White articulated. Come a wet fall we didn't even bother, just hooked the corn chopper right behind a four wheel drive and get er dun.


----------



## Josh in WNY

Finally finished up the hay for this year. Made 89 round bales off of 11.5 acres last weekend. I'm going to work on getting them hauled in this weekend and then I get to concentrate on the addition to the barn. Going to put up a "lean-to" on the side of the existing barn that I can use for equipment over the winter (and probably the round bales) and then have it for small squares next year. It'll be nice doing all the hay from a tractor seat for a change.


----------



## panhandle9400

mlappin said:


> Once you get used to em articulated has a lot of advantages over MFWA tractors. I used to cultivate and build ridges with a White articulated. Come a wet fall we didn't even bother, just hooked the corn chopper right behind a four wheel drive and get er d


Yes we rowcrop with the small 4x4's , handle better , pull better and have better traction. I dont do much rowcrop much anymore .


----------



## VA Haymaker

Wagon load off the New Holland 68. Done for this year.









Bill


----------



## treymo

So far this year. Been busy.

Trey


----------



## Tx Jim

Do you get much hay spoilage when you pyramid stack hay?? I've had neighbors try pyramid stacking but usually not for many yrs if we get much rain. because they ended with too much hay spoilage.


----------



## SVFHAY

What kinda critter belongs to that tail?


----------



## Grateful11

Looks like a ****.


----------



## luke strawwalker

That steering wheel pic puts a new slant on things... LOL

Later! OL JR


----------



## treymo

Jim, my hay yard in the picture is stacking room for short term hay only. Most of it only sits for 2-3 months at a time. I like to stack it up and have it all right there. At the yard I am on limited space, have about 3 acres to stack on. I never know if I will need room for 200 rounds or 1000 rounds it is extremely variable so that is why I try to stack that way. Very handy to pull a truck in and load.

Yeap, sure was a ****. Found a family of them and this guy stuck. Took 2 hours with three prybars and lots of cutting to unclog the crimpers.

That steering wheel breaking out of the floor is a testament to the trials of rough ground in custom haying.

Trey


----------



## Josh in WNY

Just finished a little project to help me get the round bales out of the field. I didn't feel like carrying them one at a time.  We haven't really used this wagon in several years and it wasn't in that good a shape when we last used it. It was no surprise at how bad it had gotten sitting outside.

All the cross members that were left were ones that had been put in over the years to "fix" the wagon. The only original ones left were the rotten ones you see in the pics. The two new beams in the bottom are 2x8s with 5/8 in plywood in between them (glued and nailed). The cross members are 4x4s and are held to the two beams with angle brackets and screws. I reused the old deck boards (had to replace one of them that was broken) and they were nailed down the to cross members. I'll hit the deck with some sealer in a month or so after the treated lumber has weathered a bit (that's what the directions on the sealer said to do, at least). I still need to build some bumpers on it to keep the round bales from rolling off, but I wanted to test it out prior to working on those, so I chanced it with the first load.

Edit: I also just noticed that I still need to get a slow moving sign put on it... should get that done before I get a ticket. The state troopers were out in force this weekend.


----------



## RockyHill

a deer family in the orchardgrass field this morning





















the last picture is after our dog started barking and they changed directions

Shelia


----------



## HALLSHAY

Raking yesterday


----------



## Bgriffin856

Some second cutting action. Kinda dissapointed with yeild on some. Lack of water will do that

One of the better fields


----------



## FarmerCline

Bgriffin856 said:


> Some second cutting action. Kinda dissapointed with yeild on some. Lack of water will do that
> One of the better fields


 What type of grass is that......almost looks like a marsh grass of some type? How are you liking the 830 moco so far?


----------



## Bgriffin856

FarmerCline said:


> What type of grass is that......almost looks like a marsh grass of some type? How are you liking the 830 moco so far?


That's reed canary grass. So far its been great, very happy with it. Though it's taking some time getting used to not turning too sharp when mowing back and forth and on corners


----------



## FarmerCline

Bgriffin856 said:


> That's reed canary grass. So far its been great, very happy with it. Though it's taking some time getting used to not turning too sharp when mowing back and forth and on corners


 Never seen reed canary before.....dont have it down here. I'm thinking about going to a center pivot mower next year......sure like the idea of mowing back and forth. Probably will be a NH 499 because a disc center pivot is out of my budget......should still be an upgrade over my side pull sickle haybine.


----------



## Bgriffin856

FarmerCline said:


> Never seen reed canary before.....dont have it down here. I'm thinking about going to a center pivot mower next year......sure like the idea of mowing back and forth. Probably will be a NH 499 because a disc center pivot is out of my budget......should still be an upgrade over my side pull sickle haybine.


Once you go to a center pivot you won't go back. Not only for mowing back and forth but also manuvering it you'll like it.


----------



## Grateful11

Getting there:










They're saying the baler is baling better than ever with the tweaks I've done to it. Browntop Millet hay.


----------



## Bgriffin856

More second cutting. About half of what it should yeild but impressive for as dry as it has been

Tried out the 856 on the mower. Forgot how loud it is and being a single remote have to learn how to use a sidepull again


----------



## IH 1586

I saw that when I went by and wondered how it went. You will have to get a splitter for it.


----------



## Hokelund Farm

Finally got some pictures of my first tractor. Mine is the White, Dads is the IH.





  








2 85b




__
Hokelund Farm


__
Sep 2, 2015











  








2 85a




__
Hokelund Farm


__
Sep 2, 2015











  








rake &amp; tractor




__
Hokelund Farm


__
Sep 2, 2015











  








1086 &amp; Baler




__
Hokelund Farm


__
Sep 2, 2015


----------



## Vol

Both are very nice. Many folks seem to always hang onto their very first tractor. Looks like you have a keeper.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Orchard6

I finished baling 3rd cutting today! Borrowed my friends Hesston 5530. Definetly not a high tech, high capacity machine but it made round bales! 


Now it's onto the real money maker!


----------



## Vol

Are most of those Gala's?

Regards, MIke


----------



## Orchard6

Vol said:


> Are most of those Gala's?
> 
> Regards, MIke


Yep, they're all galas. The greener looking ones are from the bottom of the trees.


----------



## Josh in WNY

You know summer is over when apples are being picked and the barn swallows have disappeared.


----------



## Hawk40

Nice apples, brings back fond memories, I'm from Fl but used to spend a lot of time in Stanton Mi as a kid at my mother's families farms and orchards. First and only ride on a snowmobile out there blasting across a wet alfalfa field


----------



## Dill

He wouldn't post it up. But the MDill got married last weekend. It did involve hay and a lot of farmers who didn't mow on a beautiful weekend.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Congrats M and Mrs M! We pray that your marriage will last as ours has, (55 years and counting).

GOD bless, D&L


----------



## Grateful11

Congrats to you both.


----------



## Josh in WNY

Congratulations! Best wishes for many happy years to come.


----------



## OhioHay

Congratulations


----------



## Coondle

We could not get much further away from you, SW Western Australia is a little too far north to be the Antipodes of NH but it is around 12 hours different in time zone so here are Congratulations to you both literally from the other side of the world.

The" Coondle" couple are getting ready to carve the 44th notch on the marriage branch of the tree of life, and we wish you every happiness in your marriage too.


----------



## Vol

Very nice pic!

Best Regards, Mike


----------



## JayTN

Replanting a 17 year old stand of Bermuda on June 23. Spring and early summer was so wet, this was the earliest I could get it out. Cutting my second cut off of it this week if the weather cooperates.





  








planting Hay




__
JayTN


__
Sep 7, 2015




Replanting hay field


----------



## JayTN

Sorry for the big picture, how do you resize?


----------



## Grateful11

JayTN said:


> Sorry for the big picture, how do you resize?


Did you upload it to a sharing site or upload here as an attachment? I clicked on it and says I don't have permission to view this image.


----------



## joshwhitehead

The new steed... Case puma 195. Cant wait to try it out!


----------



## Bgriffin856

IH 1586 said:


> I saw that when I went by and wondered how it went. You will have to get a splitter for it.


Worked quite well. Not sure if getting a splitter would be worth it. Probably just add another remote which should be done anyhow seeing how just about everything now a days requires two remotes


----------



## Bgriffin856

Finished up the last of dry for the year im thinking.





Grew pretty good since there hasn't been much mositure since the first cutting was taken off. Had a hard time drying it got a little wash the night that it was mowed then two days of cloudy humid weather not to mention the heavy dews. Took five days to get it dry

Used the 656 on the new baler for the first time usually dont like baling with it as it's geared too high and the ta is weak. But it worked great on this light hay



Oh and beat the rain that got previously said field washed


kinda different as this storm came out of the southeast one of those pop up storms that wasn't in a hurry


----------



## Bonfire

Raking corn baleage windrows with a Krone 710. First time with this machine. Trying to clean windrows up from the MoCo. These windrows are bout the right size for the Fortima. Would you do anything different?


----------



## deadmoose

Nice video. I learn something new every day. Never seen corn cut with a moco before. For the pigs?


----------



## Bonfire

deadmoose said:


> Nice video. I learn something new every day. Never seen corn cut with a moco before. For the pigs?


Oh no, it's for the cows.


----------



## Grateful11

Bonfire said:


> Oh no, it's for the cows.


Did you run the ears of corn through the MoCo too? Looks to be mowed off ground level.


----------



## JMT

Oops!


----------



## endrow

Great weather for fourth cutting


----------



## Grateful11

JMT said:


> Oops!
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> KIMG0024.jpg


Around here hay is in such short supply someone would be going after it.


----------



## JMT

Grateful11 said:


> Around here hay is in such short supply someone would be going after it.


Any tips on how to get it out? Don't know if I can reach it with loader (even after it floated to edge of pond) plus it must weigh a ridiculous amount by now. I would like to remove it for the landlord.


----------



## JMT

Guess I could just tell him that one is part of his share...


----------



## deadmoose

Swimming with a chain and or rope?


----------



## deadmoose

Waders would come in handy.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Rut-roh!


----------



## luke strawwalker

Feed the fish...

There's a Youtube where some guys were fishing one of those 8' wide Deere "round bales" of cotton (from their mini-module building cotton pickers)out of the canal it rolled into... They were using a couple BIG tractors because the thing was half full of water... Don't know exactly how many bales of cotton (seed cotton bales are about 1400 lbs-- 800-900 lbs seed and 500 lbs of lint, and some trash) but it was clear that thing was HEAVY... Needed the second tractor to pull the first one out and keep the front end close to the ground...




Bet someone lost some money on that one bigtime... that cotton that got wet was probably about worthless, and probably stained red from the canal water... OOPS indeed!

For a round bale of hay, if you just GOTTA get it out of the pond, I'd grab a couple long heavy bars, longest and heaviest you got, and hammer them in as far as they can possibly go on either side of the center, leaving a few inches sticking out, and then hook a chain or ropes to the bars running out to a tractor up on firm ground, and pull it like a roller... should roll up onto high ground fairly easily I would think, depending on the tractor... then you can let it drain and try to pick it up...

Later! OL JR


----------



## HALLSHAY

Spent a few days helping a buddy finish about 400 more tons of 3rd for my customers. If the name Rob Zombie doesn't ring a bell, you might want to turn this one down! Watch in HD


----------



## Bgriffin856

endrow said:


> Great weather for fourth cutting


Corn looks like its drying nicely too. Way ahead of most here


----------



## IAhaymakr

Last load of the day


----------



## stack em up

Out for an afternoon drive with the WD and the 256. Hour of road travel at 9 mph....


----------



## atgreene

We lost a silage bale in a pond yesterday, luckily it was at the farm and the excavator was sitting there so we could fish it out. Left it overnight and wrapped it this .morning, not sure its going to properly ferment. Lol


----------



## atgreene

I was offered a 60 acre field last week. Not great hay, but considering our drought and lack of hay I took it. Twice as big as anything I've ever cut before, kind of out of my league, but wanted to get my foot in the door. Plus, needed the silage and hay. A few pics of the process, and my JD B tedding. Feel pretty miniscule out there on a hand flywheel start B in the middle of 60 acres tedding. Lol


----------



## SVFHAY

Nice pics Greene. Looks a little tight on the bridge. My father-in-law got my pequea tedder stuck in a covered bridge couple years back. Broke a spindle and had a kayaker help him out.


----------



## atgreene

With the double rake hitch it was a little tight. Field starts just to the left of the bridge on the other side, knew I could drop the rake if it didn't make it and come right back for it. Unfortunately, it also means the shortest route from the field with hay is through the bridge. Going the long way around is ten miles longer on top of a 15 mile ride.


----------



## swmnhay

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1068698716476173&set=a.250684914944228.74004.100000081631994&type=1&theaterLastlast field.Alf/Orchardgrass


----------



## Vol

It sure would be nice to have large flat fields like that.....I could actually open up the tractors a little. Very nice Cy...

Regards, Mike


----------



## swmnhay

Vol said:


> It sure would be nice to have large flat fields like that.....I could actually open up the tractors a little. Very nice Cy...
> 
> Regards, Mike


they are not all that flat,lol.This field is actually converted wetland ,was pasture that was tiled out about 85.It is subject to flooding and can go completely under water 1-2 ft deep after a heavy rain.5-6" rain that happens maybe once in 10 yrs.

Being it is converted wetland the guberment rules are that no annual crops can be planted on it only perennial.

Burned the field off with Roundup late summer 13.Seeded spring of 15 Alf/ grass mix.Had perfect stand and it flooded when it was 4" tall.killed most of the alf and some of the grass.Interseed this spring to thicken it up and got a good stand now.


----------



## lidaacres

Just some pictures I've taken recently of putting up some 4th cutting baleage, and doing some custom straw baling for the neighbor (I caught the combine with a couple short rounds left).

EDIT: Not sure why the photo's come up sideways some of them they aren't that way before I upload


----------



## endrow

Bean Cutting


----------



## endrow

Early start on manure pit haul out


----------



## Bgriffin856

First load of corn silage yesterday



Pick some apples, used the 656 apple picker special


How many more till I reach Orchard 06 status?


----------



## endrow

Pickin today


----------



## Orchard6

Bgriffin856 said:


> First load of corn silage yesterday
> 
> 
> 
> Pick some apples, used the 656 apple picker special
> 
> 
> How many more till I reach Orchard 06 status?


Just a couple more!


----------



## endrow

Baling Stalks


----------



## endrow

Baling Stalks


----------



## deadmoose

I went to check some canary grass for cutting. Offered to me late. I was greeted on my way back there. I thought a pair of twins but have since been told probably quints? I know there have been many sihhtings and pics of the big sow...


----------



## treymo

Been in stalks for a couple weeks so far.


----------



## deadmoose

Gotta ask. Whats the story on the 4850? Looks as though it may be missing something.

How many bales per baler?


----------



## treymo

Broke a couple of the clamps on the wheel and rim/tire came off on a rather serious bump. I was going about 12 mph. Couple new clamps on bolts and I was back in business. Going to need a new fender though. 568 has 19K bales and the 569 has around 11K. Neither machine was new at purchase but they both didn't have many bales on them when I bought them.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

This was a great way to put a halt on yesterday's progress.


----------



## glasswrongsize

Dang, Lewis Ranch. My initial thought was "ouch, quit it", but I see from the pliers, ford-fine-tuning-tool (hammer) and crescent club, that you are prepared for the repair.

73, Mark


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Got it going again!


----------



## deadmoose

Putty and paint make things that ain't. But someone who can lay a bead like that really saves the say. Nice looking welds.


----------



## JayTN

I agree, that's the first thing that came to mind was the nice looking welding job.


----------



## Tx Jim

Lewis Ranch said:


> This was a great way to put a halt on yesterday's progress.


Your photo's will cause me to make a close inspection of the same area on my H&S Hi-cap rake. I've had to replace RH caster wheel spindle twice because of wheel hitting chug hole on the edge of pavement. I guess that not too bad as my rake is '02 model that's raked 1000's upon 1000's of acres. If I was younger I'd like to get a rake/baler combo similar to yours.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Tx Jim said:


> Your photo's will cause me to make a close inspection of the same area on my H&S Hi-cap rake. I've had to replace RH caster wheel spindle twice because of wheel hitting chug hole on the edge of pavement. I guess that not too bad as my rake is '02 model that's raked 1000's upon 1000's of acres. If I was younger I'd like to get a rake/baler combo similar to yours.


Had a spindle break last year and had a machine shop mill me a new one. If your doing much hay at all I'd say these rakes are worth every penny, not only saving me time but keeps me from paying a rake hand and the cost of running a second tractor which adds up quick.


----------



## treymo

.


----------



## Colby

Already starting on the 2016 hay season.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Been a long three weeks between breakdowns, being sick and more cow trouble than was had all year, corn silage is done finally done. Yeild left a bit to be desired but can't complain when all things considered

Finally got into corn that is tall as it should have been. Last field planted tall skinny stalks and small ears 




Last load in the 16ft


Ended up renting the bagger to finish. Amazing how fast the corn dried down in just a few days went from green and juicy to dead and dry in less than a week


First time doing this, empty of course. 


And done


----------



## endrow

hurricane Joaquin gave us a bunch of wind and rain and chopped up the tops on the corn . then we had a storm with a bunch of win the following weekend and it was really hard on the corn. glad we had most off before. the last 80 acres are really going to be a drag


----------



## Bgriffin856

Some videos











Encountered a very angry, fearless and territorial male ringneck pheasant on the second to last field. He'd chase the wagon and chopper at the headland and while chopping, run between the rows just ahead of the cornhead, try and flog me when I hitched up wagons and chased the wagons to the road as my dad hauled them. Never had this happen before


----------



## endrow

headin home late done with the corn back to beans tomorrow


----------



## Grateful11

Son mowing some thin late season regrowth Millet. This year we'll take everything we can get.


----------



## Grateful11

12 acres in this field looks like it may surprise us on yield. I haven't seen since our son tedded it out. All volunteer. Over next the woods there were places too wet to mow, almost 10" of rain since Sept. 26th will do that.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

It's been so dry here second cut isn't even worth it and all the fields we normally square are getting rolled.


----------



## Grateful11

Lewis Ranch said:


> It's been so dry here second cut isn't even worth it and all the fields we normally square are getting rolled.


Three weeks ago the fields here were basically powder, bone dry. Went from one extreme to the other. Hopefully they can get the Fall Oats in before it's too late. I went with my wife today to pick up a 100 bushels of seed Oats. Right now tillage is out of the question.

I set the DiscBine to make a narrow swath so the ground would dry out some before tedding, they plan on baling Monday, thought maybe tomorrow but it was cloudy for about 2/3rds of the day here, we don't bale on Sunday's.


----------



## Vol

Lewis Ranch said:


> It's been so dry here second cut isn't even worth it and all the fields we normally square are getting rolled.


Is that dust making the trees look gray in that second pic Lewis?

Regards, Mike


----------



## luke strawwalker

In Indiana helping the BIL with harvest... running cart and driving truck mostly...

A few videos and pics...

Later! OL JR


----------



## luke strawwalker

And a few more...











Later! OL JR


----------



## luke strawwalker

And a few more...






Later! OL JR


----------



## Colby

Vol said:


> Is that dust making the trees look gray in that second pic Lewis?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Probably. It's ridiculously dry here. Hasn't rained since July 3rd. Dust is horrible and fires are starting now. 
I have 50 acres of oats/rye sitting on baby powder it seems like


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Vol said:


> Is that dust making the trees look gray in that second pic Lewis?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Yes extremely dusty around here.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

For reference you can see how burnt up the yard is in this picture and how dirty the swather is after cutting 25 acres, it was clean when I started.


----------



## luke strawwalker

Mennonite neighbors of the BIL doing some field work... Always interesting seeing the "iron horses" LOL

Later! OL JR


----------



## luke strawwalker

Few pics from earlier in the week-- beautiful sunset in the field...

Later! OL JR


----------



## Grateful11

luke strawwalker said:


> Mennonite neighbors of the BIL doing some field work... Always interesting seeing the "iron horses" LOL
> 
> Later! OL JR


I admire their convictions but if you're going to have a tractor with rubber hoses and belts why not rubber tires? The baler has rubber tires. They're even wrapping bales in plastic.


----------



## luke strawwalker

Grateful11 said:


> I admire their convictions but if you're going to have a tractor with rubber hoses and belts why not rubber tires? The baler has rubber tires. They're even wrapping bales in plastic.


Yeah, just one of those funny things... I've seen some of their steel wheel rigs that even had rubber blocks between the steel ring/lugs of the wheel itself and the hub in the center to soften the ride...

BIL says the steelies ride like h3ll anyway... beat you to death. He's sometimes combined for them or pulled wagons and stuff...

As for "why no rubber tires", as I understand it, they don't believe in having rubber tires on POWERED equipment... ie tractors, combines, anything self-propelled. Evidently the idea is "if you have rubber tires, you can drive it down the road-- if you can drive it down the road, you'll be tempted to rent more ground, rent the neighbor's place, get to be a BTO, and fall into the devil's trap...

Course, from what I've seen, that doesn't stop 'em from buying up every piece of ground they can get their hands on... and not having electricity in the house and all those kids working on the farm, means they've got a lot of money to throw into buying ground. I've seen more than a few steel wheel contraptions running down the paved roads as well, which is illegal, but doesn't seem to stop them.

If it's being TOWED, like a baler, wagons, choppers, etc, then it can keep the pneumatic tires. Even seen a skid-steer on steelies going down the paved road awhile back...

Some guys do roll old belts across the road for their steel wheels to roll across the paved road...

I dunno... reminds me of a church elder I knew one time that made the comments that he LOVED fishing, and could afford the nicest bass boat money could buy, and he'd LOVE to have one, but he'd never bought one and never would, because he'd be tempted to go fishin' on Sunday instead of being in church...

Personally I don't understand that sort of reasoning-- isn't life about learning to make good choices in spite of the temptations to do otherwise?? IMHO, it's "penny-wise and pound foolish" to refuse to own a bass boat or a rubber tired tractor, because of the temptation of going fishing instead of going to church, or wanting to rent out more ground from the neighbors and falling into avarice, because learning to have the mental discipline to overcome temptations and do the right thing anyway is the whole point...

Usually such "work arounds" in "not having those things" doesn't really work anyway-- like I said, I've seen plenty of steel wheel guys running down the roads illegally to get to an extra field they picked up somewhere, so what's the point... Like the church guy who'd go fishing with his buddy in his boat... LOL

Oh well... to each his own...

Later! OL JR


----------



## luke strawwalker

My MIL didn't think much of the Amish/Mennonites... she was always rather upset by the idea that the MEN could have electricity in the farm shop, run a welding shop, or any other number of businesses and use electrical tools and equipment out there, but the WOMEN couldn't have an electric washing machine, electric vacuum sweeper, or any electrical appliances or conveniences in the house...

Though I DO like their ideas about the telephone... LOL

Later! OL JR


----------



## haybaler101

luke strawwalker said:


> My MIL didn't think much of the Amish/Mennonites... she was always rather upset by the idea that the MEN could have electricity in the farm shop, run a welding shop, or any other number of businesses and use electrical tools and equipment out there, but the WOMEN couldn't have an electric washing machine, electric vacuum sweeper, or any electrical appliances or conveniences in the house...Though I DO like their ideas about the telephone... LOLLater! OL JR


As I understand, the rubber is not the issue. It is the air inflation tires that they are against. The reason being, when you die, your soul goes into the air, so if you are riding on inflated tires, you are riding on the souls of your ancestors. That is just the rumor as I heard it. Mennonites here drive the latest and greatest from mother Deere with the best radials on them. Several of them farming 2500+ acres. The only way you can tell they are Mennonite is because wives wear dresses and coffee filters on their heads. And, even our buggy Amish now have inflated tires on all equipment and most tractors, just can't use tractors for field work, has to be horse drawn. They figured out a tractor with air in tires will go 20 mph down the road. I think the latest rule I heard was they had one year to convert a tractor to steel after purchase, so most trade every year.


----------



## azmike




----------



## Grateful11

azmike, tell us about the Diamond Wrapper? Several on here were or are interested in that one, how's it holding up and do you like it?

Nice operation!


----------



## azmike

Grateful, We don't always try to buy the cheapest equipment but in the Diamond Wrapper it was a pure experiment for us.

We have put up several hundred bales with only learning and equipment adjustments. Next year we plan to have a small tractor (35hp) dedicated to only the wrapper. It will have extended draw bars for easier dumping of the bales. Also we will finish our grabbers for the skid steer.

The machine is simple and sturdy, we like it fine. We are looking forward to swmnhay's 1.2 mill film for next years haying. We plan on wrapping everything from now on. It fixes selling retail hay to whacko's!!


----------



## endrow

Cut 50 acres of 5th cutting yesterday 25 more to go today and we're done until next season..
We always try to mow the last right before the first freeze and we got it this morning 25 and white


----------



## Bgriffin856

Had some snow Saturday afternoon and about two inches Sunday morning.

Snowing just to the north Saturday morning



Saturday evening



Kind of odd to have snow before a frost but happens every few years. Way too early for me luckily it wasgone by sSunday afternoon


----------



## RockyHill

Late Saturday afternoon the last small square bale was put in the barn on the right. Jeff had parked the tractor with the grapple there to get it out of the way; I'd parked the rake and baler because I didn't know how he was going to put everything away. Jeff was still picking up the last bales and I was "outstanding in my field" just waiting for him to drive around and be in the picture just to the left of the grapple and MY PHONE RANG! A Kodak (actually LG phone) moment gone. At least it was a hay customer.

Shelia


----------



## endrow

Finishing up the fifth cutting wrapping most of it


----------



## Gearclash

Stalk season here.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Have a few nice days


Some of the milking herd


Some heifers enjoying fresh grass as well


----------



## endrow

Bgriffin856 said:


> Have a few nice days Nice-looking 400!
> Some of the milking herd
> Some heifers enjoying fresh grass as well


----------



## IH 1586

Here are a couple of pics I finally got around to loading. The first is some of my hay placing 2nd at Ag Progress Days in Rock Springs, PA.

The 2nd is one of the nicest fields I bale for one of my customers. It's perfect for taking pictures at multiple angles cause you can see the entire field from the one end. One of those you can make good time on mowing square, long, and smooth except for woodchuck holes.


----------



## Vol

IH 1586 said:


> Here are a couple of pics I finally got around to loading. The first is some of my hay placing 2nd at Ag Progress Days in Rock Springs, PA.


Way to go IH with your hay....that's pretty cool and I do like those cannonball shot fields!

Regards, Mike


----------



## VA Haymaker

A short video we posted to youtube of our baling this summer. I'm on the tractor, my two boys are stacking and my daughter is talking the video. Small time compared to you folks, but floats our boat..... 

Tractor is a JD 5055d and the baler is a New Holland 68 - which we did a refurb on. The wagon is one we used back in the day. Last year we picked up off the ground, this year we pulled the wagon out of the weeds, painted it, greased it, put a new deck on it and tires. As you'll notice in the video, the backstop needs to be redone as by this time, it was about to fall off the back of the wagon. Boys are new to stacking - much better at at the end of the season than the start. The NH68 really cranked out some nice 40-45ish lb, 32ish long brick shaped bales. This was after the refurb and adjusting the plunger knife to the stationary, new wood plunger bearings and running the baler at 540 PTO rpms. I'd like to get a newer baler, but not sure a new one would have cranked out any better bale than the 68 - so my pleasant surprise.

Part of the goal of this hay effort is to show/teach/expose my kids to the hay making deal, how to fix, repair and turn a wrench to achieve something that others might send to the scrap pile. It was a lot of fun, family and learning experiences.

Enjoy the video - we'll add others one of these days.






Bill


----------



## IH 1586

Vol said:


> Way to go IH with your hay....that's pretty cool and I do like those cannonball shot fields!
> 
> Regards, Mike


Thanks, it will be judged again at the PA Farm Show in Harrisburg in Jan.


----------



## IH 1586

The last field mowed and raked and a few pics of the equipment washed ready for oil and put away.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Put the last in the silo last week. Probably could've made dry hay if a few fields weren't so wet. Raked till 9pm one night wishing I had a rotary rake. All fun and games till a eight inch crowbar went through the chopper...gotta love rented ground...luckily the knives were needing replacing. Biggest challenge was daylight savings time






Four miles from home. ...made it fit

Meanwhile grazing continues


----------



## treymo

Finished on thanksgiving here. Been selling and hauling a bunch of hay.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

13" of rain here this week and 4" the week before. Been to wet to do much of anything, finished most of the planting last week so we finally added another shed here amidst all the bad weather. All used barn tin but new steel and I probably have less than 1k in it. Also built another set of spikes for the Skidsteer to move bundles with and managed to get one load out before it started raining again.


----------



## deadmoose

Lewis Ranch said:


> 13" of rain here this week and 4" the week before. Been to wet to do much of anything, finished most of the planting last week so we finally added another shed here amidst all the bad weather. All used barn tin but new steel and I probably have less than 1k in it. Also built another set of spikes for the Skidsteer to move bundles with and managed to get one load out before it started raining again.


Whats the snow load rating on that roof?

Just kidding. Nice Shed.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

deadmoose said:


> Whats the snow load rating on that roof?
> Just kidding. Nice Shed.


Snow? What's that?
We just have to worry about a little ice here. It's not structurally engineered by any means just there to keep most of the sunshine off so that green pain stays shinny longer!


----------



## Bonfire

Lewis Ranch said:


> 13" of rain here this week and 4" the week before. Been to wet to do much of anything, finished most of the planting last week so we finally added another shed here amidst all the bad weather. All used barn tin but new steel and I probably have less than 1k in it. Also built another set of spikes for the Skidsteer to move bundles with and managed to get one load out before it started raining again.


Is that 3.5" OD pipe or maybe 2 7/8"? Those bays on 16' centers?

I like it.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Bonfire said:


> Is that 3.5" OD pipe or maybe 2 7/8"? Those bays on 16' centers?
> I like it.


2 3/8 stem a guy not far from me buys it in bulk and sells it cheap. Each bay is different, first one is 18' for the swather next one is 12' and last one is 10'. 40' wide and around 35' deep.


----------



## SwingOak

leeave96 said:


> A short video we posted to youtube of our baling this summer. I'm on the tractor, my two boys are stacking and my daughter is talking the video. Small time compared to you folks, but floats our boat.....
> 
> Tractor is a JD 5055d and the baler is a New Holland 68 - which we did a refurb on. The wagon is one we used back in the day. Last year we picked up off the ground, this year we pulled the wagon out of the weeds, painted it, greased it, put a new deck on it and tires. As you'll notice in the video, the backstop needs to be redone as by this time, it was about to fall off the back of the wagon. Boys are new to stacking - much better at at the end of the season than the start. The NH68 really cranked out some nice 40-45ish lb, 32ish long brick shaped bales. This was after the refurb and adjusting the plunger knife to the stationary, new wood plunger bearings and running the baler at 540 PTO rpms. I'd like to get a newer baler, but not sure a new one would have cranked out any better bale than the 68 - so my pleasant surprise.
> 
> Part of the goal of this hay effort is to show/teach/expose my kids to the hay making deal, how to fix, repair and turn a wrench to achieve something that others might send to the scrap pile. It was a lot of fun, family and learning experiences.
> 
> Enjoy the video - we'll add others one of these days.
> 
> Bill


The old s68 is a pretty good baler. I've found the knife on the plunger has to be razor blade sharp, and with a gap of about 1/16, and no more than 1/8". I need one with a thrower, as I do 95% of my haying solo. I might be in the market for a new baler this season!


----------



## atgreene

One from this fall. Trying to clean up a field that we acquired in mid September. Flatest largest field I've ever had the pleasure of doing. Some glad I bought that two rake hitch and thanks to you guys, bought the Krone baler.


----------



## atgreene

Sold my IH 175 spreader that I just rebuilt so I could buy a NH 305 slinger. Works good, been spreading hen manure like crazy hoping to increase next years numbers. I've had a hard time getting manure on the fields as my old New Idea 217 is so tempermental. This should help,


----------



## Bgriffin856

Grazed milking herd till the saturday after thanksgiving. With the mild nice weather I wish there was more grass. Cows left enough for some larger heifers


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

Gratefull11 and FarmerCline, those oats from this spring look awesome. Curious what variety you planted and the fertilizer you put on. TIA

Also here are some pictures from my 2015 season

https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B42mSLIMyt3RUHcyLVBrWkMtd0U&usp=sharing


----------



## FarmerCline

Farmboy555 said:


> Gratefull11 and FarmerCline, those oats from this spring look awesome. Curious what variety you planted and the fertilizer you put on. TIA
> 
> Also here are some pictures from my 2015 season
> 
> https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B42mSLIMyt3RUHcyLVBrWkMtd0U&usp=sharing


 The oats had pictured were Forage Plus spring oats. This was my first year growing those since winter oats generally do better here but I was pleased with the Forage Plus. For winter oats I grow mostly Rodgers but also some Gerard 229 and Gerard 224. For hay I like Rodgers better since it gets quite tall and makes more tonnage but it is prone to lodge.....especially if you are a little heavy on the N. Gerard oats don't get as tall so they don't make quite as much tonnage but aren't so prone to lodge.....for grain they are my choice but still very good for hay as well.

For fertilize I put 15-20 units of N at planting and in spring top dress when they start to tiller real good with 60 more units of N. P and K according to soil test.


----------



## FarmerCline

Here are a couple pictures of the Rodgers and Gerard oats.


----------



## deadmoose

Beautiful fields and backdrop Cline. Nice job on the pics. And crops.


----------



## Grateful11

Farmboy555 said:


> Gratefull11 and FarmerCline, those oats from this spring look awesome. Curious what variety you planted and the fertilizer you put on. TIA
> 
> Also here are some pictures from my 2015 season
> 
> https://drive.google.com/folderview?id=0B42mSLIMyt3RUHcyLVBrWkMtd0U&usp=sharing


I asked my wife last night and she said she didn't know what variety they are, that she had never asked. She's been buying all the seed Oats from the same guy for about 6 years. They usually run $9-11 bushel for cleaned Oats. The ones she bought this Fall are some of the best looking ones yet. Our son drilled the last field of the Fall Yesterday. They've never planted Oats this late but with the Temps we're having lately they should be ok.


----------



## Grateful11

I just downloaded some more photos from yesterday. Our son is drilling in Oats where the corn just got picked last week, it just got dry enough to get in there. The section of that field that was already planted, the whole lower end of the photo was drowned out except a few sprigs far and there. Almost 11" of rain in 5 weeks will do that ;-) Wife said this was the latest she can remember putting in Oats so we'll see how they do.


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

Grateful11 said:


> I just downloaded some more photos from yesterday. Our son is drilling in Oats where the corn just got picked last week, it just got dry enough to get in there. The section of that field that was already planted, the whole lower end of the photo was drowned out except a few sprigs far and there. Almost 11" of rain in 5 weeks will do that ;-) Wife said this was the latest she can remember putting in Oats so we'll see how they do.


I got my oats in three days before Thanksgiving, it was too wet to actually use the drill openers so as a last ditch we lifted the openers up and used the JD 8300 to meter a mix of coastal Rye grass and "Bob" Oats and then disc harrowed it in on 50 acres. Fast forward to yesterday and although I had my doubts about the seeding method they are up out of the ground and in a similar stage to yours Gratefull11.

I wish I could get it for $9-11/bushel, I'm paying $19/50 lb bags. Hope to plant more and different kinds of oats in the future as the market in my area is saturated with Coastal Bermuda and Hay Grazers.

Will take pictures for you all later of the seedlings. Thanks for the fert recommendations as well. As of yet have not spread any due to heavy rain but I intend to put some dry pellets down soon.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Farmboy555 said:


> I got my oats in three days before Thanksgiving, it was too wet to actually use the drill openers so as a last ditch we lifted the openers up and used the JD 8300 to meter a mix of coastal Rye grass and "Bob" Oats and then disc harrowed it in on 50 acres. Fast forward to yesterday and although I had my doubts about the seeding method they are up out of the ground and in a similar stage to yours Gratefull11.
> 
> I wish I could get it for $9-11/bushel, I'm paying $19/50 lb bags. Hope to plant more and different kinds of oats in the future as the market in my area is saturated with Coastal Bermuda and Hay Grazers.
> 
> Will take pictures for you all later of the seedlings. Thanks for the fert recommendations as well. As of yet have not spread any due to heavy rain but I intend to put some dry pellets down soon.


You can buy them bulk for $18 per 100 in Baily.


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

Lewis Ranch said:


> You can buy them bulk for $18 per 100 in Baily.


Who from? Ordered through Jay Norman (DJ Family Farms) because I normally do business with him. Wasn't aware of anyone else that sold them.


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Farmboy555 said:


> Who from? Ordered through Jay Norman (DJ Family Farms) because I normally do business with him. Wasn't aware of anyone else that sold them.


Not sure of their name but my neighbor bought 5 or 6 tons from them this fall and told me it was from a farm over there. I generally get mine at honey grove grain and peanut


----------



## Grateful11

Farmboy555 said:


> I got my oats in three days before Thanksgiving, it was too wet to actually use the drill openers so as a last ditch we lifted the openers up and used the JD 8300 to meter a mix of coastal Rye grass and "Bob" Oats and then disc harrowed it in on 50 acres. Fast forward to yesterday and although I had my doubts about the seeding method they are up out of the ground and in a similar stage to yours Gratefull11.
> 
> I wish I could get it for $9-11/bushel, I'm paying $19/50 lb bags. Hope to plant more and different kinds of oats in the future as the market in my area is saturated with Coastal Bermuda and Hay Grazers.
> 
> Will take pictures for you all later of the seedlings. Thanks for the fert recommendations as well. As of yet have not spread any due to heavy rain but I intend to put some dry pellets down soon.


That field was pretty wet, it was sticking a little to the packer wheels but not the openers. I thought he was drilling a bit too deep and we dropped another 1/2" spacer onto the cylinder but then it was leaving too much on top of the ground so we took it back out. Time will tell, it's suppose to be fairly cold this weekend but way back up by the end of next week. I'll report back in a couple weeks with the results. There's still another 10 acres that are going to have to wait until Spring, we got 1.4" of rain yesterday. On a good year you can get 3-4 tons of dry Oats hay per acre.

My wife said she used to put 300# per acre of 10-20-20 on the Oats fields in the Fall before drilling them in. Then several people said why do that and just wait see if you get a good crop and top dress with liquid nitrogen in the Spring. So that's what she did last year and the yield was just as good as the years before.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Almost full moon on a beautiful Christmas Eve. Temps pushing 60, almost unreal. Sure beats snow and cold. Now I know how you southern folks get to enjoy Christmas


----------



## Vol

Yes, it can be very nice here on Christmas day......this year...not so much...too much rain!

Regards, Mike


----------



## somedevildawg

And down here in the Deep South.....gnats and skeeters 

Even killed a rattler bout a week ago.......


----------



## Josh in WNY

All the warm temps up here are beginning to screw things up. A lot of flowers are starting to come up already and I even drove by a cherry tree yesterday that was in full blossom... be interesting to see what happens when the weather does cool down. I'm expecting a lot of snow coming off the lake.

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas!


----------



## Grateful11

The Camilla bushes are blooming, Hickory trees are budding out, grass is greening up, etc. The AC is even running. So wet you can barely walk through the dang yard. It's pretty messed up around here.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Have noticed some of grasses greening some


----------



## JeffMNY

Lilac leaves were starting to pop out here. Going to be interesting to see how it turns out. Very wet and muddy here as well.


----------



## chatoona

Hay season is finished here in South East Australia.

75 - 5x4 bales of Clover and Rye Grass pasture hay baled with our first round baler - John Deere 466.


----------



## Josh in WNY

chatoona said:


> Hay season is finished here in South East Australia.
> 
> 75 - 5x4 bales of Clover and Rye Grass pasture hay baled with our first round baler - John Deere 466.


Nice to hear from the southern hemisphere. How's your summer been going? Looks like your first round bales are pretty good. Your picture almost got me in the haying mood... then I remembered the low here for Monday night is 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C). Looks like winter has finally arrived in my neck of the woods.


----------



## chatoona

Josh in WNY said:


> Nice to hear from the southern hemisphere. How's your summer been going? Looks like your first round bales are pretty good. Your picture almost got me in the haying mood... then I remembered the low here for Monday night is 10 degrees F (-12 degrees C). Looks like winter has finally gotten arrived in my neck of the woods.


We are having a mild summer with average maximum temperatures around 25 degrees C with Tuesday maximum forecast of 16 degrees C along with some showers. The showers will be good on my paddock of Millet so maybe some more bales before the end of summer - fingers crossed. I have never experienced -12 degrees C brrrrr, we have had a -7.


----------



## endrow

We were waiting for colder temperatures


----------



## stack em up

somedevildawg said:


> Even killed a rattler bout a week ago.......


Did you save the rattle for a key chain? Dads cousins out in Gettysburg SD have made so many hat bands from rattlers they were selling them on eBay.


----------



## chatoona

endrow said:


> We were waiting for colder temperatures


What are you spreading?


----------



## endrow

chatoona said:


> What are you spreading?


Liquid dairy manure.


----------



## joshwhitehead

Seeing as you are all hanging out to get bailing, heres a picture to get you all excited!


----------



## Bgriffin856

Had a set of twins born this morning. Bull and a heifer unfortunately, has been awhile since having twins. Heifer (one on the left) has more white and was born first


----------



## glasswrongsize

Bgriffin856 said:


> Had a set of twins born this morning. Bull and a heifer *unfortunately*,


Is the "unfortunately" due assuming the heifer will be a Free Martin or for some other reason? In sheep, twins are better than singles but worse than triplets as far as economics in my operation.

I was speaking to someone the other day and they were telling me that free-martin sterility does not effect beef breeds but only milk breeds?

I am not a bovine guy, but thought yours might have some/all brown swiss and therefore be a milk breed.

As is evident by my questions, I don't know c'mere from sic 'em about bovines but am trying to learn. Sorry if the question is ignorant.

73, Mark


----------



## Vol

glasswrongsize said:


> I was speaking to someone the other day and they were telling me that free-martin sterility does not effect beef breeds but only milk breeds?
> 
> 73, Mark


It can happen in beef or milkers.

Regards, Mike

http://www.thecattlesite.com/articles/975/what-is-a-freemartin/


----------



## chatoona

Baled 5Ha of Shirohie Millet today. 45 - 5 x 4 rounds


----------



## Grateful11

I once saw a video from overseas where the cows hadn't been let out all Winter and when they let them out they were bouncing around with joy. Many people commented they had never seen cows act like that. I told them it was wasn't that uncommon, case in point.

They hadn't been on this pasture in several weeks, shed needed to be cleaned out and poop needed to be spread so my wife let them on the pasture for several hours.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Ayup!  Heads up and tails a rising! :lol:


----------



## glasswrongsize

I don't get to see moo-moos doing that too much, but my lambs are sure starting to prong around here. Sure helps melt the woes of the world away when I get to sit n watch the critters being so happy...even someone else's on video. Thanks for that

73, Mark


----------



## Coondle

Even animals clearly value freedom, relative though it may be as the cows are still contained by fences.


----------



## IH 1586

Always made me nervous to let cows out after they had been tied up in stall longer than a week. Middle of winter with the ground froze, ice and ruts in the mud. Watching them run around full speed for about half an hour then they would start to calm down. Luckily never had an injury from them falling however, did have an older one that stood under a roof when a boat load of snow let loose. She never did walk good again.


----------



## Vol

IH 1586 said:


> Always made me nervous to let cows out after they had been tied up in stall longer than a week. Middle of winter with the ground froze, ice and ruts in the mud. Watching them run around full speed for about half an hour then they would start to calm down. Luckily never had an injury from them falling however, did have an older one that stood under a roof when a boat load of snow let loose. She never did walk good again.


Yep, it can be a especially bad deal for excited cows on slick(frozen or wet) hilly ground....and with all of their weight...it doesn't take much to break one down in the hip area.

Regards, Mike


----------



## Bgriffin856

glasswrongsize said:


> Is the "unfortunately" due assuming the heifer will be a Free Martin or for some other reason? In sheep, twins are better than singles but worse than triplets as far as economics in my operation.
> 
> I was speaking to someone the other day and they were telling me that free-martin sterility does not effect beef breeds but only milk breeds?
> 
> I am not a bovine guy, but thought yours might have some/all brown swiss and therefore be a milk breed.
> As is evident by my questions, I don't know c'mere from sic 'em about bovines but am trying to learn. Sorry if the question is ignorant.
> 
> 73, Mark


As far as twins go in dairy cattle they are undesirable due to smaller calf size and most of the time they require a bit more special attention. In the case of twins I prefer them to be heifers as they can be raised as replacements, bull calves are usually smaller than singles and a bull heifer pair like Vols article says are freemartin, though I was told if they have separate placentas they should be normal. The twins I posted a picture of were born in separate placentas so we'll have to see. Next time the vet is out we'll have him check the heifer to find out.

I know as much or less about sheep as you do cows lol but pick a little up about them here and there. As far as breeds we have Holsteins, red and white Holsteins, jerseys, and jersey Holstein crosses. Had a brown swiss but lost her after having complications following a difficult calving. The mother of the twins in the picture is a jersey and the sire is a red and white Holstein


----------



## Bgriffin856

Grateful11 said:


> I once saw a video from overseas where the cows hadn't been let out all Winter and when they let them out they were bouncing around with joy. Many people commented they had never seen cows act like that. I told them it was wasn't that uncommon, case in point.
> 
> They hadn't been on this pasture in several weeks, shed needed to be cleaned out and poop needed to be spread so my wife let them on the pasture for several hours.


Turn ours out everyday unless its too cold, dirt lot/corral in winter long enough to clean barn and bed up stalls and pasture rest of the year. Even at that they act like that when you turn them onto grass in spring


----------



## Bgriffin856

Here's one from this past Saturday for you Vol since you have a passionate love affair with the snow and cold  Temp was 1 windchill of -22 and snow. Being wide open on top of a hill you feel every bit od that -22



Calling for 6-14 inches+ today-tomorrow night :angry:


----------



## IH 1586

Bgriffin856 said:


> Here's one from this past Saturday for you Vol since you have a passionate love affair with the snow and cold  Temp was 1 windchill of -22 and snow. Being wide open on top of a hill you feel every bit od that -22
> 
> 
> 
> Calling for 6-14 inches+ today-tomorrow night :angry:


Come on now. Been a horrible winter. I have only plowed driveway 3 times this year. However with the lack of snow been working on cutting 10 years of brush out of the fences.


----------



## Vol

Bgriffin856 said:


> Here's one from this past Saturday for you Vol since you have a passionate love affair with the snow and cold  Temp was 1 windchill of -22 and snow. Being wide open on top of a hill you feel every bit od that -22
> 
> 
> 
> Calling for 6-14 inches+ today-tomorrow night :angry:


I will be thinking about you when it gets into the mid-sixties later this week.... .

Regards, Mike


----------



## deadmoose

Bgriffin856 said:


> Here's one from this past Saturday for you Vol since you have a passionate love affair with the snow and cold  Temp was 1 windchill of -22 and snow. Being wide open on top of a hill you feel every bit od that -22
> Calling for 6-14 inches+ today-tomorrow night :angry:


Out for a joyride?

I can't figure out what u were doing from the pic.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

I'm going to hazard a guess that he was distributing bovine excrement, probably to advance the level of fertility for next summer's corn crop, or to reduce the level of said excrement in the bovine containment facility. Or, just maybe for both reasons!

JMHO, HTH, Dave


----------



## deadmoose

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> I'm going to hazard a guess that he was distributing bovine excrement, probably to advance the level of fertility for next summer's corn crop, or to reduce the level of said excrement in the bovine containment facility. Or, just maybe for both reasons!
> JMHO, HTH, Dave


Makes sense! Thanks Dave.


----------



## Bgriffin856

Or as I like to call it topsoil fortifier  just cutting across a corn field to get to hay ground that is best accesed during the winter freeze. Spread on hay ground as much as possible, grass utilizes it much better imo and there is more ground cover to prevent run off. Use corn ground when excessively wet where rutting isnt much of a concern. Storage would be very nice but cost $$$

Definitely can't complain about this winter. Get a little snow and cold and then it warms and the snow goes away. Haven't had to deal with much frozen silage this year or frozen anything really, kind of don't know what to do with myself


----------



## Lewis Ranch

Over 80 here today lots of fertilize rigs running on wheat. Love this Texas weather.


----------



## Colby

Farmers been planting corn here the past 2 weeks. Trees are blooming & spring is here


----------



## luke strawwalker

Colby said:


> Farmers been planting corn here the past 2 weeks. Trees are blooming & spring is here


Where you at Colby??

Saw a planter putting in corn up near Hallettsville on the way home the other day...

Later! OL J R


----------



## Colby

luke strawwalker said:


> Where you at Colby??
> 
> Saw a planter putting in corn up near Hallettsville on the way home the other day...
> 
> Later! OL J R


About 90 min north of halletsville on 77. 
Everyone south of Waco is putting it in the ground. Deep too. 2-3.5", no moisture on top


----------



## Bgriffin856

Vol said:


> I will be thinking about you when it gets into the mid-sixties later this week.... .
> 
> Regards, Mike


What a difference a week makes. Sunny and 58 some wind which really helped melt the foot-foot and a half of snow we had. Spring wont be long


----------



## luke strawwalker

Colby said:


> About 90 min north of halletsville on 77.
> Everyone south of Waco is putting it in the ground. Deep too. 2-3.5", no moisture on top


Yeah, I'm getting a bad feeling about this year already... Last year we got nearly double our normal rainfall, and this year we're already behind... Looks like we might be in one of those "feast/famine" cycles... In which case it could get very ugly here later in the year...

So you up around Temple then?? My younger cousin is in college up there studying to be a pharmacist... she likes it pretty well up there...

Later! OL J R


----------



## Bgriffin856

endrow said:


> Bgriffin856 said:
> 
> 
> 
> Have a few nice days Nice-looking 400!
> Some of the milking herd
> Some heifers enjoying fresh grass as well
Click to expand...

Thanks. Previous owner took good care of it except it was repainted with a brush.... but looks good at distance. Its semi retired you could say. Put many hours on it, good all around handy tractor


----------



## Bgriffin856

Had another set of twins born yesterday morning. Both good sized heifers


----------



## Teslan

I think we need to start a 2016 Photo thread.


----------



## discbinedr

Are those Red & White Holstein so Griff or crossbreds?


----------



## Bgriffin856

discbinedr said:


> Are those Red & White Holstein so Griff or crossbreds?


Red and White Holstein, dam is black and white Holstein sire is red and white Holstein. Was very surprised they were both heifers. Have had alot of bull calves both b&w and r&w out of him and a few heifers and only a handful of them r&w. Been working on getting a few more red ones, it's nice to have some color


----------



## MDill

I know there is a 2016 thread now, but I realized I still haven't posted in the 2015 one, we just got more snow yesterday so I don't think there will be 2016 hay related pictures for a while!
Anyway here are some pictures from summer/fall 2015, keep in mind that we were in the middle of a horrible drought from April until September. 
Basically all the pictures with big fancy equipment is from my full time job, I do all the field work for the University of NH organic dairy research farm, this will be my last year there due to moving if anyone wants a job.. All the cheap and smaller equipment is at home. My wife and I have a small beef herd we make about 200 rounds for and some custom work on the side.


----------



## rajela

I would have a hard time cutting that first field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


----------



## MDill

Oops! Must be one of those organic non gmo fields.. Guess I'll try to fix that one after feeding these Jerseys.


----------



## Vol

rajela said:


> I would have a hard time cutting that first field!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Just have to wear the lap belt is all.....and wear a Dramamine patch. 

Regards, Mike


----------



## VA Haymaker

One last video - from our 1st cutting in 2015.






Massey Ferguson 50 diesel tractor and Massey Ferguson 32 sickle mower - 7 ft.

Bill


----------

