# Hay and Rain



## kilroy (Aug 3, 2016)

Well, I took a chance and laid down 30 acres of rye yesterday. Weather showed 20% chance of rain. Woke up this morning and rain was coming down. Rest of week calls for upper 80's. Will I be able to save this and make hay? New to the hay making business and would like suggestions on how to save this if possible. Can't afford to lose this. Still haven't recovered from last years drought and army worm attack. Thanks


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

First off Kilroy, never use the word Rain and Hay in the same sentence......that's a kiljoy (see what I did there?)  I wouldn't fret the rain you got yesterday. Rain on day one is not too bad.....if I have to get rain, I want it to be on day one after cut. The problem occurs once dry down starts in earnest....you'll be fine, gonna need to kick it (Ted, fluff, etc) tho.....


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Agree....especially early on in the spring as not a lot of drying has taken place.

Once you get it baled no one will know it but you.

Regards, Mike


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

kilroy said:


> Well, I took a chance and laid down 30 acres of rye yesterday. Weather showed 20% chance of rain. Woke up this morning and rain was coming down. Rest of week calls for upper 80's. Will I be able to save this and make hay? New to the hay making business and would like suggestions on how to save this if possible. Can't afford to lose this. Still haven't recovered from last years drought and army worm attack. Thanks


Ah, the initiation to making hay. The weatherman and mother nature are not usually on the same page. Just wait, someday you might have the opportunity to have the weather forecast at 0% rain and liquid sunshine happens (I might be speaking from experience here). 

That's the bad news, the good news (according to dawg and vol) it looks like it very salvageable.

Larry

PS it you find a very accurate weather forecaster, let me in on who that maybe please. And, if I had my choice I would take a little liquid sunshine verses the drought conditions your area had last year (if life gives you lemons, make lemonade). Rational: rained on hay is better feed than no hay, at least with my critters anyhow.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I agree with what others have said.

Look at the hay on the ground. How wet the underside is compared to the top will let you know what needs doing. The top will naturally be drier just because gravity will pull the rain to the bottom. If it is not soaking wet on the bottom then you are in good shape. A tedder is your friend, especially in the spring and after a rain.

You can turn it over with a rake and expose the more moist part.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

They cut 20 some acres of Oats a few years ago and a rogue storm came out of nowhere and dropped 2" of rain within 2 hours of it being cut. Luckily the rest of the week was clear and hot. Honestly you couldn't even tell it had been rained on. Luckily it wasn't tedded out before it rained and I think that helped. Late FIL always said if it rained right after you cut it usually didn't hurt it.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

kilroy said:


> Well, I took a chance and laid down 30 acres of rye yesterday. Weather showed 20% chance of rain. Woke up this morning and rain was coming down. Rest of week calls for upper 80's. Will I be able to save this and make hay? New to the hay making business and would like suggestions on how to save this if possible. Can't afford to lose this. Still haven't recovered from last years drought and army worm attack. Thanks


 I hear you I would have cut yesterday too we have rye that is ready, but it didn't work out and my son is kind of in charge of that and he said we were not going to cut it is only raining a slight bit here we still don't know if we're sorry or not


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## kilroy (Aug 3, 2016)

Thanks for all the comments. We've run the tedder over it and will do it again today and tomorrow. Plans to roll on Saturday. Temp's to be in upper 80's rest of the week. Hoping all will be fine.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Get it up ok? How did it look, smell?


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## kilroy (Aug 3, 2016)

Yes, we got it up fine. Ended up with 110 rolls. Hay looked and smelled good. Started raining Saturday night through Monday and had 4-1/2" of rain. Took samples and submitted for results at UGA. Hoping all comes out good.


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

One rain on freshly cut will not hurt it. Nutritionally it doesn't change it that much. Another soaking though it would wash they say like 20% nutrients out.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

I tell people its not all about getting rained on its how fast you can dry it. If a shower goes through and you get it dry in two days thats not bad. But if it keeps raining or stays cool and wet and now two weeks goes by and still not baled. Than you will end up with poor hay.


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