# Timing Baling Solved?



## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

I know there have been a lot of studies done about hay moisture and RH, but I wanted to share my local info and see what everyone else is doing. I've found on my farm specifically and some custom fields in my area generally that I have hit on a system that seems to work every time for blaling my alfalfa in the evening. If I let my hay dry to 10% moisture or lower I can start to bale that evening when my weather station says the humidity is 72%, and without fail the alfalfa is right around 15 - 18% moisture and goes up from there until the weather station reads 80% RH which is when my alfalfa is about 20% and it is too wet to bale. I'm definitely a data geek, so I'll admit that right now, but I wanted to see if anyone else is trying to tie RH or something else to baling. I haven't been able to tie my data to mornings as the humidity goes down and the dew comes off yet but I'm still working on it.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

If the forecast looks good I do something similar but I let it get bone dry one day, then rake with a lot of dew left on it in the AM, then start baling at 20% or so, around here takes longer to get rid of the dew than it takes for it to set so I have more time to get done in the mornings before it's too dry than I do in the evenings before it's too wet.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I do much the same except I don't really pay attention to humidity reports. I do more by feel. I can feel it in the air at night when the time is right. Can't explain it. In the morning 20% moisuture test is ok, but still do it by just feeling it with my hands.


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## fredro (May 12, 2012)

u ought to be in ms where the rh is 90% in the summer ted ted and ted again


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

I'm by feel and a slug in a plastic bucket and the trusty Delmhorst shoved into it.....................

The Delmhorst is always in the case behind the seat. Never leave home without one.


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## SVFHAY (Dec 5, 2008)

So how long does it take to go from 72% to 80%? The night baling window here is very short most of the time.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

SVFHAY said:


> So how long does it take to go from 72% to 80%? The night baling window here is very short most of the time.


Depends on location....here in TN it can be as little as 15 minutes to as long as hour or so. More arid places can be several hours.

Regards, Mike


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## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

SVFHAY said:


> So how long does it take to go from 72% to 80%? The night baling window here is very short most of the time.


Here, we have times when the RH goes from 72% to 80% in a couple of hours, or like the other night we started at 10PM and the RH didn't hit 80% until 5AM. The average is usually about 3 or 4 hours here I'd say.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

ARD Farm said:


> I'm by feel and a slug in a plastic bucket and the trusty Delmhorst shoved into it.....................
> 
> The Delmhorst is always in the case behind the seat. Never leave home without one.


Ditto...but this year I did implement HayWilson's Universal Truth to some extent. I let the moisture down to 12 % +- the previous day to baling then the following morn rake with the dew on and as the humidity (per the weather bug on phone and not at the windrow as I should have) drew down to 65% started baling. But I also kept the delmhorst involved as with the feel of the hay. I would also add that I am doing grass hay only but this year I noticed ALOT LESS shattered matter on the ground. That is here and I am sure some old timers are shaking there heads at my method but hay it works! Martin


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Nitram said:


> Ditto...but this year I did implement HayWilson's Universal Truth to some extent. I let the moisture down to 12 % +- the previous day to baling then the following morn rake with the dew on and as the humidity (per the weather bug on phone and not at the windrow as I should have) drew down to 65% started baling. But I also kept the delmhorst involved as with the feel of the hay. I would also add that I am doing grass hay only but this year I noticed ALOT LESS shattered matter on the ground. That is here and I am sure some old timers are shaking there heads at my method _*but hay it works!*_ Martin


*And that's what counts!*


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

*We are all working with the same universal truth, but our local ramification will differ. *

*When I was younger and baled at night in late May early June I could start baling an hour after dark and be able to bale for about 4 hours. Late June early July baling would start around midnight or later and could bale until day light. *

*In 2011 if I had any hay in July or August it never could have been baled with the humidity because the humidity never got above 50%, any time during the night. In fact if there had been any hay it would have to be raked right behind the mower to have enough moisture to save the leaves. *
*We are talking about humidity down next to the windrow, as usually the humidity down at the hay will be considerably higher than the ambient air humidity. *
*In normal times I have seen the ground still be wet with dew when the air at the barn was less than 50% RH. The barn is up on a hill and the hay is in the river bottom. So knowing the micro climate is important. *

*Sometimes this works for us. I have baled hay for a neighbor with a tree line that blocks the morning sun on half the field. Start baling in the sun blessed hay and by the time I got to the hay that was in the shade it was also dry enough to bale. Baled over 1,000 bales a day that way. *

*Some times I am observant and profit from what Mother Nature provides. *

*Hay production is truly interesting. *


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