# saturated ground



## farmboy9510 (Feb 16, 2009)

As the title says we got some wet ground conditions. I live in Essex county Ontario and i'm looking for some imput. It has been rain of and on for the last week and a half. The forcast is looking like I can cut on Thursday the only problem is there is a chance of rain till Wednesday. I am looking for imput as to how you guys would handle taking hay off in these conditions. As of rate now i have 4 clear days for sure as far as the drying equipment I have a fluffer tedder and two new holland bar rakes i'm starting to think that a rotary tedder will be my best bet. This is still first cutting hay that is the reason i want to get in and get it off.

Thanks

Alex


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## brandenburgcattle42 (Sep 6, 2012)

My thought tight windrow it so the ground can dry out next to it and then rotary ted it. Wet ground can equal impossible drying conditions but what can ya do first cuts gotta come off some time. Good luck


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

Catch 22, I've pondered this as well. Tight wind rows will allow the ground to dry between, but depending on how saturated the ground is if you Ted it out then roll over it with a tractor when you ted again or rake and soak the drove on hay your back at square one.

My thought was to lay it down in medium rows let it dry then rake it onto the dry part of the field, when the field swath is dry rake again to the dry part. Continue until ready. This way your never driving on the hay.

Back in the day we never would Ted didn't have one, just keep raking till dry. This was also the solution for washed hay.

I think it really depends on how saturated your fields are. I took a walk this am and one field I'm chomping on the bit to get in has standing water in it.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I'm thinking a fluffer tedder might not spread out a narrow windrow too well like a rotary tedder would.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

FarmerCline said:


> I'm thinking a fluffer tedder might not spread out a narrow windrow too well like a rotary tedder would.


Per Purdue, when you have wet ground make the narrowest row you can to expose the most ground to the sun, but then you will lose drying time on the hay while the ground is drying so then you want a tedder (not a fluffer) to spread that hay out as wide as possible.


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## farmboy9510 (Feb 16, 2009)

Thanks for all the help

One of my thoughts with this also is I do not think the ground is gunna dry out much with the hay standing. This is the first time i've been in this postion.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Not sure what you have for a mower but we have tiny windows for baling here too. If things are bad, I am always more tolerant of risk of rain on the first day its down. The plants immune system seems to be able to prevent molds etc from hurting it too much when its still initially wet.

If the hay is thick on the wet ground I windrow it for the first day, then ted it out on the second day.

If the hay is thin I lay it wide on the stubble cut as long as possible as the field seems to dry through the hay.

Definitely get a rotary tedder, we can't make hay without one except in the driest parts of August.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

Some of this sounds like my current problem. My buyer talked me into cutting a little over an acre (thank the Lord only finish a small block.) (And against my better judgement from looking @ forcast.)

That was 11 days ago. I was tedding to keep it in the air first couple days, then slowed the tedder down to make 2 small windrows & move them over for the next few days. Then 2 or 3 days it rained all day. Then water standing. No rain last couple days, so this afternoon I closed the V rake up to make 2 small windrows & try to dry the ground faster. With luck I'll be able to bale the stems in the next day or 2 to at least get them off the field.

The joys of "farming"!!!


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## covenanthay (Oct 2, 2009)

I have been there before and am there agin. Things I have learned included: Don't be in such a hurry that you rut your field cutting, even if it adds a day to the drying lay down a narrow windrow and let the ground dry, ted when the ground drys and proceed normally.


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## DSLinc1017 (Sep 27, 2009)

covenanthay said:


> I have been there before and am there agin. Things I have learned included: Don't be in such a hurry that you rut your field cutting, even if it adds a day to the drying lay down a narrow windrow and let the ground dry, ted when the ground drys and proceed normally.


Just what I have been doing, however the land under the windrow is still soaked. Thoughts?


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## MikeRF (Dec 21, 2009)

We are in the same position in Guelph,Ontario with the same forecast. Sounds like some ugly weather coming on Wednesday. Depending on what the forecast is for Thursday on and depending exactly how wet the ground is by then we will either cut Thursday am or pm. Although the ground will likely still be saturated hopefully the crop will have lost most of the surface moisture by cutting time.
We always cut and leave an 9ft windrow which is about 60% of cutting width. Under these ground conditions we will try and leave a 3-4inch stubble to allow the crop to sit on so it never contacts the wet ground.
Follow after 24hrs with a rotary tedder. Ted every morning till baling to keep the hay up off the ground. Never drive on the hay after raking pre baling otherwise within a matter of minutes it will have soaked up ground moisture. Pick bales off the field asap after baling.
Just my opinion but I never have conformed to the narrow windrow theory. I think what you gain in ground drying you lose with reduced crop drying. The key to drying hay in a wet ground situation is keep the crop off it!!


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