# Where are you at in your hay season?



## Teslan

I have just finished first cutting and starting to sell the hay. We have about 4-5 weeks before I cut any other hay. Except my Teff which I probably will cut a 1st cutting in a about 2 and a half weeks? I'm just busy now keeping everything irrigated. I'm curious where the rest of you guys around the country are in your hay season?


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## Tim/South

I have done 3 fields and have 174 rolls in the barn right now. Have 3 more small fields and first cutting will be done.

Would finish up this week if the weather would cooperate.


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## gradyjohn

First cut finished two weeks early last year ... two weeks late this year.


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## FarmerCline

I have one field of first cut left...should have finished weeks ago but the weather just has not cooperated. It has been about three weeks now since I put hay on the ground.


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## mlappin

Not unusual here to finish in the middle of June or the third week, but this year as late as everything has been my alfalfa still isn't in full bloom and the OG still has purple heads. I've managed to get about 60 done with 87 to go. Going to drop 16 tomorrow then another 20 the day after then I'm out of dry fields.


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## somedevildawg

First cut done, as usual not very productive, waiting on second cut, late with first cut due to Mother Nature......would be great to get 5 this year, but I doubt it....


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## carcajou

2 weeks to go to the start of the season, maybe 3 weeks. We are really late this year.


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## hog987

2 to 3 weeks I should start cutting depending on what the weather is going to do. So far the hay is coming up really really nice, could be a record crop.


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## vhaby

Our hay man cut 35 acres Monday and Tuesday and 128 rounds refilled the 50 x 100 ft hay barn by Saturday morning. Since we don't sell hay, this should be sufficient to allow us to survive at least two winters if necessary with no more production. We try to maintain a full barn as drought insurance.

With the cost of fertilizer and hired hay cutting and baling, plus putting the hay into the barn, we might break even at $60/roll (4 x 5s), not counting interest on land, equipment, etc, if we were to sell hay.


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## Vol

Round baling finished....about 40% of small square first cutting done.....years like this make me think about getting out of commercial hay.  Be time for 2nd Alfalfa in 10 days. Really tough year with the weather....but those who persevere will reap a reward.

Regards, Mike


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## hillside hay

Baleage ongoing. About 150 acres left in that for first. 20 acres small square in about 100 to go. Things are running real late this year as some fields I can't even walk on with all this rain. Timothy just starting to head out so I figure about two weeks before the quality takes a major hit. Soil still too cold for summer annuals so probably just let it sit till sept and throw some winter rye in.


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## blueridgehay

Got first field up yesterday. Still got 80 acres left. Hay is holdin okay, but will start goin down hill fast. Done 850 finally got last trailer in barn at 12:00 last night. Was a tough day tryin to learn new equipment. Had trouble with 1839 MF, key way came out of auger shaft with only outside windrow left. I don't like workin on brand new equipment.


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## swmnhay

The hay is about 3 weeks behind here.Alfalfa in bud stage now.What is left after winter kill!!It's been wet and cool all spring.


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## OhioHay

40 made with 400 of first to go. Quality holden, but starting to drop. Will start mowing today, but scattered showers have appeared in the forecast for tomorrow.


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## LaneFarms

Got the first field on the ground now. Yield is pitiful at around 25 squares per acre.


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## Vol

LaneFarms said:


> Got the first field on the ground now. Yield is pitiful at around 25 squares per acre.


Lane, is the yield off because of the drought situation...especially earlier in the year?

Regards, Mike


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## R Ball

We have one bottom left to cut. Approx ~23 acres. Suppose to rain today and tomorrow.
Hope to cut it tomorrow after the rain. It is well done and needs to come up so I can be ready to start second cutting.
With the new accumulator for small squares I have only done approx 75 rounds so far. This being the case if the hay gets a little wet I'll roll it for the cattle.


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## JD3430

Only 1/3 way done 1st cutting. Waaaay too much rain. Should get caught up this week. I thing grass hay has lost a lot of its nutritional value because its too mature.


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## Mike120

I was late rolling up my first cutting because of the cool spring and weeds. Just square baled two fields and will roll up the other two. I'll fertilize again before I leave and square bale everything when I get back.


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## slowzuki

Haven't started yet. Rain, rain, more rain. Looks like we will have two dry days this week after the rain, may take a stab at some dryer fields.


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## dubltrubl

We've completed first cutting about 6 weeks later than normal. Yield was a little lower than normal due to cooler than normal spring soil temps. Took us much longer to get things cut and baled due to rain. Had to work around showers every few days. Got lucky and only had about 6 acres get a little rain, but was able to get in the field the following day with a tedder and get it fluffed, dried out, and rolled up. We'll be cutting again in about 2 weeks. Sprayed after cutting, and fertilizer in combo with rain and much warmer soil temps is working it's magic. Fields are really comin on now! Hopefully this next cutting will compare to normal yields. Sales are going at a decent pace. Not as strong as 2 years ago, but slightly better than last spring. Several folks jumped ship in favor of lower priced round bales elsewhere. Good luck to 'em. Loyal customers are still buying in good quantities and are pleased with the quality. Picked up a new cutomer for squares. Contruction guy buying them for erosion control. All in all, things are getting off to a good, although late start.

Regards,

Steve


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## bensbales

Hoping to mow for the first time tomorrow if they don't change the darn forecast! Reed canary has gone wild, orchard grass is still ok for pleasure horses and timothy heads have just came out of the boot.Plus still have 12 acres of soybeans to plant.


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## Teslan

Seems like most people are extra late on 1st cutting hay. One of my best friends farms near South Bend Indiana and he normally is way ahead of me here on 1st cutting, but this year we are about the same. Sure a different year then last year. We are about normal here in Colorado for time of cutting and the amount of moisture. Got a "nice" hail and rain storm the other night, but it didn't hurt anything as the hay had recently been cut, baled and stored inside. It was also nice to get the .3 inches of rain. I know that is hardly anything to most of you.


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## Dill

Right on track for baleage I've got 10 acres left. My brother is almost done his 1st crop since he wraps it all. My brother in law is way behind because his fields are wet clay on steep hills. However dry hay hasn't even started for me yet. I'm hoping maybe it gets dry enough the end of this week. I'm getting plenty of calls for squares and I could use the cash.


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Hoping to catch a break and start Wednesday!
Dave


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## Will 400m

Only one field cut so far. A whole bunch to do still. Looks like rain tuesday then ok through monday so hope to wack down a good chunk. Have one field next to a river that you would need scuba gear to cut its got 6inches to a foot of water in it. Its droping quick but thats alot of water soaking into the ground befor its dry enough to think about doing anything with.


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## NDVA HAYMAN

Got all of my first cutting done and all of my cover crop baled. Cover crop averaged over 5 bales per acre. Cut a timothy field early that I normally square bale. Sprayed it for weeds early and because of the cool and wet spring, got a miserable kill. Decided to round bale it and got 5 bales to the acre (including weeds). Luckily, I had overseeded last fall with OG and that is coming on nicely. Just sprayed again with Banvel and 24D to hopefully kill what's coming on again. Also having big problems with Italian Ryegrass. Might have to rotate some of mine with crops.


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## NDVA HAYMAN

Also, the tedder has been a godsend for me this year. Most hay was tedded immediately behind the discbine and then 2 additional times. Without it, I would have had a lot of washed hay whereas none was rained on.


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## Josh in WNY

Still haven't started yet due to all the rain, that puts me a week behind where I would like to be. Hopefully I can make that up though. I might be able to start mowing Wednesday if the weather forecast holds and bale it this weekend. If this weather pattern holds, I might get a lot of experience using the Harvest Tech on the baler. Most of my customers don't want treated hay if they can help it.. but I'm pretty sure they'll take treated hay over moldy hay!

I put fertilizer on all but 5 acres this spring and the hay is really tall and thick, so I hope I can get started soon. Two of my customers that take trailer loads of hay from me in the winter are looking to take a load each this summer. The sooner I get some hay ready for them, the sooner I can get paid!


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## LaneFarms

Mike, yes because of the drought we where late putting out fertilize and now that we have got some rain the fields are real spotty. The field I cut was laying down in some spots and others are not even worth running the baler over. As a whole are yields have been off the last several years due to all the dry weather. It seems like all of our rain falls in a couple days for the entire year.


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## mlappin

Josh in WNY said:


> Still haven't started yet due to all the rain, that puts me a week behind where I would like to be. Hopefully I can make that up though. I might be able to start mowing Wednesday if the weather forecast holds and bale it this weekend. If this weather pattern holds, I might get a lot of experience using the Harvest Tech on the baler. Most of my customers don't want treated hay if they can help it.. but I'm pretty sure they'll take treated hay over moldy hay!
> 
> I put fertilizer on all but 5 acres this spring and the hay is really tall and thick, so I hope I can get started soon. Two of my customers that take trailer loads of hay from me in the winter are looking to take a load each this summer. The sooner I get some hay ready for them, the sooner I can get paid!


Search Purdues extension site, they had an article that actually recommended treated hay for horses as if done properly the chance of mold is zilch.


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## LeadFarmer

I am currently watering my alfalfa today, getting ready for my 5th cutting here at the tail end of the month.

We put up dairy hay in March, April and May. Made a HUGE 4th cutting of dry cow hay earlier this month, easily averaged over 2 TPA. We have some 20 acre fields that are 1/4 mile runs, and we had 3 bales in nearly every run. Local JBS yard will be green chopping our next 3 cuttings, then we will have to decide what to do in the winter months. Hoping for 10 cycles this year!


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## Teslan

LeadFarmer said:


> I am currently watering my alfalfa today, getting ready for my 5th cutting here at the tail end of the month.
> 
> We put up dairy hay in March, April and May. Made a HUGE 4th cutting of dry cow hay earlier this month, easily averaged over 2 TPA. We have some 20 acre fields that are 1/4 mile runs, and we had 3 bales in nearly every run. Local JBS yard will be green chopping our next 3 cuttings, then we will have to decide what to do in the winter months. Hoping for 10 cycles this year!


That's a long year Leadfarmer. I know you are in Arizona, but you should put your location on your profile so newer members will know where you are. Especially since you do way more cuttings then most of the rest of us do and a different location.


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## JD3430

Just Tedded 15 acres. No sooner than I folded the Tedder, it poured for a hour. 
This has been a very frustrating start. Lots of money lost in Tedder fuel and lower quality hay.


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## haybaler101

Started mowing 2nd cut alfalfa today. Raining now, stopped the mower after 45 acres, wanted to drop 70. Still have 100 acres of overripe 1st cut grass to cut and 50 acres of barley straw laying in the windrow. Got 2"+ of rain on 30 acres of the grass this evening that is about 18 miles south.


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## JD3430

I have about 90 left. Looks like headed out, wilted, over ripe grass. Wonder how much nutritional value it still has?


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## somedevildawg

JD3430 said:


> Just Tedded 15 acres. No sooner than I folded the Tedder, it poured for a hour.
> This has been a very frustrating start. Lots of money lost in Tedder fuel and lower quality hay.


And don't forget.....time

I feel your pain....not that it does a damn bit of good....but we all can feel it....if you was just cutting with a rotary and just got through b4 the rain, you'd a said....I love it when a plan comes together.....in haymakin it's a whole different quote.....and mine usually ain't for younguns ears


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## R Ball

Been there done that JD. Couple years ago I had a 16 acre field that was long and narrow.
Set up perfect for my equipment. Worked on trying to get it up dry for days. Every time I started baling it would rain again. Got a old fella down the road to help. I figured if he raked with my kuhn sr 110 I would follow him with the round baler. Well it worked pretty good until 
He hair lipped my rake on a round bale. He never looked behind him and no idea how wide the rake was. It bent the frame and all. Needless to say he was drinking old Milwaukee's 
Best at the time. The old guy is gone now and I miss him. He cursed everything and would try and help do anything. He had the ability to start any motor you showed him, regardless of age . Sometimes you just have to set back and put things in perspective.


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## Colby

Finished 1st cut Thursday. 274 acres with 137 5x5's and 254 4x5's 
Got a little rain in between cutting and will start cutting 90 acres next week for 2nd cut. 40 will go up for 5x5's 50 will go up in squares. Would like it to go longer but gotta cut it before it burns up.


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## hog987

JD3430 said:


> I have about 90 left. Looks like headed out, wilted, over ripe grass. Wonder how much nutritional value it still has?


last year I had a feild that was cut about 6 weeks later than it should have been cause of the rain. Was very ripe. But when I did the feed test it was very close to the first feild that I had cut. What happens was there was a lot of second growth under all the ripe stuff and it made not bad feed.


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## Fossil02818

We have only successfully baled about 10% of our fields so far this year because it has been so wet. I had mowed another small 3 acre field last friday and it has been rained on twice since then so it looks like I gambled and lost that bet. Forecast for this Wednesday through Saturday is for mostly sunny and dry weather so I plan on mowing all I can as soon as the ground dries out. Don't want to miss that window as the alfalfa is already about 10% bloom here.


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## Nitram

Picked up 15 more acres of brome to do then wait for prairie hay season to start. Good so far!


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## NDVA HAYMAN

Still have not cut the first bit of barley or wheat. Looks like everytime the sun comes out for a while, a big black storm cloud full of water is right behind it. I am starting to see a few weeds in a couple of fields coming up in my wheat now and that means I will not be able to bale straw behind the combine . Just gives it more time to get rained on. Straw is a big portion of my business. Oh well!


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## JD3430

Huge rain storm moving in as I type. 
We've had rain 10 of last 13 days.
Even if we get 5 clear days, it's gonna take 1-2 just for the ground to dry out enough to lay cut grass on it.


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## Teslan

JD3430 said:


> Huge rain storm moving in as I type.
> We've had rain 10 of last 13 days.
> Even if we get 5 clear days, it's gonna take 1-2 just for the ground to dry out enough to lay cut grass on it.


I'll take one of those days of rain off your hands for free.


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## sethd11

Well, about 1/3 done. 40 acres of hay down. Hoping to get it all up OK. This week has been the only week where it hasn't been 2 days sun 1 day rain. PrAyers have finally paid off with 6 days of no rain forecasted. HeDing out to bale in about an hr.


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## T&LSkaarfarms

Disgusted, thats where I am at. Have 20 acres off and about 130 to go. Rain every few days. 3 nice days is the longest stretch I have had. After wednesday it looks like rain on and off the rest of the month. Beautiful hay though. Just can not get any in the barn... This must be why everyone wants to farm... LOL


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## LeadFarmer

Teslan said:


> That's a long year Leadfarmer. I know you are in Arizona, but you should put your location on your profile so newer members will know where you are. Especially since you do way more cuttings then most of the rest of us do and a different location.


Yeah, when we cut, rake and bale ourselves the whole way through it is a brutal schedule. I tell you what, having the local JBS yard green chop our hay this fall is going to be very, very nice. I'm already planning on making a couple trips to San Diego during the window where I would have been baling all night!

I will update my profile right meow, I thought I had included my location in there.

I saw someone mention wheat harvest coming up: We are currently in full swing with the harvest here. I've got about 100 acres left out of 370 total. I have yet to add up the numbers, but I believe it is kicking butt! As soon as we are done harvesting I will be hammer down tilling the ground, getting it ready for fall lettuce season.


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## R Ball

Mowed the last ~25 acres of my first cur today. Rained steady for the first 2-3 hours then cleared off. Hope to bale it no later than Friday. Will Ted it tomorrow.


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## hayward

435 4x5s in barn, start 2nd cutting mid July, been wet start had to Ted one place 3 times. Put up fifty Bermuda mix bales 24 hrs after cutting last week.


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## enos

200 round bale silage up, 700 to go. 250 tonne chopped silage for feeders, 250 to go. 0 idiot cubes so far, about 20,000 to go......oh crap.....I better get some summer soon. Longest day of year friday and nothing much baled.


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## mlappin

I've mowed 70 plus acres the last few days, have less than thirty to go.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Little over half way i guess. Got 20 ac baled up, about 6 ac cut this evening, cutting another 5 or so tomorrow evening and depends on weather forcast if i cut more on Thursday. My 2nd cut will be ready to start on my good O grass fields as soon as i'm all done with first cut lol, oh well, keep pluggin away. I lucked out last fri when i gambled and cut, rain missed us sunday and baled up Monday evening 4 ac put out 300 sm bales.


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## JD3430

My problem is that even if it clears, the ground is so wet from a month of rain, that I'm afraid the dropped hay won't dry. It'll just soak up moisture from the mud, I mean ground, below.

Is it better to cut immediately after rain, or let it dry out a day or 2 so I'm dropping hay on dry ground? 
Looks like we have 5 dry mostly sunny days coming.


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## Nitram

Personally Iluke to have aday or two the growing grass will pull a lot but if hot and windy the top will dry well after cutting.


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## dbergh

Finished with First two weeks ago. 700 big squares and 5000 smalls. Selling and delivering as fast as we can go. Moved the big ones for $235/ton. Selling the smalls at $190 to $220.

Weather was perfect for the process except for a little wind messing with us.

On to 2nd in a couple more weeks.

Got to get all the small balers put back together before then. Lots of problems with them during 1st even though we went through them all this winter.

Market is pretty hot and going a little higher i think although the exporters are not buying as aggressively as last year yet.


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## Teslan

dbergh said:


> Finished with First two weeks ago. 700 big squares and 5000 smalls. Selling and delivering as fast as we can go. Moved the big ones for $235/ton. Selling the smalls at $190 to $220.
> Weather was perfect for the process except for a little wind messing with us.
> On to 2nd in a couple more weeks.
> Got to get all the small balers put back together before then. Lots of problems with them during 1st even though we went through them all this winter.
> Market is pretty hot and going a little higher i think although the exporters are not buying as aggressively as last year yet.


What size are your big squares Dbergh?


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## NDVA HAYMAN

We have been getting rain here every day. Dug some post holes today 48" deep and at the very bottom, you could make nice hard balls of clay with your hand. Finally poured 35 yds. of concrete today for a new grain bin. Bin has been setting around for 2 weeks. This is just like 2003


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## Josh in WNY

Finally started 1st cutting this morning. Dropped a 5 acre field of timothy/alfalfa and plan to bale it (small squares) on Saturday. Hopefully mother nature and my equipment will all cooperate. This hay is going straight off the field to a local customer, so I don't have to worry about lining up a hay crew at all, which is a bonus.


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## slowzuki

I cut a 2 or 3 acre test field today with a haybine and tedded it. Its sort of a test run to see how the equipment is doing. Burried the tractor twice in the mud even though I skipped the wet parts of the field. Had to push out backwards with the loader, 4wd was no help.

Replace some tines on the rake tonight and a bearing. Tomorrow its a bearing in the discbine bed, never done that job before!


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## R Ball

Gee wiz slowsuki, you make it sound like no problem. Hats off to you. I believe that I might say screw it, I am done.
I am most grateful that I don't bale hay under those conditions .


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## hillside hay

Have 15 acres in the barn. Mowed another 40 today. Kinda had to jump around and skip the wetter sections. Having the same issues as JD with the ground moisture. The last 60 acres I put into smalls will be a couple weeks yet as there is water standing in the fields luckily one of the fields is RCG. Checkedmoisture on the timothy cut yesterday and its at 22% so tomorrow I'll be baling that. Still trying to get the hay crew lined up.Getting harder to find good help year after year.


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## slowzuki

Most of my equipment is on the backside of its lifespan unfortunately and I don't have time in the winter to do all I should. Its pretty much assured a major repair will happen in the season. My Pottinger disc moco is still nice despite having a lot of acres through it. It leaked while parked and it looks like the bearing on the leaky turtle is a tiny bit loose so she is getting pulled before major damage.

The mud, well, in a dry year we leave ruts in some fields. In a wet year we get stuck badly. You have to get in and mow so the field will dry out. We had a swale dug last fall in the field I was in that fixed the worst of the wet spots but there was water in the middle of spots that are normally dry. After I bale I'll come back drag the ruts as best I can so it will dry out flatter. Its all we can do.

The other problem was I was using my little Kubota, my bigger MF has big metric radial 600's on the back and some big radials up front but its at another farm trying to get a field I plowed last fall disced. Still can't get into 1/4 of the field from water just coming out of the ground and running in the furrows.



R Ball said:


> R Ball, on 19 Jun 2013 - 10:29 PM, said:
> Gee wiz slowsuki, you make it sound like no problem. Hats off to you. I believe that I might say screw it, I am done.
> I am most grateful that I don't bale hay under those conditions .


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## hillside hay

I hear ya Slowzuki. I drive by a field of beans between farms and in the morning it was dry and in the evening when I went back through standing water. I might add it did not rain today.


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## JD3430

I was tedding hay on top of mud puddles today, but as you said, at least it didn't rain. 
I'm basically stacking dry hay on a wet sponge.


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## dbergh

Teslan said:


> What size are your big squares Dbergh?
> Teslan, They are 4X4's.


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## FarmerCline

I got the last field of first cut mowed this afternoon. It was really about too wet to be in the field but since they were showing Friday and Saturday with only 20 percent chance of rain I figured I better go ahead and cut as every day next week is a 30 percent chance. If I miss the 30 percent chance tomorrow I should be able to bale Saturday. I don't know how this hay is going to look in a square bale as the stems were turning yellow and the seed was falling off the heads as I mowed and it has a fair amount of Johnson grass that was about 2 foot high in it. At least it did not have any broadleaf weeds and the Johnson grass wasn't too stemmy yet.


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## rjmoses

Three fields cut, one more to mow, then I will have my first cutting down. OG has gone to seed, so I'm reseeding as I cut. Alfalfa is very stemmy, beyond full bloom, badly lodged.

Hope to be done Monday/Tuesday.

Usually, I'm doing the second cut about this time of year.

Ralph


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## R Ball

Ralph is your og and alfalfa planted together ? If so what are the varieties
You are using to match up maturity as close as possible?


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## rjmoses

R Ball said:


> Ralph is your og and alfalfa planted together ? If so what are the varieties
> You are using to match up maturity as close as possible?


I have one alfalfa field with about 20% Potomac OG in it, one field pure alfalfa, one alfalfa field with a little volunteer OG, two pure OG--one Potomac field (this has gone to seed, so I'm leaving it for last), one with Crown Royal OG.

Just went to beans on OG field that had Tekapo OG. Both Crown Royal and Tekapo are later variety OG's, but I think I like Tekapo better. My one experience with Tekapo was limited success because of last years' drought. Stand came up nicely on a fall planting, but then about 1/3rd got overtaken by wild rye grass.

When it comes to alfalfa/OG mix, I think I prefer Potomac because it matures about May 15th here and that's about the time I start my alfalfa. But I haven't really done any testing.

Ralph


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## JD3430

Got my biggest field down. Just got home at 10pm. Finished up with discbine with the lights on. Kinda cool. Deer everywhere. Lots of close calls with fawns. 
My last field was 6' high!! Still damp down low. 
Everyone and their mother is out running around in discbines dropping fields like crazy. We're so far behind.


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## mlappin

R Ball said:


> Ralph is your og and alfalfa planted together ? If so what are the varieties
> You are using to match up maturity as close as possible?


I plant Late Mate 2 with my alfalfa. Baled a field today that I also farm the one that buts right up to it so I mow it as one, I'm not sure what variety of OG they planted but there was literally no color left in it and looked more like straw than grass while my late mate was green yet and had no seeds end up on the tin of the discbine and even seen some pollen yet in the shady spots.


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## haybaler101

70 acres 2nd cut alfalfa and 110 acres 1st cut grass on the ground. That is everything. Just got to bale it up now plus 50 acres of straw. No rain till next Wednesday nite. Might be dry enough to plant some double crop beans and wet holes before next rain. Wheat ready to combine too next week.


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## blueridgehay

FarmerCline said:


> I got the last field of first cut mowed this afternoon. It was really about too wet to be in the field but since they were showing Friday and Saturday with only 20 percent chance of rain I figured I better go ahead and cut as every day next week is a 30 percent chance. If I miss the 30 percent chance tomorrow I should be able to bale Saturday. I don't know how this hay is going to look in a square bale as the stems were turning yellow and the seed was falling off the heads as I mowed and it has a fair amount of Johnson grass that was about 2 foot high in it. At least it did not have any broadleaf weeds and the Johnson grass wasn't too stemmy yet.


Just remember Cline, come cold weather it'll be better than rocks and snow balls. I mowed Wed and just as soon as I cut the tractor off, bottom dropped outta it. I kicked it yesterday and it don't appear to have hurt hit any. I'm a goin to kick it again today and try to bale on Sat. I took first tractor- trailer load to Raleigh yesterday and they seemed pleased. Got 'nother load headed to Wilmington next week.


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## FarmerCline

blueridgehay said:


> Just remember Cline, come cold weather it'll be better than rocks and snow balls. I mowed Wed and just as soon as I cut the tractor off, bottom dropped outta it. I kicked it yesterday and it don't appear to have hurt hit any. I'm a goin to kick it again today and try to bale on Sat. I took first tractor- trailer load to Raleigh yesterday and they seemed pleased. Got 'nother load headed to Wilmington next week.


 Well I have been lucky so far and have not had any rain since I cut, it should bale tomorrow as soon as the dew comes off. I'm tedding it again this morning to keep it up off the wet ground. I'm surprised the hay actually is looking as good as it does, the Johnson grass is not very noticeable and unless somebody quite familiar with it they probably won't tell it from the rest of the grasses.


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## RVT

Baled 25 acres of OG on May 30. Got lucky and squeezed it in between rains in central Indiana. 105 bales at 800 lb. ave. (have scales at the barn) All sold out of the field. Already have people lined up for the 2nd cutting. People are buying early this year after the drought we had last year. We cut our first batch in May and 2nd / last cutting in October.


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## JD3430

Baled up 50 more round bales today. Also cut my last 15 acres and Tedded another 35 acres. 
Can't believe how many near misses I had with deer. 
3 more clear weather days and I might actually get done my 1st cutting.


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## R Ball

Hammer down JD. I am done finished today. What i am not keeping is sold already.


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## Josh in WNY

Got the small alfalfa/timothy field baled today. Customer was there when he said he would be and hauled it all away. 276 bales off of 4.5 acres for a fielded that should have been back in corn 2 years ago... I'm not going to complain. Ran my "new" JD 2520 on the JD 336 baler and was a little worried that it wasn't enough the way the engine lugged for each plunger stroke. Then I checked the bales and found I was making bricks that even I didn't want to lift up. Backed off on the tension and the 2520 ran pretty smooth the rest of the way. Last bales were still plenty heavy though, customer got a good deal.

Now I have all of the timothy fields to do (about 28 acres) and with the fertilizer I put on this spring, it's looking like a bumper crop. I feel a little sheepish talking about only doing 32 acres of first cut with some of you guys doing more than that in a day. This little fish is going to stick to the shallow part of the big pond!


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## Shetland Sheepdog

Josh,

If you are a little fish, I'm just a minnow! :lol: I do about 15 acres +/-, and put up 3-4,000 idiot cubes a year! 

But, I do have fun with it! 

Dave


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## OneManShow

45 ac in the barn 100 to go. Rain showers all last week, Rain in the forecast for the next week. Orchard grass went from real nice to just OK. It'll be green in the bale though. Could use a couple weeks of good weather. Hasn't rained enough to get what we've cut growing again, but it has rained plenty enough to keep us from putting any more hay down. This will make five years in a row of just plain crap weather in June. Makes me want to move somewhere else so I can complain about a different kind of weather.


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## JD3430

Still have 40 on the ground. 30% chance of Rain coming Monday. Tomorrow has to go almost perfect. Wife and daughter out of town. Son is in a big sports event and needs me there. Killing me. 
Today was a mess. Fixed Tedder a few times. Hay is so think on remaining 40 that I can't get it dried down. 
Everything's gotta go about perfect tomorrow. Still have round bales scattered throughout fields to be gatherer end up, but at least their in net wrapped form and they were baled dry. 
Leaving town come he'll or high water next Monday. 
No stress there!!!


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## Texasmark

Weather Here in N TX. was cool and nice moisture this spring which delayed planting till last of April to get soil temp up. Pearl Millet totally sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I'm looking at 60 days now since planting and the robust plants are just passing 24"......those that germinated.

On the flip side, my volunteer Johnson grass passed 6' a couple of weeks ago and is well into the maturity stage. Nice dark green color. I'm going to let it go till the Millet seed pod shoots up and by then the seeds may be mature enough for me to scatter them when I cut and bale. In the next couple of years, I'll just have JG and that will be OK fine.

Next year will go back to some Sweet Sudan/sorghum cross to supplement the JG till it gets a better hold.

Have a real nice window for baling right now. The weather report is a straight line for hi and lo with the yellow thing smiling for the next 10 days. Watch, when I'm ready to cut it will pop up with an afternoon TS and ruin it. Oh well, that's farmin.

Mark


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## haybaler101

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Josh,
> If you are a little fish, I'm just a minnow! :lol: I do about 15 acres +/-, and put up 3-4,000 idiot cubes a year!
> But, I do have fun with it!
> Dave


Enjoy being a minnow! Have fun and enjoy. Weather likes this makes it very stressful to be a big dog. Yeah, we baled 160 acres in 6 hours Thursday evening, but most of the big squares are still getting wet and another 100 acres mowed and getting wet. It is no longer a hobby but a job and with large acreages comes huge expenses for equipment, repairs, and so forth and ruined crop doesn't make the bills any easier to pay.


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## Texasmark

JD3430 said:


> My problem is that even if it clears, the ground is so wet from a month of rain, that I'm afraid the dropped hay won't dry. It'll just soak up moisture from the mud, I mean ground, below.
> 
> Is it better to cut immediately after rain, or let it dry out a day or 2 so I'm dropping hay on dry ground?
> Looks like we have 5 dry mostly sunny days coming.


We just saw a guy on here or yesterday tractors that was putting up some mighty fine grass, kind unknown, in squares. Had a pic of it going on the hay trailer and the future farmers helping out. Most interesting thing about the pic was the the front tire of the tractor was in the pic. and was sopping wet.

So it can be done. Keep it tedded and your pickups high. I did some this spring like that. Tedded 3 times per day for 2 days, started out with wads of yellow soggy hay where the sun didn't get to it. Mid way through the second day it was ready; so was the rake and baler and baled it got. Made nice hay.

Mark


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## JD3430

I just made 100 round bales thin afternoon and the the tractor ties were leaving deep impressions in the ground. Still have some low spots with water in them from the great monsoons we had. 
You are right. You can get hay to dry over mud, just gotta get it up on the stubble, rake an bale quick. I noticed that once it sits in the windrow a while, it'll get wet on the bottom after a few hours from soaking up ground moisture.


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## slowzuki

I lost my field I cut to try out the equipment, it got to within 2 hours of dry enough to bale 5 times now, only to be rained on 5 times. We would have hot windy days then at 2-5 pm there were rain showers. If I had an acid setup I could have baled, it would have been 20-25%.


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## Dill

I'm no longer on track. I've used up my high and dry fields making my early baleage. But now its looking like a wet july. And I ran into some standing water in a field that is usually dry last week. Ended up leaving some ruts which pissed me off. Have to go back when it dries out and drag them out with the tractor. Forecast doesn't look good for the next 2 weeks. I'm hoping they are wrong. Its hot, humid and sunny now but we are 30-70% chance of thunderstorms right through the weekend. Lots of hay was made this weekend around here but by the guys who just do squares so they still have some dry fields left.


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## Kriegen

Just baled last 7 acres for square bales Saturday.

Got 102 square bales. Number seems low.


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## somedevildawg

Kriegen said:


> Just baled last 7 acres for square bales Saturday.
> Got 102 square bales. Number seems low.


I agree, enter your location in your profile so all will know....that was small squares right, alfalfa, Bermuda, other?


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## JD3430

We are getting HEAVY thunder showers in the afternoons, just like slowzuki. 
Right on the verge of baling, and here comes the red cells on the radar. 
I have been working the same field since Thursday. Got panicky today and made 40 beautiful bales, but all 20-25%.
The acid system will be installed this July. I will never sell 20-25% hay as mushroom hay again at 110/ton when it could have been saved with an acid system and sold for $175/ton.
This is frustrating to say the least!


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## DSLinc1017

We were able to catch the only 2 - 3 dry days yet this season. Took up some of our small fields, Only have around 1k smalls in the barn, with around 50 spread out with moisture above 18%. Our first bailing was on June 3rd. On one of our lower fields two rows to go. Got the baler stuck so bad it was bottoming out, wagon up to its axels. Had to disconnect everything and crane out the baler with the FEL. Still can't get to that field to repair the holes, they have tadpoles living in them now. Most of the field around here are still standing, too wet!


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## bensbales

I have only got 1000 small squares in also. Last year i had over 10000 by this time. Last nights storm flattened the hay again and were supposed to get another violent storm tonight with hail.We might have to wait till the ground freezes to get the hay in this year!


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## Teslan

I would like just one day of your rain. Then maybe another next week.


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## swmnhay

Teslan said:


> I would like just one day of your rain. Then maybe another next week.


I'd like to share some.3.8" since fri night.Foggy,crappy day with storms possible later.All my hay is standing yet,good place for it.


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## mlappin

Have 27 acres to go, 17 of its mowed. Mowed Sunday when the forecast called for 20% of light scattered showers but mostly sunny till WEdnesday then it was supposed to clear off. Now we have a chance of rain everyday till Saturday.

Only thing I did get accomplished after mowing hay Sunday and before yesterdays downpour was to get the 97 bales off one field and 127 off the other stacked and in the dry.


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## DSLinc1017

Teslan said:


> I would like just one day of your rain. Then maybe another next week.


Please come and take a week or two worth!


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## slowzuki

It was rained on again yesterday then mostly dried out, baled most of it up last night to get it off the field. 80 lb bales - 30 inches long. Left in the basket and left the last windrow. Rained over night, then again this morning, now sunny and windy but predicted rain again this pm.

About 60 bales in the outside windrow left, may bale it to get it off the field if the showers hold off.



slowzuki said:


> I lost my field I cut to try out the equipment, it got to within 2 hours of dry enough to bale 5 times now, only to be rained on 5 times. We would have hot windy days then at 2-5 pm there were rain showers. If I had an acid setup I could have baled, it would have been 20-25%.


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## jescoag

Finsihed first cut 6/23 Should have started on 2nd cut of Bermuda this week, but not sure if they will ever take the 30% rain chance out of the forcast. Bermuda was very good, fescue with fertilizer good all else down from last year 1st cut. Great topic nice to hear from all over...


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## JD3430

Another wild day. Starts out beautiful. I rake about a mile of windrows and get it ready to bale. Get the big tractor and baler and get about 1/2 of it baled up. Then came the blackest clouds you could imagine. I'm in cab trying to get as much baled up as possible. Then the 50 mph winds kick up and lift my windrows up off the ground and into the trees!!! 
Then it pours buckets for an hour spoiling all your remaining raked rows.

Been doing that since last week and its the same forecast into July 4th.


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## FarmerCline

JD3430 said:


> Another wild day. Starts out beautiful. I rake about a mile of windrows and get it ready to bale. Get the big tractor and baler and get about 1/2 of it baled up. Then came the blackest clouds you could imagine. I'm in cab trying to get as much baled up as possible. Then the 50 mph winds kick up and lift my windrows up off the ground and into the trees!!!
> Then it pours buckets for an hour spoiling all your remaining raked rows.
> Been doing that since last week and its the same forecast into July 4th.


 I know it's hard but in a year like this you have to look at the positive side....at least you were able to get half the field baled up before the rain hit.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

My first cutting is all done. Put up 2300 small squares. Was a lot of work for me, dropping on wagons. Lucked out and sold 2 decent loads to 2 different NC boys. One took 300 and another too 600 bales off wagons, both called back and want more when I got it. All went well with the new 35 ac of free lease ground I picked up. Now time to think about spraying some of them, also got to talk land owner into letting me spray, had a ton of milk weed in the one big field.


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## JD3430

whitmerlegacyfarm said:


> My first cutting is all done. Put up 2300 small squares. Was a lot of work for me, dropping on wagons. Lucked out and sold 2 decent loads to 2 different NC boys. One took 300 and another too 600 bales off wagons, both called back and want more when I got it. All went well with the new 35 ac of free lease ground I picked up. Now time to think about spraying some of them, also got to talk land owner into letting me spray, had a ton of milk weed in the one big field.


Can't believe you got it dry!!!
I can't get most of my hay dry enough to sell as horse hay. No way, no how.


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## LeadFarmer

I hope I did this right. I added a few pics to this post.

First is some hay in my hand, insane leaf retention. The leaves are fully intact, beautiful stuff.

Second and third are pics of a couple different ranches while cutting.

Fourth is a close up of a bale in the stack. The color is that pic is messed up, but the leaves are still clearly visible. I cut that bale open to grab the handful that is shown in the first pic.


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## Teslan

LeadFarmer said:


> HayInHand.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Diller.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Ponderosa.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> InStack.jpg
> 
> I hope I did this right. I added a few pics to this post.
> 
> First is some hay in my hand, insane leaf retention. The leaves are fully intact, beautiful stuff.
> 
> Second and third are pics of a couple different ranches while cutting.
> 
> Fourth is a close up of a bale in the stack. The color is that pic is messed up, but the leaves are still clearly visible. I cut that bale open to grab the handful that is shown in the first pic.


closeups of hay in the bale never looks very good. Nice thick stand on those cut field pics. Are those irrigated with pivot, flood, sub irrigation? I would imagine not pivot as the windrows are nice and straight.


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## LeadFarmer

Teslan said:


> closeups of hay in the bale never looks very good. Nice thick stand on those cut field pics. Are those irrigated with pivot, flood, sub irrigation? I would imagine not pivot as the windrows are nice and straight.


The cut field pics are some second year hay, it's actually some of my lighter ground. But yes, definitely have a great stand there. Have been on a new fertilizer program for about 2 years and the results have been extremely, overwhelmingly impressive. Last month's cutting was well over 2 TPA. In my "big" fields, 1/4 mile runs, I was making 3 bales per windrow.

We are entirely flood irrigated. The majority (95%) of our water comes from the local water district, and I've got one small ranch that is flood irrigated with a pump.

Windrows are so straight because of GPS on swathers, I'm not quite that skilled!


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## Teslan

LeadFarmer said:


> The cut field pics are some second year hay, it's actually some of my lighter ground. But yes, definitely have a great stand there. Have been on a new fertilizer program for about 2 years and the results have been extremely, overwhelmingly impressive. Last month's cutting was well over 2 TPA. In my "big" fields, 1/4 mile runs, I was making 3 bales per windrow.
> 
> We are entirely flood irrigated. The majority (95%) of our water comes from the local water district, and I've got one small ranch that is flood irrigated with a pump.
> 
> Windrows are so straight because of GPS on swathers, I'm not quite that skilled!


Do you use any automated flood irrigation systems? Or just ditches with checks, tubes or gated pipe and a guy going out there to change the water periodically? I'm looking for a way to do more automation with one of my flood irrigated fields that can't take a pivot or other of that type of irrigation system. However I like to keep pump size down not to go over a certain demand charge with regard to electricity.

I wasn't really noticing how exactly straight your windrows were, but was noticing they were not curved as they would be if cutting a pivot irrigated field following the track. But those were sure straight thanks to the GPS.


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## LeadFarmer

Teslan said:


> Do you use any automated flood irrigation systems? Or just ditches with checks, tubes or gated pipe and a guy going out there to change the water periodically? I'm looking for a way to do more automation with one of my flood irrigated fields that can't take a pivot or other of that type of irrigation system. However I like to keep pump size down not to go over a certain demand charge with regard to electricity.
> 
> I wasn't really noticing how exactly straight your windrows were, but was noticing they were not curved as they would be if cutting a pivot irrigated field following the track. But those were sure straight thanks to the GPS.


No automation, ditches with check gates, and a guy checking on them. We had some guys around many moons ago trying to develop some sort of automated system to work in this area, they came, looked around and never came back. We took a look into a remote, automated device about a year ago, but have come to the conclusion that it's just better to have a man around. Our heads of water tend to fluctuate quite a bit, based on who the ditch rider (water district employee) on duty is, and on certain ranches, based on ditch capacity. Shoot, on one ranch in particular we have to keep a guy there the entire time, he absolutely cannot leave. Our neighbor likes to steal our water if he is also running at the same time. Instead of us having a 20 ft. head of water we will end up with 12, and he will have 25 feet and be about to wash the damn ditch out. But our concern with the automation is that we would have to figure out a way to install a gauge/meter that would be able to compensate for potential fluctuations in water volume. It's also just much simpler/easier to manage fertilizer if a guy is already out there checking the water.

We have to be very careful, especially during the summer months, to not over water our fields the first water after being cut. With our extreme temperatures it is way too easy to scald a field of alfalfa.


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## Teslan

LeadFarmer said:


> We have to be very careful, especially during the summer months, to not over water our fields the first water after being cut. With our extreme temperatures it is way too easy to scald a field of alfalfa.


When we flooded alfalfa ground (we have all alfalfa under pivot now) we used to wait until Alfalfa had a bit of growth before flooding also. Grass hay is flooded right after baling. I do believe flood irrigation is way better for irrigating hay then pivot, but we really have a variable water supply so we have lots of ponds, pumps, and pivots.


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## haybaler101

We are using flood irrigation also,just can't shut ours off! 2.2" in 30 minutes today. 0.6" last nite, 0.9" last Saturday. All on less than 20% chances.


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## Will 400m

haybaler101 said:


> We are using flood irrigation also,just can't shut ours off! 2.2" in 30 minutes today. 0.6" last nite, 0.9" last Saturday. All on less than 20% chances.


Thats a good one I never thought about it but I guess we flood irigate here too this year lol


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## rjmoses

We're using flood irrigation hereabouts also. Mississippi river just dropped below flood stage this week in ten weeks, but it's expected to come back up by July 3rd.

Ooohhh! That's not what you meant by "flood irrigation", is it?

Ralph


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## Colby

Starting second cut in the morning for squares. Well more like cleaning it off so it don't burn up....


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## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> We are using flood irrigation also,just can't shut ours off! 2.2" in 30 minutes today. 0.6" last nite, 0.9" last Saturday. All on less than 20% chances.


Same here, got 2 1/4 this AM, south of us just a few miles got WAY more. WEnt to the next town over in the next county for a dentist appointment this AM, seen several fields with round bales in em yet and those were sitting in two foot of water.


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## rjmoses

Here we are at the end of June and I haven't finished my first cutting *YET*! I have 20 ac. of OG left to go and it's really heavy, so I'm figuring 3 days drying time. Rain called for every 3rd day.

I'm really enjoying saving diesel fuel, but this is getting a touch out of hand!.

Ralph


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## Teslan

Here my cousin will have to wait until tomorrow to be able to bale his 1st cutting alfalfa. That will be the 3rd day of waiting for enough dew to bale it correctly. Well maybe more if there isn't any dew tomorrow either.


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## rjbaustian

Hay season? Have to get through monsoon season first!


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## DSLinc1017

More flood watches tonight for our area. Then at least 50% rain forecast daily every day for the rest of the week. I need to figure out how to harvest bale and sell rain.


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## hog987

DSLinc1017 said:


> More flood watches tonight for our area. Then at least 50% rain forecast daily every day for the rest of the week. I need to figure out how to harvest bale and sell rain.


Not much market for baled rain this year. Everyone seems to be getting enough free of charge. Now if you had a good storage place you could sell it in years ahead. Heard baled rain will last for years in storage. But good luck with your venture.


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## JD3430

I got a short window this afternoon and just made my 300th round bale. Rain hit at 4pm and poured buckets of rain. Never saw rain like this in June. 
I have about 50 more round bales to get up off my fields, then I'm heading to southern Utah for some rest. 
I'm really relieved to be so close to being done. Hope I can finish by Sunday. Should have 350 4x5's. 
when I get back I have 2 more low prority fields that will get me another 150 bales, then I can say my first cutting is really done.
Everyone out here is struggling to get hay snorkeled up and put away.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

JD3430 said:


> JD3430, on 26 Jun 2013 - 07:44 AM, said:
> Can't believe you got it dry!!!
> I can't get most of my hay dry enough to sell as horse hay. No way, no how.


I put up some of my driest hay ever last week. We had no rain all week until this past Tuesday. Sold 900 bales to NC boys. Had decent amount of milkweed but majority was O grass and timothy. I was pleased with the out come was a lot of work putting up all those bales with my smaller equipment but very rewarding. Almost got enough to put up my equipment/hay building. After paying all my labor stacking and unloading, and loading the semi's up I still have some left lol. We just got 5" of rain today in a matter of an hour, very bad localized small stream flooding. I needed rain my 2nd cut O grass was starting to brown on tips and aint high enough to cut yet.


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## JD3430

We get rain EVERY DAY here. 
I made dry hay 1st week of June and battled daily rain since then. 
Made the equivalent of 6000 small squares (300 + round bales)


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## Fossil02818

Finished our first cut last saturday. Probably lost about 20% of combined harvest over the last month to rain, so much more mulch hay than I expected. However, now that first cutting is complete I can watch it rain everyday and not stress over it. I'm content to watch it rain and know that my second cut is off to a good start. Around here Its always a gamble to cut early in the season but I've found that its better to jump at the first good window and not to assume there will be another opportunity next week. The hay season is short enough without sacrificing 2-3 weeks as we are doing now.


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## SVFHAY

Hey JD, where at in southern Utah? I can't wait to get back. Excellent destination for a disgruntled eastern hay producer to hit in the middle of this monsoon of a june. Very envious.


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## JD3430

Zion, Springdale. Lots of hiking and rope swings into pools of cold spring water. Then down to bottom of Grand Canyon. 
Love pulling over to watch how hay is made out there, too.


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## hillside hay

I felt the same way first time I saw them makehay in Arizona JD


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## FarmerCline

JD3430 said:


> Zion, Springdale. Lots of hiking and rope swings into pools of cold spring water. Then down to bottom of Grand Canyon.
> Love pulling over to watch how hay is made out there, too.


 I thought you were going to go get some rest, sounds like you will get a good workout on the way up out of the canyon. I like to go hiking too, two summers ago me and my dad went to the Tetons and Yellowstone hiking. It was a great trip except for the constant nose bleeds I was getting from the low humidity as I am used to a near constant high humidity here in the south. Now if I could just have some of that low humidity when it's time to put up hay.


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## SVFHAY

North rim access? Never been there, has been from south as I've gone in cold non hayin' months. Last time we hiked to The Wave, off rt 89 south of Kanab. Permit only hike from BLM on unmarked trail. Carried 6 yr old most of the way. That was in March, snow here and there at 5000 ft. Probably not a summer hike. Have a great time, no less than 50% chance of rain here for 6 days.


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## MikeRF

There is still larger scale commercial hay producers in Ontario that have not started 1st cut!! I am one of the luckier ones with 100 acres to my credit with another 260 to go but no windows in the 14 day forecast. Rapidly turning into another nightmare as lodged crops are beginning to rot from the bottom up. Bring back the drought!!!


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## slowzuki

Same problem here. 14 day forecast shows 12 days of rain. Only the sileage/baleage guys have put up any significant acres but they can't even run right now.


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## steverutherf

New to Haytalk, so my first post on where we are on hay production. WAY behind in Southwest VA and the weather is not looking any better. We have harvested about 60 acres with 100 still to go on the first cut. It has rained almost daily. Yield has been average so far, however I look for the last 100 ac to be much lower.

Steve


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## somedevildawg

steverutherf said:


> New to Haytalk, so my first post on where we are on hay production. WAY behind in Southwest VA and the weather is not looking any better. We have harvested about 60 acres with 100 still to go on the first cut. It has rained almost daily. Yield has been average so far, however I look for the last 100 ac to be much lower.
> 
> Steve


Welcome to haytalk steve, what kinda forage and hay y'all growing in VA


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## haybaler101

DONE! With first cutting that is. Started mowing a week ago Monday on dreadfully wrong forecast and what was supposed to be done by last Saturday, finished today. Baled 150 6x5's of ditch fill today. Baled thru standing water, ran FWA the whole time. Hay was dried out but pickup was getting wet from ground. What started as a nice run thru 250 acres of hay and straw last week with a supposed great forecast ends a week later with: one broken baler belt, one smoked slip clutch on H7450 mower, one new 4 star Tedder, 180 bales 2nd cut alfalfa in 3x3's trying to dry out in single layers in the barns, 95 3x3's of hot, wet straw still in field and then the crap I baled today. Nothing left to do but drink now!


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## JD3430

haybaler101 said:


> DONE! With first cutting that is. Started mowing a week ago Monday on dreadfully wrong forecast and what was supposed to be done by last Saturday, finished today. Baled 150 6x5's of ditch fill today. Baled thru standing water, ran FWA the whole time. Hay was dried out but pickup was getting wet from ground. What started as a nice run thru 250 acres of hay and straw last week with a supposed great forecast ends a week later with: one broken baler belt, one smoked slip clutch on H7450 mower, one new 4 star Tedder, 180 bales 2nd cut alfalfa in 3x3's trying to dry out in single layers in the barns, 95 3x3's of hot, wet straw still in field and then the crap I baled today. Nothing left to do but drink now!


I'm in similar situation. Have some hot tamales to deal with.


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## countryboy88

Had one of the neighbors that was cutting else were on the property cut my 2 acres while he was cutting. Very over ripe and steamy hay. Made 20 or 22 bales out of that field with a NH 980 big square baler. After that he baled about 10 or so more bales in a maintained hay field of about the same size not even 200 Ft from mine, and neither have had fertilizer on them in a number of years only thing different was I sprayed for weeds last year. There are still some fields that have first cutting standing in them. It seems like its raining everyday and 25 of the next 27 days are calling for some sort of rain if you can trust a forecast that far in advanced.


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## steverutherf

Somedevildawg, We hay mostly orchard,timothy, some mixture of the two plus fescue.


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## blueridgehay

steverutherf said:


> Somedevildawg, We hay mostly orchard,timothy, some mixture of the two plus fescue.


Sounds like we neighbors. Exactly where you at? I'm only 5 miles from Mouth of Wilson, Va and 'round 35 from Galax.


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## R Ball

You boys live in a beautiful area .


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## sethd11

Half done!! The weather pattern over by me is 2 days sun and clouds, then 3 days of rain. Orchard heads are starting to then brown. Have about 70 acres to go and try to get done with a good forecast. Starting to wish I had a round baler so I could cut it all in one day. 15-20 acres is about all I can small square in one day without killing my labor and my self. 
Yields have been good though and sales in unbelievable. I cant hardly deliver enough hay. Anybody else in my area having that trouble??

Also just found out that two hay producers in my area died. One older gentleman and one 40 yr old. Very sad situations. I am definitely going to be out of hay by October. I hope everyones sales are this good!!


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## slowzuki

Oh boy, looking at the forecast there are 4 days without rain forecast! I'd better get the discbine buttoned back up, there will be some big days in there.


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## hillside hay

We are looking to be a go after 7/5-7/14 so I gotta hammer it out. Then the fertilizing and overseeding and rolling begins.


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## mlappin

/sigh. Raked 17 acres today that's been rained on for a week tomorrow. Got the first 7 acres baled that acts as a buffer strip around the drainage ditch. Was actually really good far as moisture, underside even had a little green left. Moisture ran from 17-19% wettest was 23%, set it off to the side to grind first.

Headed down the road a mile and a quarter to bale the other ten acres. Got the first bale made at 17%, started on the second and the rain started, by time I dumped the third bale and called it quits I had water standing to drive thru to get out. Drove home in it with traffic coming the other way at 30mph. In the time it took to make two bales and drive home 1 1/4 miles, we got 3/4" and have already got another 1/2" on top of that in the last 30 minutes.

I'm buying a lottery ticket tonight, I win and the hay acres will be drastically cut to just enough to feed 75 beef cows.


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## JD3430

Whoops


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## JD3430

We actually had a weird thing happen today. This large, orange ball appeared in the sky and it made the hay dry. It also made my skin feel warm.......really weird.

Anyways....I got up this morning and shipped out 10 tons of my best stuff to a new customer, then I removed 50 fireballs off a property near a house and took them to a field with no homes too close by and put them in single file not touching. Then a raked up 10 acres of smelly limp linguine. Nastiest stuff I ever baled. Even my silage special baler hated it. 
That was done at 8:30 pm. I am now about 96% done my first cutting. If weather is nice tomorrow, I will be baling up the flood plain that I had 2' of water in yesterday. My hay floated very artistically on top of the flood water. Don't you think?


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## mlappin

Still raining, might get another 2 1/4 - 2 1/2 out of this before it's done.


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## DSLinc1017

Rain for the month of July. Sure hope to come back to this tread and eat my words, but the long term told me to " go soak"


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## Dill

My long range is showing the samething. Maybe a brief window of only 10% chance of thunderstorms this weekend.But then rain for the whole month. I never remember seeing that much rain in july.
I was up in Lincoln VT yesterday picking up a cow. And just missed a severe thunderstorm in Williston. The ditches were flowing full white water and I saw a couple driveways washing out as I drove by.


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## DSLinc1017

Last week we had flooding at my business in Hinesburg. The fields are saturated, even if we did have a week of dry sun, I'm not sure I could get a tractor out there in the fields, let alone a large square baler that we have a local come do for us. At the beginning of the month I thought I was pushing it baling a few 10 ac plots. Still have some pallets of hay in the barn that are questionable, just waiting for them to sweat it out. On Saturday I went down to a lower field where I got stuck baling last month. The whole field was so saturated it was a lake.


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## dirtball08

Just starting 1st cut. Opened up 2 quarters and cut, reconned 1/2 of 1. Hay crop looks awesome this yr. Both quarters are under irrigation but didn't have to run either of them. So far this yr, we've had just over 10" of rain. Our norm is about 4-5" all summer. Got 1/2" last night, so I'll finish cutting tomorrow.


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## Bob M

Other than silage for the cows we have not made a good quality bale of hay yet. Made some "ok" hay but not fancy.Last year most of our barns were almost full.


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## mlappin

Was just in the other county, my second cut there should have been mowed a week ago. Full bloom and going towards flatter than a pancake. Still have 1 st cutting near the home farm that looks to be like it's gonna get washed again all this week. Then have ten acres standing of first cut yet.


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## Teslan

1st cutting hay all sold out. That's about 700 3x3x8 bales of grass and alfalfa bales. Starting on 1st cutting Teff and 2nd cutting other hay in a week or so.


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## OhioHay

That is great Teslan. What is your market...horses, cows?. Here we are alittle over half done with first cutting. 200 acres to go. haven't baled in a week and that was the first stretch of the season. 9 out of the next 10 days have atleast a 30 percent chance of rain. Just caught another half of an inch. The timothy is holding on still, but orchard is starting to get ugly. Reminds me of 2004 when we didn't finish first until mid august. I am thankful for what the good Lord has let us make and pray for everybody that is still trying to get first made.


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## Teslan

OhioHay said:


> That is great Teslan. What is your market...horses, cows?. Here we are alittle over half done with first cutting. 200 acres to go. haven't baled in a week and that was the first stretch of the season. 9 out of the next 10 days have atleast a 30 percent chance of rain. Just caught another half of an inch. The timothy is holding on still, but orchard is starting to get ugly. Reminds me of 2004 when we didn't finish first until mid august. I am thankful for what the good Lord has let us make and pray for everybody that is still trying to get first made.


My market is mostly horses, but I had a couple of guys that bought about 200 bales of grass hay for their cows. 1st time I've sold that much grass hay for cows. And this was excellent quality hay also not "cow hay"


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## OhioHay

Teslan said:


> My market is mostly horses, but I had a couple of guys that bought about 200 bales of grass hay for their cows. 1st time I've sold that much grass hay for cows. And this was excellent quality hay also not "cow hay"


I wish I could get my horse market to switch over to big squares from small squares.


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## S10491112

Half way done but too much rain. Rain in the forcast all the way in to next week.


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## JD3430

Are we looking at a hay shortage this winter die to the inability to make hay this summer in a lot of the country? 
Wonder if I should be storing more hay and not selling so much right now?


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## Teslan

OhioHay said:


> I wish I could get my horse market to switch over to big squares from small squares.


It's been easier then I thought. I guess many horse owners own at least a small tractor with a loader. More and more people are finding out the 3x3x8 bales are less work then small bales. I had some small bale customers that kind of disappeared about 3-4 years ago. I thought either I made them mad or they sold their animals. Turns out they just decided to buy the large squares as they are getting on in years and could't lift the small ones. So when I first advertised the large squares last year the guy called and was so happy I was doing the bigger bales. Plus he referred me to another guy that feeds 150 large squares a year.


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## Vol

Teslan said:


> It's been easier then I thought. I guess many horse owners own at least a small tractor with a loader. More and more people are finding out the 3x3x8 bales are less work then small bales. I had some small bale customers that kind of disappeared about 3-4 years ago. I thought either I made them mad or they sold their animals. Turns out they just decided to buy the large squares as they are getting on in years and could't lift the small ones. So when I first advertised the large squares last year the guy called and was so happy I was doing the bigger bales. Plus he referred me to another guy that feeds 150 large squares a year.


Teslan, is your price per ton about the same as small squares with the 3x3's or is it somewhat less?

Regards, Mike


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## S10491112

I've been thinking about large square bales but if the market is like the round bale market (everyone wants it discounted because it less work for the farmer) I'll just stay small square. your expenses don't get any less.


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## Teslan

Vol said:


> Teslan, is your price per ton about the same as small squares with the 3x3's or is it somewhat less?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Per ton it is slightly more or just about equal. For me anyways. I sell mostly per bale unless someone wants 100 bales or more. There are about 13-14 65lbs small bales in one 800 lbs large square. Small bales of good quality are selling for about $10/bale. So I've been charging $130/bale. I've done that for 2 years and it seems to be working just fine. I think people think they are getting more hay in a large 800lb bale. When really they aren't. But whenever I've broken one of the 800 lbs bales it sure seems like there is more then 13 small bales there. Hay buyers also realize here that the large bales are less work for them as well. I can load 10 bales in about 5 minutes onto a car trailer. It takes the average hay buyer about an hour will lots of sweating to load the equivilent 130 small bales. Then at home do it over again to unload and restack somewhere.


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## Vol

Teslan said:


> I can load 10 bales in about 5 minutes onto a car trailer. It takes the average hay buyer about an hour will lots of sweating to load the equivilent 130 small bales. Then at home do it over again to unload and restack somewhere.


Know what you are saying there.....folks like to buy small squares from me because I can grapple on 10 at a time for them and they can stand and watch....although they sweat when they get home. I have been pondering a 3x3....I just don't know whether or not I could make it work here with no dairies...just the equine market. Is it very much faster to bale say 10 acres with the 3x3 versus small squares...I know I would save alot of time gathering.

Regards, Mike


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## OhioHay

My market is mostly Amish property owners. We deliver everything and they don't have a tractor or skidloader. Thought that I could deliver and take a skid loader along or maybe even tandem axle straight truck with a piggy back loader like the lumber companies have. Still gonna be a challenge to convince them to switch, but sure would be nice baling faster, picking up faster, unloading faster, ect. We will have the same problem that Mike has, they will want to pay less.


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## Teslan

Vol said:


> Know what you are saying there.....folks like to buy small squares from me because I can grapple on 10 at a time for them and they can stand and watch....although they sweat when they get home. I have been pondering a 3x3....I just don't know whether or not I could make it work here with no dairies...just the equine market. Is it very much faster to bale say 10 acres with the 3x3 versus small squares...I know I would save alot of time gathering.
> 
> Regards, Mike


I have a hay fork that I could load 12 small bales at a time, but the buyer would still have to arrange them on the trailer, but I found that just used up my time to help them load with it. Yes you should be able to bale a 10 acre field much faster. We have one 7 acre field and I baled it 1st cutting in about 50 minutes maybe? But then I was off and on the tractor getting the bale length right since I had come from an alfalfa field before the grass. I can do two windrows put together where as 1st cutting I could never do that with my NH 5080 small bales. As for getting the bales out of the field I found loading the bales on a 25 foot gooseneck then stacking in the barn took about as long as using my NH stackwagon to stack the same field in small bales. But that got speeded up big time this year since I got the Milstack attachment.


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## Vol

Are you satisfied with your Massey baler Teslan?

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin

S10491112 said:


> I've been thinking about large square bales but if the market is like the round bale market (everyone wants it discounted because it less work for the farmer) I'll just stay small square. your expenses don't get any less.


Here there isn't really a discount for making rounds, usually the price mirrors what large squares sell for. A lot of years good hay is good hay regardless of the bale shape or size.


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## Teslan

Vol said:


> Are you satisfied with your Massey baler Teslan?
> 
> Regards, Mike


Massey 2150 Baler yes, Massey accumulator on the back no. Out of 400 grass bales the accumulator somehow broke 35 (all 4 strings at the same time). Out of 400 alfalfa bales the accumulator broke 0. Sick of it and don't need it anymore. I'm having it taken off and sold and replacing with a roller chute that has a scale.


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## haybaler101

Teslan said:


> I have a hay fork that I could load 12 small bales at a time, but the buyer would still have to arrange them on the trailer, but I found that just used up my time to help them load with it. Yes you should be able to bale a 10 acre field much faster. We have one 7 acre field and I baled it 1st cutting in about 50 minutes maybe? But then I was off and on the tractor getting the bale length right since I had come from an alfalfa field before the grass. I can do two windrows put together where as 1st cutting I could never do that with my NH 5080 small bales. As for getting the bales out of the field I found loading the bales on a 25 foot gooseneck then stacking in the barn took about as long as using my NH stackwagon to stack the same field in small bales. But that got speeded up big time this year since I got the Milstack attachment.


Usually bale 15 to 18 acres an hour with my bb940a, that is normal 1st cut and all other cuttings. We can load out of the field faster than we can bale. 3 bales at a time on the loader, 60 on the semi, 24 on gooseneck.


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## haybaler101

OhioHay said:


> My market is mostly Amish property owners. We deliver everything and they don't have a tractor or skidloader. Thought that I could deliver and take a skid loader along or maybe even tandem axle straight truck with a piggy back loader like the lumber companies have. Still gonna be a challenge to convince them to switch, but sure would be nice baling faster, picking up faster, unloading faster, ect. We will have the same problem that Mike has, they will want to pay less.


My Amish guys love 3x3's, but then they all have at least one skiddy or loader tractor.


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## Teslan

haybaler101 said:


> Usually bale 15 to 18 acres an hour with my bb940a, that is normal 1st cut and all other cuttings. We can load out of the field faster than we can bale. 3 bales at a time on the loader, 60 on the semi, 24 on gooseneck.


I suppose I could stack faster then I could bale now. But there is only one of me to run the stacker and the baler so I guess I won't know for awhile. I can stack about 56 bales an hour if my barn or place to unload is only 1/4 mile to 1/2 mile or less from the field. I stacked 128 bales the other day in about 2 hours (maybe would have been less, but I had to stop twice to sell hay). But the unloading stack was in the corner of the field I was stacking in. I think hay customers that have a skiddy or loader tractor love the 3x3s. Those that don't have a way of handling them hate them because more and more guys are stopping doing small bales.


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## DSLinc1017

We try to get most of our hay done by a local large dairy who comes along to a bunch of us smaller farms with his 3x3. We cut, Ted rake and in about an hour 15 ac is baled. Spear it on to GN and hay wagons and or stack it and cover it in the field till the weather clears or there is time to get it in the barn. We have our small square baler to sell to the horse / alpaca markets as well to get the hay in like this year where a large baler can't get into the fields. After throwing 500 to 1000 bales in a day, you start to appreciate large bales. It sure is nice getting hay in and never having to touch it.

On a side note, a pluss is being able to rake several if not four wind rows together for a large 3x3. The down side is moisture, Even with acid, they can heat up quick and go bad if your not carefull.


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## rjmoses

Finally, finally, finally was able to complete my first cutting. Baled my last OG field yesterday. Seed had all dropped. Yield a little over 2 tons/ac. I'll get a sample weighed next week. 77 66"x5' round bales wrapped tight.

According to my calendar, I should be starting my second OG cutting next week. But I think I'll let it grow a little more. After all, what does my calendar know?

Ralph


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## Hayman1

Now this thread is an excellent example of "If you can't do anything about it, talk about it". I am not sure that I have ever seen such a wide spread area of frustrated haymakers due to too much rain. We also had a late and lighter that normal season due to little rain in late winter early spring and unusually cold days late. Our yields were off about 20% across the board from normal.

I have finished first cutting with about 120 rolls and 4K small squares and am ready to do second cutting on teff but waiting on decent weather. Most of the folks around here are a long way from being finished with first cutting and there is a great deal of standing mulch waiting to be rolled. So much for the horse hay business.


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## hayray

About 1/3 done with first cut. still about 200 acres left to do on first. This year reminds me of some of the years during the 90s'. In my area the last several summers have been more dry and low humidity and pretty dry.


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## DSLinc1017

One nice thing about all the rain..... I'm able to spend a lot of time taking care of all the maintenance of the equipment.


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## swmnhay

mlappin said:


> Here there isn't really a discount for making rounds, usually the price mirrors what large squares sell for. A lot of years good hay is good hay regardless of the bale shape or size.


Same here.Not much price difference usually if sold by ton.If sold by the bale at auction some can't figure the bale weights out and will pay way to much for a small rd bale.

I've seen sm sqrs sell for less if to big of a load.


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## JD3430

Never thought about the concept of making smaller round bales and selling to people who insist on buying by the bale instead of the ton. I do have a lot of uneducated types who buy by the bale, not realizing the might be buying a 58" bale instead of a 60" bale. 
A farmer up the street sells 4x4 round bales loaded with weeds for $70 over the winter and I struggle to get $70 for my 4x5's that weight 50% more with little to no weeds. Maybe I just oughta sell the smaller bales or maybe offer both sizes for all the geniuses out there who want to pay more for a smaller bale...... Lol


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## Teslan

JD3430 said:


> Never thought about the concept of making smaller round bales and selling to people who insist on buying by the bale instead of the ton. I do have a lot of uneducated types who buy by the bale, not realizing the might be buying a 58" bale instead of a 60" bale.
> A farmer up the street sells 4x4 round bales loaded with weeds for $70 over the winter and I struggle to get $70 for my 4x5's that weight 50% more with little to no weeds. Maybe I just oughta sell the smaller bales or maybe offer both sizes for all the geniuses out there who want to pay more for a smaller bale...... Lol


Could it be that the guy is selling his bales to people that don't have the equipment to handle the heavier bales? Thus pay more to be able to handle the smaller rounds? In this area the 3x3x8 square bales sell for a higher price then the 4x4x8 bales as a little 30 hp tractor can lift and push around an 800 lb. bale, but have no chance of budging a 1800 lb 4x4x8 square bale. Case in point. My cousin had some of his 1st cutting alfalfa baled in 4x4x8 bales. He says no one is really calling about them. I baled 128 bales of 3x3x8 bales for him a week ago and he is mostly sold out. Plus he's getting more for them per pound then the larger ones.


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## rjmoses

JD3430 said:


> Never thought about the concept of making smaller round bales and selling to people who insist on buying by the bale instead of the ton. I do have a lot of uneducated types who buy by the bale, not realizing the might be buying a 58" bale instead of a 60" bale.
> A farmer up the street sells 4x4 round bales loaded with weeds for $70 over the winter and I struggle to get $70 for my 4x5's that weight 50% more with little to no weeds. Maybe I just oughta sell the smaller bales or maybe offer both sizes for all the geniuses out there who want to pay more for a smaller bale...... Lol


Educate your customer. That's what advertising is supposed to do (in principle). Why is it better to buy from you? What are the comparisons?

I can sell you by the bale or by the ton. The price (per ton) is the same. E.g., $50 for an 800 lb bale or $125 per ton -- same thing.

Ralph


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## Dill

Finally rolled the square baler out of the barn for the first time this weekend. Made 1000 in 2 days for one of my father's big horse accounts. He made about the same. Also baled 400 in a quick custom job for another local guy whose baler broke down 5 bales in. I'm worried about that hay, it felt wet and the average was 16.5%. He said keep baling so I guess it wasn't my problem. Got everything done before the thunderstorms rolled in. But now this upcoming week looks pretty lousy.


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## slowzuki

Finally rolled today and yesterday on first cut. Yesterday was frustrating, was busy with previous commitment away and had to answer the questions as they came in from my sister and neighbour as they did my raking and baling. All in all they brought in about 300 bales on their own. I baled the 450 that were left today.

New to me rotary rake working really well, what an improvement. They didn't understand how to get it going Sat and spend 3 x the time per bale raking with the old rake.

Had a delivery of 300 bales we loaded out of the barn with last years hay sun morning and sent out with my father and sister. By 10 am it was 30 C and humid, us sweating our guts out getting it loaded.


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## JD3430

Teslan said:


> Could it be that the guy is selling his bales to people that don't have the equipment to handle the heavier bales? Thus pay more to be able to handle the smaller rounds? In this area the 3x3x8 square bales sell for a higher price then the 4x4x8 bales as a little 30 hp tractor can lift and push around an 800 lb. bale, but have no chance of budging a 1800 lb 4x4x8 square bale. Case in point. My cousin had some of his 1st cutting alfalfa baled in 4x4x8 bales. He says no one is really calling about them. I baled 128 bales of 3x3x8 bales for him a week ago and he is mostly sold out. Plus he's getting more for them per pound then the larger ones.


I think when I do my patches of nice stuff, I'm going to roll some easy to handle 4x4's for folks with small tractors, but continue to roll 4x5's, too. Guess it can't hurt.


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## R Ball

JD all my rounds are rolled at 4x4. They all can handle them better and some can get more inside.
My hay season was going great until the rain started. Now at least 2 weeks behind on second cut and it looks like we are going to be at least 3 weeks behind based on the forcast. Never remember it being so wet here in July. 
I knew 1st cutting went to smooth and if it was that easy everyone would be doing it.


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## T&LSkaarfarms

Finally got all of first crop done on 7/6. A little later than normal but with all the rain in June I feel like I clipped along pretty good. Averaged 2.5 tons/acre on mixed grasses. Not bad at all for around here. Prices are up and seem like they will remain up for the year. Fertilizer is being spread for second crop by the coop as I type. Bring on the nice weather with an occasional rain for the rest of the summer!

Good luck everyone.

Tom


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## Teslan

Started on 2nd cutting today. I cut our 2nd cutting Alfalfa. 2nd cutting grass hay to start next week maybe.


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## Josh in WNY

DSLinc1017 said:


> One nice thing about all the rain..... I'm able to spend a lot of time taking care of all the maintenance of the equipment.


My dad and I were joking about this over the weekend. I get the week of July 4th off from work as a "shutdown" week and usually use it to work with my dad and finish off the 1st cutting. We spent all of last week crawling over the baler, tractors, rakes and the bale wagon. The equipment is in better shape than it has been in years! The weather looks like it's going to break this Thursday, so we'll probably be baling like crazy to try and get as much done before my dad has to head back to his job in FL next Tuesday. The timothy is all headed out and way past when it should have been baled, but at least I've been blessed with customers that understand that years like this happen and will still be happy to have their hay. I'm just worried that it's getting so late that I won't have much of a second cutting for them.


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## haybaler101

2nd cut alfalfa all mowed and first 16 acres of 3rd is down.


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## Colby

No hay cutting here.... Bout to hook up the water.


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## somedevildawg

Dang it Colby, y'all really are dry there...hopefully some moves your way...


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## JD3430

Just baled something that looked like rotted linguine out of flood plain ditches. Last bale was sopping wet.

*BUT AT LEAST I'M DONE MY FIRST CUTTING!!!!!!!!!!!!*

.....well, sort of. I have 2 more fields to cut, but theyre 1x yr conservancy land. Not real worried about them.


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## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> 2nd cut alfalfa all mowed and first 16 acres of 3rd is down.


Mowed my first 25 acres of 2nd cutting today, another 10 acres of first cutting for somebody else and my last 10 acres of first cutting.

Still a lot of 1st cutting out there yet. Has been horribly wet up here. Beans don't look like they've grown at all in the last two weeks from all the clouds, corn looks like hell on the heavy ground unless it's right over a drain tile. Only corn that looks good is on the blow sand.


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## Chessiedog

One word on hay . BEHIND !


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## OhioHay

Starting to get frustrated. Only half done with first. Haven't turned a wheel in 2 and a half weeks. Finally had 3 dry days forecasted..thurs - sat. Checked the fields yesterday and couldn't walk on them in the driest spots without water bubbling up under your shoe. 5" of rain in the previous 3 days. Over 9" in the past 2 weeks. Wheat is sprouting. Some beans flooded. Some hay flooded. Some corn awful yellow. It has been a long summer. With that said, praise God for what we have been able to get done!!


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## SVFHAY

Same thing here. 150 acres to go. Worst year in a while. I have an order for a trailer load of mulch hay and I can't get enough dry to fill that which will be a break even deal at best. Today's rain chance went from 20 to 60% and in 12 hours and the porch is wet already. Had to pull the sp mower out of the mud yesterday. Lots of weeds starting to come on in the drowned crop. I don't know where the premium first cut will come from this year, seems to be a large area of the east effected. Maybe the late cuttings will come in good. Maybe time for career change.


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## Troy Farmer

First cutting done on all but one farm (80 acres). Fertilized about 40 acres after 1st cutting and about the time for the second cut the rain started and has continued. I will not complain though. We have been really dry here for about 10 years and it's good to see the rain. Our normal annual rainfall is about 46". So far this year we've had about 35" with a third or more of that in the past three weeks.


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## Teslan

Troy Farmer said:


> First cutting done on all but one farm (80 acres). Fertilized about 40 acres after 1st cutting and about the time for the second cut the rain started and has continued. I will not complain though. We have been really dry here for about 10 years and it's good to see the rain. Our normal annual rainfall is about 46". So far this year we've had about 35" with a third or more of that in the past three weeks.


46 inches inches average! That always amazes me how much rain some of you folks average a year in your areas. We only average 14.4 inches of moisture a year. We haven't had more then just light sprinkles on our farm since the 1st of June and that was only a 1/2 inch. Though a mile away got an inch last week. Denver got poured on last night, which is great for us as that water from all the pavement get's to the river which then gets to our farm in the form of irrigation water.


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## Fowllife

OhioHay said:


> Starting to get frustrated. Only half done with first. Haven't turned a wheel in 2 and a half weeks. Finally had 3 dry days forecasted..thurs - sat. Checked the fields yesterday and couldn't walk on them in the driest spots without water bubbling up under your shoe. 5" of rain in the previous 3 days. Over 9" in the past 2 weeks. Wheat is sprouting. Some beans flooded. Some hay flooded. Some corn awful yellow. It has been a long summer. With that said, praise God for what we have been able to get done!!


I'm with you on that. Yesterday was the first day in 18 days we didn't get some rain. I don't even want to know what our year to date rainfall total is. Totals for the last 10 days in my area range from 8-14".

How did you guys fair with the storms Weds? My area got hit pretty hard, thankfully the worst missed our farms though.


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## Fowllife

Teslan said:


> 46 inches inches average! That always amazes me how much rain some of you folks average a year in your areas. We only average 14.4 inches of moisture a year. We haven't had more then just light sprinkles on our farm since the 1st of June and that was only a 1/2 inch. Though a mile away got an inch last week. Denver got poured on last night, which is great for us as that water from all the pavement get's to the river which then gets to our farm in the form of irrigation water.


Its a plus/minus thing.

Dry area - fight with irrigation, but cut when you want to & easy to dry down.

Wet area - fight to find 3-4 day window to cut hay, fight to get it dried with high humidity, fight to get tractor out of mud hole in wet field........wait, that last one isn't supposed to be there.....

I think our average is in the 36-40" range.


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## OhioHay

Fowllife said:


> I'm with you on that. Yesterday was the first day in 18 days we didn't get some rain. I don't even want to know what our year to date rainfall total is. Totals for the last 10 days in my area range from 8-14".
> 
> How did you guys fair with the storms Weds? My area got hit pretty hard, thankfully the worst missed our farms though.


Overall, compared to some of the neighbors, we faired ok. GOt some corn blown down. Just streaks and not whole fields as some have. Did get 30 acres new seeding flash flooded and 15 acres of 1st flash flooded. Also had about 5 acres of beans under water. Saw some guys cut yesterday. Mostly amish, though even some of them were leaving ruts with the haybine!


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## JD3430

Just got a full inch + of rain this morning here in east PA. Just horrible ground conditions.

i'm not too stressed because I'm at a decent stopping point. Next proerty owners are patient, dontcare when it gets cut really.

I just hope august will be drier. Normally august is a muggy, humid rainy month here!!


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## slowzuki

We had 5 days of sun forecast so I started mowing this morning, that much sun is unheard of here. Was so excited to get going broke the parking stand off the mower.

Cut two 5 acres fields and few smaller ones, about 1300 bales worth and was cutting the backswath to get on to my 10 acre field in back. Of course hit a tree that was down and bent a blade which proceeded to attempt to chop a hole in my cutter bar exactly where I just built it back up a week ago from the same thing. If cut through the skid shoe and is about 1/4" into the bar. Heading out now to patch her up.


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## mlappin

Teslan said:


> 46 inches inches average! That always amazes me how much rain some of you folks average a year in your areas. We only average 14.4 inches of moisture a year. We haven't had more then just light sprinkles on our farm since the 1st of June and that was only a 1/2 inch. Though a mile away got an inch last week. Denver got poured on last night, which is great for us as that water from all the pavement get's to the river which then gets to our farm in the form of irrigation water.


Average here is like 39.6" or something like that.

The 39.6 is why a tedder is a must here.

Like what has been pointed out already, you have to pay for water to have anything to cut, but can cut at will.

Here we have to pay to get rid of water in the form of drainage tile or even drainage pumps on real low ground but all the tile in the world doesn't take the chance of rain out of the equation.

I can take you west of North Liberty and show you some premium muck ground that is on average 10-15 feet below the Kankakee river. When a dike blows out you can count on not planting that ground for at least a year.


----------



## Teslan

mlappin said:


> Average here is like 39.6" or something like that.
> 
> The 39.6 is why a tedder is a must here.
> 
> Like what has been pointed out already, you have to pay for water to have anything to cut, but can cut at will.
> 
> Here we have to pay to get rid of water in the form of drainage tile or even drainage pumps on real low ground but all the tile in the world doesn't take the chance of rain out of the equation.
> 
> I can take you west of North Liberty and show you some premium muck ground that is on average 10-15 feet below the Kankakee river. When a dike blows out you can count on not planting that ground for at least a year.


Our water isn't really that expensive. I don't mind irrigation that much. I would rather irrigate then have to ted, ted, and ted again. We do have drainage tile on our farm. It had kind of a high water table. It doesn't drain all that much anymore since most people don't flood irrigate. I guess in October I'll get to see what Indiana is like when I go out to my college roommates farm near South Bend and Elkhart. Then we are headed to Indianapolis for the Colts vs. Broncos.


----------



## slowzuki

45-54" average annual here. Same boat.



mlappin said:


> mlappin, on 12 Jul 2013 - 5:49 PM, said:
> Average here is like 39.6" or something like that.


----------



## somedevildawg

Teslan said:


> Our water isn't really that expensive. I don't mind irrigation that much. I would rather irrigate then have to ted, ted, and ted again. We do have drainage tile on our farm. It had kind of a high water table. It doesn't drain all that much anymore since most people don't flood irrigate. I guess in October I'll get to see what Indiana is like when I go out to my college roommates farm near South Bend and Elkhart. Then we are headed to Indianapolis for the Colts vs. Broncos.


Ya know I used to like the broncos....John elway makes my stomach turn just to look at him.....he was cocky as a QB (most are it comes with the position) not nearly as good as he thought he was, and still cocky in the front office....think they should give him a job selling tickets at the gate, only front office job he should have IMHO.....hope Baltimore beats the brakes off em....ha, living in the past....Indianapolis doggone it


----------



## Teslan

somedevildawg said:


> Ya know I used to like the broncos....John elway makes my stomach turn just to look at him.....he was cocky as a QB (most are it comes with the position) not nearly as good as he thought he was, and still cocky in the front office....think they should give him a job selling tickets at the gate, only front office job he should have IMHO.....hope Baltimore beats the brakes off em....ha, living in the past....Indianapolis doggone it


You are entitled to your opinions no matter how wrong they might be.  Baltimore won't win. They shouldn't have won the playoff game. Broncos lost it for themselves.


----------



## farminwithjunk

Finally finished first cut yesterday. Some of our fields are ready for 2nd cut now.


----------



## mlappin

Teslan said:


> Our water isn't really that expensive. I don't mind irrigation that much. I would rather irrigate then have to ted, ted, and ted again. We do have drainage tile on our farm. It had kind of a high water table. It doesn't drain all that much anymore since most people don't flood irrigate. I guess in October I'll get to see what Indiana is like when I go out to my college roommates farm near South Bend and Elkhart. Then we are headed to Indianapolis for the Colts vs. Broncos.


Well who's you're roommate if I may ask, more than likely I know em or heard of em.

North Liberty is about 15 miles south of South Bend as the crow fly's.

If you end up in Elkhart and do any driving there don't hold it against the rest of Indiana, the city planners who laid out the original streets had to be some of the biggest drunks in the country. Not one street goes true North, South, East or West and NONE of them go straight for more than half a mile.


----------



## Haylageuk

We will Finnish 1st cut tomorrow and its been so easy compared to last year. Last year with rain we never harvested a ton of premium product for the whole of 1st cut. The season had not started by the time this one will end . What a good feeling.


----------



## Vol

Haylageuk said:


> We will Finnish 1st cut tomorrow and its been so easy compared to last year. Last year with rain we never harvested a ton of premium product for the whole of 1st cut. The season had not started by the time this one will end . What a good feeling.


Haylage, what part of the UK are you located?

Regards, Mike


----------



## mlappin

Baled the last of the first cutting just now. 61 bales off 10 acres.

Baled the first 44 acres of second yesterday. Seventy four 950 lb bales off 25 acres which was better than first, not premium though, should have been mowed two weeks ago. Second field was much better, would have been nice to mow it a little sooner but still got fifty three 1000lb bales off 19 acres.


----------



## JD3430

Can't believe you're on second cut already. 
My fields are maybe 16" high.


----------



## mlappin

JD3430 said:


> Can't believe you're on second cut already.
> My fields are maybe 16" high.


I mowed the first field a few days before Memorial Day. Then the next one maybe a week later then did squat for weeks while waiting on the weather to get over its case of cranialrectal disease.


----------



## Haylageuk

Haylageuk said:


> We will Finnish 1st cut tomorrow and its been so easy compared to last year. Last year with rain we never harvested a ton of premium product for the whole of 1st cut. The season had not started by the time this one will end . What a good
> 
> 
> 
> Vol said:
> 
> 
> 
> Haylage, what part of the UK are you located?
> 
> Regards, Mike
> 
> 
> 
> We are in the midlands near Nottingham. Good luck to you guys over there.
Click to expand...


----------



## somedevildawg

Haylageuk said:


> We will Finnish 1st cut tomorrow and its been so easy compared to last year. Last year with rain we never harvested a ton of premium product for the whole of 1st cut. The season had not started by the time this one will end . What a good feeling.


Sounds like our season here, this year...


----------



## Fowllife

JD3430 said:


> Can't believe you're on second cut already.
> My fields are maybe 16" high.


A lot of us taking second now are talking alfalfa. Alfalfa is a different animal then grass hay. It typically gets cut on 28-32 day intervals, and unlike the cool season grasses that most of your fields are it grows well in the summer heat. I'm cutting a field today that I cut 6 weeks ago, its at least 24" tall & full bloom. It should have been cut 2 weeks ago but couldn't with rain every day.


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## R Ball

Cut my alfalfa /og field yesterday to start the second cut. Running way behind due to weather and house rebuild and addition. Good news is the house is on the farm.
Also putting up another 30 x 72 equipment shed. It will be my second Blitz Building.

I stay covered up more now than when I worked a job. Seems I am always behind.


----------



## JD3430

I just knocked down about 13 acres this morning. Finally a HOT SUNNY day. Looks like decent weather and I'll be rolling it up by weds. 
Can't believe how enjoyable this job is when weather cooperates.


----------



## R Ball

Yep, nothing like making hay in the sunshine JD.


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## DSLinc1017

Finally will be able to get the last 20 ac of first cut off by the end of the week.. If the for cast says what it does. Of course there is only a 50% chance they get that right! Some folks pulled 1st cut off this week end. It was very humid and the hay looks like straw. 
Might be able to get some second off too, take it when you can these days. 
I'm still prepared to get stuck, with all the rain we have had, I'm sure the low spots are still mud.


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## somedevildawg

Full three weeks behind on second cut Bermuda grass here....not a square in the barn....


----------



## whitmerlegacyfarm

Just started my 2nd cut today. Cut down about 8 ac of Orchard Grass today, was not near as much there as what I would have liked to of seen but was starting to brown on the tips. Just as I was about done cutting little steady shower popped up for about 15 mins. Oh well should hurt it to bad since it was just cut and was not a very thick. I guess I will ted it out tomorrow now, was hoping to avoid tedding cause we are forcasted mid 90s all week. I will probably loose some in the stubble due to tedding it out. Just don't want my clumps to mold up. Hoping to get close to a ton to he acre.


----------



## Bob M

After a month of rain I started mowing Sunday. Fields are wet but need to get something done.Finally finished wheat on Sunday. Been using pull type stacker more because 1069 and 1049 are getting stuck. A year to remember.


----------



## mlappin

Only seen one person cutting wheat in the area, looks like whats out there has really come along the last few weeks. Normally start cutting wheat in this area Independence Day. We have some rye to cut eventually that we'll use for cover crop this fall, still has a lot of green stems though.


----------



## carcajou

We have had a rough go as of late. Put up the first 420 acres great shape then afternoon sprinkles or the odd 1/2 to 3/4 rains have messed with my progress for two weeks or more. Pulled the trigger Sunday morning and have now cut another 1000 acres in the past 2 days. If it rains hard I set myself up for a heart attack but if I don't cut now there will be not much chance of a good 2nd cut in the fall. I feel this season has been the hardest on me mentally, hope we catch a break and get in a good 10 day as I have 2400 acres yet to bale.


----------



## somedevildawg

Seems to be true for the entire eastern half of North America.....strange indeed


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## JD3430

Incredibly, I cut hay yesterday morning and baled it DRY this afternoon. 
It's amazing what some HOT SUN can do.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Checked out my last 20 of first cut I plan on taking down this week end. It's a field that I haven't checked on since the spring. I may end up with a few tons of milk weed...


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Late 1st crop mixed grasses.

Mowed just after lunch Monday.

Tedded Tuesday morning and again mid afternoon.

Tedded again this morning, then raked the light half right after lunch.

Baled 105 idiot cubes mid afternoon.

Will prolly finish raking & baling tomorrow for another100 + idiot cubes

Looks a lot better in the bale than it does standing!


----------



## rjmoses

Just cut my second cutting alfalfa yesterday. Normally, would be close to starting third cutting. 95+ temps, rained about 5 miles south of me this afternoon--thought it was moving this way and it just disappeared.

Ralph


----------



## R Ball

Yep, the heat and humidity has me messed up. Hard rain knocked down the alfalfa a couple weeks ago and I just could not get it dried enough to square bale. Possibly loose a round bale or two. S$&@', bad day. Rained all around me and just could not get it dried.
Raked it 3 times with the last two just flipping it over .
My cows are going to be happy happy happy!


----------



## enos

9100 idiot cubes, 200 silage rounds, 350 tonne chopped in pit, 125 dry rounds........halfway......crap!


----------



## Fowllife

Got second cut put up yesterday in small squares. Waiting until it cools off this weekend to put it in the barn though, baling in 95 deg heat isn't much fun. Plan on cutting the new seeding oat/grass/clover field either this weekend or next week. We should be good for the year on small squares, so everything else will get rolled.


----------



## Josh in WNY

Between Thursday of last week and this past Wednesday, my dad and I put up close to 1800 bales with another 7.5 acres to go. The hardest part of the entire thing was finding a hay crew to stack it in the barn since everyone in our area was making hay as fast as they could. Dad had to head back to his job in FL on Tuesday, so I get to finish the rest on my own.

Other than a couple hundred bales that we put up with preservative, the moisture % has been fine which is surprising since the tires on the tractor are always leaving tread marks in the ground. It's late enough that unless we get a very late fall, I probably won't get any 2nd cutting on the timothy. The timothy/alfalfa is getting close to being ready, but that's only 5 acres.

Looks like I might have to buy some hay to keep my customers happy.


----------



## haybaler101

Finally caught up and have about 2 weeks off before 4th cut alfalfa, 3rd cut on new seeding, and 2nd cut on grass is ready to go. After this spring, I hate too say it, but it is time to turn on the water!


----------



## DSLinc1017

haybaler101 said:


> Finally caught up and have about 2 weeks off before 4th cut alfalfa, 3rd cut on new seeding, and 2nd cut on grass is ready to go. After this spring, I hate too say it, but it is time to turn on the water!


4th cut????? I'm still trying to get 1st in!

Just finished converting my baler back to hay mode from my failed attempt to try to bale water....


----------



## JD3430

Now I am completely done 1st cutting. 490 4x5 round bales.


----------



## Teslan

haybaler101 said:


> Finally caught up and have about 2 weeks off before 4th cut alfalfa, 3rd cut on new seeding, and 2nd cut on grass is ready to go. After this spring, I hate too say it, but it is time to turn on the water!


4th cut the 1st of August? Do you get 5 cuttings? Our 4th cutting comes in September. But yet you are on 2nd cutting of grass like I am. Interesting.


----------



## whitmerlegacyfarm

2nd cut on my good O grass fields are done, 240 small bales, all sold already. Been doing some spraying now on my free leased fields. Should start cutting them in 2-3 weeks for the 2nd cut. Hoping for some rain tomorrow so I can throw on my Urea to get a decent 3rd cut of my Orchard Grass. Been fun, up to 2500 small bales.


----------



## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> After this spring, I hate too say it, but it is time to turn on the water!


Same here but i hate to say we need it out loud, may start and not stop till September then.


----------



## haybaler101

Teslan said:


> 4th cut the 1st of August? Do you get 5 cuttings? Our 4th cutting comes in September. But yet you are on 2nd cutting of grass like I am. Interesting.


Usually 4th cut bu August 1. Running behind this year, scheduled to start August 7 this year. My grass is fescue, 1st cut is usually ripe, 2nd cut in September, but can get it early this year with all the rain it is green and not brown. Goal is 6 cuttings on alfalfa, almost always get 5.


----------



## foz682

All done for the year, other than 12 acres of oats we're going to make silage out of around the end of August.

Weather cooperated perfectly and only had one break down that put us back 2 days.

One cut is all we need, may take a second cut off our meadow if it comes back strong. We'll break the fields up into about 3 acres sections with temp. fencing and rotate the cows on it once it grows and the pastures begin to go back.

Good luck and stay safe to all who have more hay to make.


----------



## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> Usually 4th cut bu August 1. Running behind this year, scheduled to start August 7 this year. My grass is fescue, 1st cut is usually ripe, 2nd cut in September, but can get it early this year with all the rain it is green and not brown. Goal is 6 cuttings on alfalfa, almost always get 5.


Unless we have a good start, zero rain delays and good weather, the 5th can be done but usually isn't worth it. More for bragging rights than anything. Some years fourth is hardly worth messing with especially if price is down.

With the wet spring this year I have a field I may be lucky to even get a third cutting off of, especially if this fall is less than co-operative for haymaking.

Guess that's another difference between the arctic and tropical parts of Indiana


----------



## Vol

haybaler101 said:


> After this spring, I hate too say it, but it is time to turn on the water!


Looks like you got your wish.

Regards, Mike


----------



## haybaler101

Yep, water has been on for couple of hours. Radar estimates anywhere from 1 to 3 inches. Haven't ventured out to check gauge yet.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Finally have first cut in! Good yield 3.2t per, took forever to put down, but well worth it.


----------



## somedevildawg

3rd cut in the books finally....


----------



## Colby

Picked up a 200 acre bottom first cut jigs, tifton, Johnson grass and some native grass as well as all the dead winter grass. Ran 3 disc mowers Sunday and Monday and Tuesday for half a day. Started baling Wednesday 632 bales total with 300 5x5s and 332 4x5s. This was first cut and what a mess it was! I would've liked to cut it back in may, would've made some dang good hay but a pay check is a pay check!


----------



## Colby

Back at the ranch, we had 5 inches of rain two weeks ago. 2nd cut coastal on 60 acres to be done this week. 30 in squares. Also another coastal grazing patch to be cut since we are low on round bales for this winter. Fall is coming quick and we haven't even made 2 cut on 95% of our hay meadows and we are 200 bales shy of the 700 we have to our up for ourselfs


----------



## DSLinc1017

As soon as the weather clears, the rest of our fields are ready for second cut. Accept for the last 20 we just did. This year it's all about the weather.


----------



## Chessiedog

Still behind , clutch went out of TN95 with only 1900 hours ...That has helped soooo much !


----------



## mlappin

Chessiedog said:


> Still behind , clutch went out of TN95 with only 1900 hours ...That has helped soooo much !


Yup, been one of those years for sure. I had three tractors down earlier this year, two with clutch problems and the third developed a knock in the engine.

Engine knock turned out to be a injector/pump problem. Went ahead and rolled new rods and main bearings in and had the wrist pins rebushed while it was apart. Got the first clutch problem resolved and the only thing I was charged for on that was a new throw out bearing. Need to get the second clutch job in the shop to see what happened there. Dad was so disgusted he went and bought another tractor to mount the spray tank on so we could get 32 on and spray beans.

The other day I was mowing, heading down the road to the next field and got a flat on the mower, got off the road quick before ruining the tire, got it off and never found what caused the hole, old tube was usable barely so put a new tube in, that one lasted an hour before the cheap piece of imported crap let loose at the seam. So same tire flat twice in one day.


----------



## slowzuki

We're still waiting for the rain to stop. 1st cut has gone to seed weeds coming on strong. Forecast says we might get 3 days without rain next week. Believe it when it happens.


----------



## Chessiedog

All those things sure make your day go nicely , don't they . On my clutch , guy that does my mechanic work that I feel is out of my skill range or will take me 3 or 4 times as long as him , left for a weeks vacation . It went out on Wednesday ,they were leaving Sunday .

So I took it to a NH dealer last week Thursday , oh we'll have that by Wednesday . Well Wednesday has come and gone now 2 and a half days ago . They close at noon today no call yet , getting ready to call them .


----------



## Chessiedog

Yea still trying to work around rain too ! Was talking to my banker couple days ago " he said hay should be good this year " My wife and I said hmm well . He looked at us kinda funny ,then we said yea ,it's great . *You just can't get in the field to make it ! *


----------



## JD3430

Gonna start 2nd cutting this week. Taking advice and mowing off foxtail infested 15 acres before it heads out real bad.


----------



## mlappin

Chessiedog said:


> Yea still trying to work around rain too ! Was talking to my banker couple days ago " he said hay should be good this year " My wife and I said hmm well . He looked at us kinda funny ,then we said yea ,it's great . *You just can't get in the field to make it ! *


City people  For years my banker lady wanted me to add the cost of health insurance to my operating note, I always told her couldn't afford it. Finally got the point across when I told her if I can't afford the monthly payment, how could I possibly afford to pay it back at the end of the year in one lump sum?

I take any advice from any banker with a grain of salt, mines been really good to work with except she always pushing me to buy new instead of used.


----------



## Chessiedog

Well dealer just called . Guess what they said . *we won't have that done today . Bla Bla Bla .. *I can't say I talked to him to nicely . Told him I didn't buy it to have it sit at the dealer ! and the only reason I took it up there was my guy was on vacation and that he would be back this weekend .* I might just have well waited till he got back . 
I hate to take anything to just about any one !*


----------



## ontario hay man

Finished first cut july 10. Ready to do some 2nd cut but waiting for weather to cooperate. Story of this year for sure we had 2 small windows to do 1st cut and luckily got no rain on any.


----------



## mlappin

ontario hay man said:


> Finished first cut july 10. Ready to do some 2nd cut but waiting for weather to cooperate. Story of this year for sure we had 2 small windows to do 1st cut and *luckily got no rain on any.*


 Well done!! I had two fields that got washed for a week, got the first one baled then the rain moved in and the second got washed for another week before I could get it baled.


----------



## ontario hay man

Ya that happened to my neighbour. It was almost black. I feel sorry for the poor cows eatinIit.


----------



## Vol

mlappin said:


> I take any advice from any banker with a grain of salt, mines been really good to work with except she always pushing me to buy new instead of used.


Yeah, they like to reposess low hour newer equipment not older used....sells better for them.

Regards, Mike


----------



## mlappin

ontario hay man said:


> Ya that happened to my neighbour. It was almost black. I feel sorry for the poor cows eatinIit.


Ted, ted again then ted some more. This almost has a tiny bit of green left to it, certainly not black. Been grinding two of those with a fermented stalk bale then adding a pound each of glycerin and jam per cow per day. Cows are eating fine.


----------



## swmnhay

mlappin said:


> I take any advice from any banker with a grain of salt, mines been really good to work with except she always pushing me to buy new instead of used.


My banker is usually looking in rear view mirror instead of ahead.

If guys are loosing there but selling cattle he is afraid to buy low.If cattle prices are high he will give you all you want to buy the high priced feeders.

He is also pushing to buy new machinery now.I had my mind made up to not go threw the 80's type situation again with oweing the bank $$$


----------



## JD3430

Well, that didnt last too long.....
15 minutes after we got started guess what happened? 
I started RAINING. Imagine that!!!!,


----------



## Tim/South

JD3430 said:


> Well, that didnt last too long.....
> 15 minutes after we got started guess what happened?
> I started RAINING. Imagine that!!!!,


Same here.

I almost cut one of our really nice Bahia fields but opted to cut a lesser quality place. Now it is even lesser quality then before.

My friends have hay getting washed as well so I do not feel like an orphan.


----------



## Chessiedog

Topper today had to put a cow down ... It just gets better and better this year .


----------



## hog987

Finally got a break in the weather. All of july I only made just over 300 4x5 bales. The last few days I have baled another 250. Now if the rain holds off tonight than I will beable to bale another 150 bales tommorow and than I will be looking for another window to cut some more. I still got about 130 acres of first cut to do. So I will have done more haying in one week than I did in one month.


----------



## FarmerCline

I have some sorghum sudan grass that is a little over waist high that i would like to cut before it gets too much over chest high and gets stemmy. It looks like we would have had a window here but I would have needed to cut Friday to get it to bale Monday because the chance of rain goes up on Tuesday but I decided not to cut because the ground was so saturated I would have been cutting tracks pretty bad and I don't think it would have dried too good on the wet ground anyway. My second cut orchard and fescue is knee deep in spots and I would like to get it before the foxtail heads out but I have to wait two more weeks to cut it since I sprayed with grazon. And it's not going to be long before the teff is ready to cut either.


----------



## slowzuki

More rain here, hasn't stopped for more than 24 hours. Raining right now too. Looks like my break next week is holding for 3 days but only low temps in the day. I'm hoping to drop 1000 bales or so.


----------



## Fowllife

I dropped a new seeding on Weds with a 30% chance of rain Weds night & nothing forcast for 8 days. Ended up raining Thurs, Friday and Sat., nice yesterday & now a 40% chance of rain today & tomorrow. Lots of foxtail & the oats went to seed, should be great hay.....hope the cows eat it.


----------



## Hay Roller

Hello from a new guy. Like everybody else, I had to wait until the middle of June to find a window to cut and bale my hay. I had fertilized back in March and ended up doubling my production. But, thanks to this incessant rain, it looks like I'll be right on schedule to bale again here in about 2 weeks or sooner. I got 96 4x4 round bales on about 30 acres in June. History has shown that my fall cutting yields even more. It will be a long day (or two).


----------



## Chessiedog

Update on clutch . Tractor still not home ! Rain chances high for the rest of the week !


----------



## Hayman1

CD- don't know where you are or are not regarding being under warrenty, but it seems to me like dealers should be required to provide you with a functional loaner when your tractor under warrenty sits in their shop. I had that experience with my JD6100D-main seal to trans housing went at 250 hrs. at the beginning of the 2012 hay season. first dealer (that I bought if from) said it would take 3 weeks to get in the shop and then be fixed with no appologies and no loaner. Called another and said you want my business then fix sooner and provide a loaner while you do. Got the loaner at no charge and we don't deal with the old dealer any longer.


----------



## haybaler101

Hayman1 said:


> CD- don't know where you are or are not regarding being under warrenty, but it seems to me like dealers should be required to provide you with a functional loaner when your tractor under warrenty sits in their shop. I had that experience with my JD6100D-main seal to trans housing went at 250 hrs. at the beginning of the 2012 hay season. first dealer (that I bought if from) said it would take 3 weeks to get in the shop and then be fixed with no appologies and no loaner. Called another and said you want my business then fix sooner and provide a loaner while you do. Got the loaner at no charge and we don't deal with the old dealer any longer.


That is right, if it is under warranty, you should have a loaner. If not, you need a new dealer.


----------



## enos

Chessiedog said:


> Still behind , clutch went out of TN95 with only 1900 hours ...That has helped soooo much !


Did it wear out or just fall apart? TN's don't like to be run at low idle. Clutch rattles spring apart and just stops dead.


----------



## Chessiedog

Throw out bearing went out , causing couple of the clutch lever fingers or what ever you call them to be ground off ,1900 hours on this tractor .

Now they call a few minutes ago and tell me that the fuel gauge is not working . I said it was working when it went up there . What a fiasco !


----------



## Chessiedog

Hayman1 said:


> CD- don't know where you are or are not regarding being under warrenty, but it seems to me like dealers should be required to provide you with a functional loaner when your tractor under warrenty sits in their shop. I had that experience with my JD6100D-main seal to trans housing went at 250 hrs. at the beginning of the 2012 hay season. first dealer (that I bought if from) said it would take 3 weeks to get in the shop and then be fixed with no appologies and no loaner. Called another and said you want my business then fix sooner and provide a loaner while you do. Got the loaner at no charge and we don't deal with the old dealer any longer.


No the warranty ran out last year on it , though it did have some left on the fuel system this spring ,that covered the fuel shut off being replaced .

I will say in the past they have given me a loaner tractor with cab to use . That I actually trade for , after the third hydraulic pump went out of a 5 year old TS110

Loaner would not help a lot in this case . Loader is set up with four functions to run grabber and if I used it to pull sq baler and accumulator then I would have to hook up the monitors and move them to It .

One of my peeves with these guys is they won't pay there mechanic's good enough to keep them long . Younger guys come in get couple years of experience , some classes , and get offers for more money and leave . I've seen a couple pretty good kids in there that would make some really good mechanics with anther 5 or 6 years of experience .

New Holland has gone to computer mechanics , as has other companies . Where they want to put everything in a computer data base . If you can't figure it out you look on the computer to see how to fix it . Large automotive parts supplier I worked for wanted to do the same thing for us electricians working equipment . That way they can pay less , use less experienced workers .

There is no substitute for years of experience .


----------



## mlappin

Was all caught up and ran out of hay to mow, now can't get a window to get the last 60 acres of second done. Finally got some real rain last Friday, it was starting to get critical as the week before that was just getting scattered showers two out of three days, wasn't enough rain to do the row crops any good but stopped any hay from being made in the area.


----------



## JD3430

Scattered thunderstorms here for next 4 days. Did manage to get 25ac sprayed for weeds and liq nitrogen done this morning.


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## slowzuki

Rained up to this am still here, another 3/4" last night. Perfect day today but rain predicted tomorrow pm and the next 2 days. My timothy is ready for combining not haying!


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## ontario hay man

Got second cut almost ready to bale. Hope rain holds out it will bale tomorrow. This year is ridiculous.


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## hayward

Cut forty more ac today, 3rd cutting on this spot. Baler reading 688 total sofar this yr, hope to roll another 500


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## haybaler101

Waiting again. Rain next 4 days, but haven't had a soaker in over two weeks, just light showers to a couple tenths. Got 70 acres 4th cut alfalfa, 40 acres 3rd cut alfalfa, and 70 acres 2nd cut grass all ready to be cut.


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## Hayman1

Now I feel like a flippin genius. In Dec 2012, I booked a trip for the next two weeks to do a national parks photo safari in alaska-going to watch the big browns eat salmon in the falls and denali. I have over 50 ac of second cut to do and it is growing great so why stress since the next 10 days are not haymaking weather so the grass keeps growing, its been sprayed for horse nettle and life is good. Who would know in dec that things would fall in place in aug? Its only because we haven't gotten a second cutting here in 9 of the last 10 years! lol genius is just misplaced stupidity!


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## Josh in WNY

Put up 142 small squares of 2nd cutting timothy/alfalfa yesterday off of 4.5 acres. Some of the best hay I've done this year! Only problem was that one of the rakes broke, so I was stuck running a single rake instead of the tandem hitch. Can't wait to see what the parts cost to fix that. 

Now that I have that 2nd cutting out of the way, I guess it's time to finish my 1st cutting timothy.  It has been a really screwed up summer, but another 400 or so bales and it will be over. Weather looks like I could finish things up over the weekend.


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## Josh in WNY

slowzuki said:


> Rained up to this am still here, another 3/4" last night. Perfect day today but rain predicted tomorrow pm and the next 2 days. My timothy is ready for combining not haying!


After calling my supplier to order seed, you may want to combine the timothy. Current prices are $2.18/lb for timothy (not too bad) and $6.78/lb for birdsfoot trefoil! At that price, I may plow all the hay under and start havesting birdsfoot trefoil seed instead of hay!


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## mlappin

Hayman1 said:


> Now I feel like a flippin genius. In Dec 2012, I booked a trip for the next two weeks to do a national parks photo safari in alaska-going to watch the big browns eat salmon in the falls and denali. I have over 50 ac of second cut to do and it is growing great so why stress since the next 10 days are not haymaking weather so the grass keeps growing, its been sprayed for horse nettle and life is good. Who would know in dec that things would fall in place in aug? Its only because we haven't gotten a second cutting here in 9 of the last 10 years! lol genius is just misplaced stupidity!


I had something similar happen years ago. The wife's favorite cousin in England was getting married for the first time in his fifties to a 35 year old (old goat  ) and the year before in the fall he asked if we could make it and we promised we could as he did manage to make it to ours. Anyways that was the summer of 2009 when he told us but they hadn't set the date yet, about the first of the next year he told us they set it for May 17th. Okay May 17th for a row crop and hay farmer.../wrists.

Anyways we left a week early for the wedding to get a little sight seeing in. That spring I hit it hard and had every acre of beans planted that was dry enough to get across with only a few hundred left to plant while Dad was working on corn. The day before we left had about six tenths of rain the day before we left then about the time we got halfway to O'hare we had a deluge of biblical proportion. Traffic went from 65 to 20 and still couldn't see a thing. Then it kept raining, nobody did a thing the entire ten days we were gone.

Couldn't have planned the date any better if we tried.


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## NDVA HAYMAN

Finally got my 2nd cutting done and put up! Glad that's over. Will be harvesting corn before the next cutting.


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## Chessiedog

Got my tractor back finally . One day short of 2 weeks to put clutch in . Dealers . Car dealers ,tractor dealers , all the same .


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## Teslan

Trying to bale up my 2nd cutting of Teff. Or at least what the wind didn't take 5 days ago. Clipped and cut what was left of my 3rd cutting alfalfa yesterday. I think it will end up being mostly stems. But the grass is growing after it's hail beating and I should have a fairly good 3rd cutting as the days aren't above 80 right now. A touch of autumn in the air yesterday evening.


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## Chessiedog

Oh did I say rain today and yesterday . Oh yea and more chances tomorrow and so on and so on .


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## Teslan

I decided to not even try and bale my 2nd cutting Teff. We've had rain enough that it just won't dry. Since more then half of it blew away and the Teff is growing so fast. Already 9 inches tall. Plus the windrows that were left are so thin that the Teff is growing through them I'm just going to leave it. I would kill more Teff driving over it to rake, bale and stack it then what I would get baling the 2nd cutting. Especially since the ground is still wet. I've decided I don't really like Teff. Should have just left the ground fallow this summer. I don't know how you guys in more humid climates can deal with it.


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## Vol

Appreciate your frankness Teslan. I came very close to planting some Teff myself this past spring. I am glad I did not after reading about the drying issues that many have had. This has been the most trying growing/haying season I have ever had to deal with. I sure did not need any more stress with trying to get a new to me grass to dry. I suppose I will stick with Orchard,Timothy, and Alfalfa. Thanks Teslan.

Regards, Mike


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## Teslan

Vol said:


> Appreciate your frankness Teslan. I came very close to planting some Teff myself this past spring. I am glad I did not after reading about the drying issues that many have had. This has been the most trying growing/haying season I have ever had to deal with. I sure did not need any more stress with trying to get a new to me grass to dry. I suppose I will stick with Orchard,Timothy, and Alfalfa. Thanks Teslan.
> 
> Regards, Mike


 I shouldn't mind it, but it's the quick growth after cutting that is the most bothersome especially given the time it takes to dry. Plus the fact that for me if the ground is somewhat wet it dies fairly easily with my heavy equipment where alfalfa, orchard or brome grass doesn't have that problem. Maybe if I owned a tedder it would help some with it. But I can't just run out and find a tedder new or used within 500 miles of here.


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## Hayman1

[quote name="Teslan" post="105031" timestamp="1376062951"]
I shouldn't mind it, but it's the quick growth after cutting that is the most bothersome especially given the time it takes to dry. Plus the fact that for me if the ground is somewhat wet it dies fairly easily with my heavy equipment where alfalfa, orchard or brome grass doesn't have that problem. Maybe if I owned a tedder it would help some with it. But I can't just run out and find a tedder new or used within 500 miles of here.

That is my thinking as well-teff is coming back so quickly after cutting that you need to get it off without delay-you just can't have a two week rain delay. Don't see how you can make it without a Tedder either. Like you I have been frustrated in my first teff year because of the bizarre weather year-I'll probably try it one more year to see what it is like in a more normal year-surely it can't be like this two years in a row or can it?


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## Teslan

Hayman1 said:


> [quote name="Teslan" post="105031" timestamp="1376062951"]
> I shouldn't mind it, but it's the quick growth after cutting that is the most bothersome especially given the time it takes to dry. Plus the fact that for me if the ground is somewhat wet it dies fairly easily with my heavy equipment where alfalfa, orchard or brome grass doesn't have that problem. Maybe if I owned a tedder it would help some with it. But I can't just run out and find a tedder new or used within 500 miles of here.
> 
> That is my thinking as well-teff is coming back so quickly after cutting that you need to get it off without delay-you just can't have a two week rain delay. Don't see how you can make it without a Tedder either. Like you I have been frustrated in my first teff year because of the bizarre weather year-I'll probably try it one more year to see what it is like in a more normal year-surely it can't be like this two years in a row or can it?


Last summer would have been wonderful for Teff if we had the irrigation water. 3 months without a drop of rain. 105 degree days with a breeze and 10% humidity. Maybe I'll look for a tedder this winter to just have around. The problem with tedding is we can get burst of wind out of the clear blue sky that would blow the hay away I think. I wouldn't want to get a tedder just for one year of planting 23 acres of Teff though. Not worth it since I don't really need one otherwise. What size of tedder would work good tedding two windrows that are about 6 feet wide? Or can I just get a small tedder that does one windrow at a time? I really have no idea about tedders.


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## Vol

Teslan said:


> Last summer would have been wonderful for Teff if we had the irrigation water. 3 months without a drop of rain. 105 degree days with a breeze and 10% humidity. Maybe I'll look for a tedder this winter to just have around. The problem with tedding is we can get burst of wind out of the clear blue sky that would blow the hay away I think. I wouldn't want to get a tedder just for one year of planting 23 acres of Teff though. Not worth it since I don't really need one otherwise. What size of tedder would work good tedding two windrows that are about 6 feet wide? Or can I just get a small tedder that does one windrow at a time? I really have no idea about tedders.


I could see where a Tedder out in your country could b quite useful if a fella irrigated. I could see it being very useful in Orchard grass about getting a nice even drydown. I would think that a 4 rotor Tedder would be what would work well for you. The 2 rotor tedders are just too slow going. The 4 rotor tedders typically cover between 17-18 feet. On the rare occasion that your mowed hay happened to get rained on a Tedder can really be useful about fluffing and drying your windrow. It would be a very useful piece of equipment for you even if you only used it a couple of times a year. I assure you it will be money well spent.

Regards, Mike.


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## Teslan

Vol said:


> I could see where a Tedder out in your country could b quite useful if a fella irrigated. I could see it being very useful in Orchard grass about getting a nice even drydown. I would think that a 4 rotor Tedder would be what would work well for you. The 2 rotor tedders are just too slow going. The 4 rotor tedders typically cover between 17-18 feet. On the rare occasion that your mowed hay happened to get rained on a Tedder can really be useful about fluffing and drying your windrow. It would be a very useful piece of equipment for you even if you only used it a couple of times a year. I assure you it will be money well spent.
> 
> Regards, Mike.


Could be worth it. I'm somewhat amazed about how fast you folks sometimes can get grass hay baled out east with all that humidity. Especially in a couple seasons when I most likely will start farming our 160 acres that we lease out right now. Just gotta watch out for the wind forecasts. Color bleaching is another thing that concerns me.


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## Hayman1

Teslan said:


> Could be worth it. I'm somewhat amazed about how fast you folks sometimes can get grass hay baled out east with all that humidity. Especially in a couple seasons when I most likely will start farming our 160 acres that we lease out right now. Just gotta watch out for the wind forecasts. Color bleaching is another thing that concerns me.





Teslan said:


> Last summer would have been wonderful for Teff if we had the irrigation water. 3 months without a drop of rain. 105 degree days with a breeze and 10% humidity. Maybe I'll look for a tedder this winter to just have around. The problem with tedding is we can get burst of wind out of the clear blue sky that would blow the hay away I think. I wouldn't want to get a tedder just for one year of planting 23 acres of Teff though. Not worth it since I don't really need one otherwise. What size of tedder would work good tedding two windrows that are about 6 feet wide? Or can I just get a small tedder that does one windrow at a time? I really have no idea about tedders.


Defininately a 4rotor-not only faster but they Ted differently than the 2stars-you can turn the rpms up and grd spd down and spread your hay to hell and back for shaking off free water or slow down es to 1500 and almost make a fluffy windrow-I've baled them before. If you want the best in the business, look at Krone-I'm sure un-KRONE can work something out for you since you don't have any out there-maybe he would cut you a break as a CO promo!


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## Teslan

Hayman1 said:


> Defininately a 4rotor-not only faster but they Ted differently than the 2stars-you can turn the rpms up and grd spd down and spread your hay to hell and back for shaking off free water or slow down es to 1500 and almost make a fluffy windrow-I've baled them before. If you want the best in the business, look at Krone-I'm sure un-KRONE can work something out for you since you don't have any out there-maybe he would cut you a break as a CO promo!


I'll have to read through all the tedder threads on haytalk. As far as Krone I have no problem with them. However a couple years ago when I called the Krone dealer (which is 40 miles away) to ask about Krone rotary rakes the guy (I think son of the owner) told me that rotary rakes were no good and no one should use them as they don't turn hay very well. Then got me off the phone as fast as he could. So I'm not sure what kind of response I would get if I called about a tedder. He probably hasn't ever seen one. I think I would go first to the Kuhn dealer. I like the Kuhn products that I own.


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## Hayman1

Well, hope he was wrong as one will be delivered to me the day after I get back from Alaska so I can get used to it in the fall season and be ready to go in the spring. Also getting the 17foot Tedder. Don't think you can go wrong with Kuhn either.


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## somedevildawg

Teslan said:


> Could be worth it. I'm somewhat amazed about how fast you folks sometimes can get grass hay baled out east with all that humidity. Especially in a couple seasons when I most likely will start farming our 160 acres that we lease out right now. Just gotta watch out for the wind forecasts. Color bleaching is another thing that concerns me.


Color bleaching....I try to use tedding to keep even color....for instance; here on good hayin days I can cut and bale the next afternoon if....I Ted right after mowing and I finish mowing by about 3 pm, no worries on bleaching, perfect color....but if its not perfect, say it might rain, overcast, not good dryin conditions....I will wait to Ted until it looks more promising, if I Ted right after mowing in that scenario, the hay may have to sit and bleaching will in fact occur, will still be green underneath just not nearly as much, after a second "kick" I really have to get it up or it will be completely bleached. So I guess what I'm saying is that down here I try to use the tedder as a tool to prepare the grass to dry down in the time table that I need it....back to those good hayin conditions....if the hay is ready to bale the next afternoon, it doesn't do me much good as I only have a small window to operate the baler in...but if I only Ted as much as I thnk I can safely bale the next afternoon, the rest I may not ted or may ted late in the same day I cut...one good hay days (of which we've had none this year) I Ted only to time the dry down, be it fast (Ted) or slower (delayed Ted). It takes a bit of observation and practice but if I didn't have a tedder down here it would be much harder to control color bleaching on good days, on bad days (and weeks)( and months) it's absolutely a must have in this hell hole.

If I cut hay and the forecast is for looking like its gonna be a good chance of rain the evening I'm cutting or the next day...(after I get my head examined)......I always wait until after the rain to Ted and leave the winrows just like the mower(non-conditioned) left it, it sheds the water very good, if more rain on the way, I leave it in winrow....no more that 36 hours if I can help it, unless its overcast and cooler and more rain on way, after that its usually a lot of cussing and whining, and complaining going on around here....hope it helps


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## Teslan

Hayman1 said:


> Well, hope he was wrong as one will be delivered to me the day after I get back from Alaska so I can get used to it in the fall season and be ready to go in the spring. Also getting the 17foot Tedder. Don't think you can go wrong with Kuhn either.


Oh I'm sure he was wrong. He just didn't really want to try selling one. He said the farmers that had bought one couldn't adjust the tractor to the rotor speed to make good windrows. User error I would say.


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## Hayman1

Teslan said:


> Oh I'm sure he was wrong. He just didn't really want to try selling one. He said the farmers that had bought one couldn't adjust the tractor to the rotor speed to make good windrows. User error I would say.


Maybe just really bad dealer support-when a farmer is willing to totally change his technology the dealer should at least be as willing and able to assist in the knowledge part as he/she is willing to relieve him of his $.


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## Teslan

Hayman1 said:


> Maybe just really bad dealer support-when a farmer is willing to totally change his technology the dealer should at least be as willing and able to assist in the knowledge part as he/she is willing to relieve him of his $.


The guy didn't even want to discuss the Krone big square balers either that I was in the market for at that time. I have no idea how big this Krone dealer is since I've never been there. So maybe they are very small and don't really deal much in Krone.


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## Hayman1

Oh well their loss!!


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## FarmerCline

Vol said:


> I could see where a Tedder out in your country could b quite useful if a fella irrigated. I could see it being very useful in Orchard grass about getting a nice even drydown. I would think that a 4 rotor Tedder would be what would work well for you. The 2 rotor tedders are just too slow going. The 4 rotor tedders typically cover between 17-18 feet. On the rare occasion that your mowed hay happened to get rained on a Tedder can really be useful about fluffing and drying your windrow. It would be a very useful piece of equipment for you even if you only used it a couple of times a year. I assure you it will be money well spent.
> Regards, Mike.


 I couldn't agree more, very well said. Teslan, even with your more ideal drying conditions than we have here in the south I don't see how a tedder would not be able to help your hay dry quicker, at the very least like Mike said you will get a nice even dry down. Here I don't know if the hay would ever get dry if it was left the way the mower dropped it until raking. I bought a Krone 4 rotor tedder this spring and am very pleased with it, in my opinion it is one of the best on the market. Too bad you have a sorry dealer in Colorado.


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## Teslan

The guy I bought my Kuhn rake from a couple years ago had a Kuhn tedder. That's the only one I've ever really seen around here. He said he didn't use it but once or twice a year. I guess if you guys can bale orchard grass the next day in 1000% more humidity then we have here with tedding then I should for sure be able to. Especially since I condition as well. Unless my orchard and brome makes more hay then yours out east so it would take longer? I doubt it though. We do about 3 tons an acre first cutting. I can see where one would help 3rd cutting the 1st part of Sept. The days are much shorter and it never gets as hot. We often have to let the hay lay out a week. I probably would have to order in a new tedder. Most likely it would cost me more to go get a used tedder in Iowa or further (that's the closest I see them used for sale on tractorhouse) then buying a new one. They don't seem to be really all that pricey for a new one. At least not compared to a double rotary rake.


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## FarmerCline

I gave 7,700 for my krone 4 rotor tedder and I think they are on the upper end of the cost of a 4 rotor tedder, but you pay for what you get. I liked the krone tedder a little better than a kuhn but I am sure the kuhn is a very good tedder also. Just don't buy a light weight cheap tedder....enrossi and tonutti are a few that come to mind.


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## JD3430

Yeh forget Tonutti. Mine was beat to death in one year. 
Would love to trade for a Krone this winter. So much equipment to purchase.
Just when you think you have everything you need., you realize you don't.


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## somedevildawg

Busy battling army worms is where I'm at.......feel like throwing in the towel this year....but, "they ain't no cryin in hayin"


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## Hayman1

JD3430 said:


> Yeh forget Tonutti. Mine was beat to death in one year.
> Would love to trade for a Krone this winter. So much equipment to purchase.
> Just when you think you have everything you need., you realize you don't.


The more techno you get the more you realize you can do that requires more techno! Gotta make that squirrel run faster or get a rich wife that can keep you in the manner to which you have become accustomed.


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## Tim/South

somedevildawg said:


> Busy battling army worms is where I'm at.......feel like throwing in the towel this year....but, "they ain't no cryin in hayin"


Another one of those natural disasters associated with hay farming that would make a preacher cuss. Isn't this your second round with them?

Krone tedders:

Cain equipment in Georgia sells the 4 basket for $6900 out the door. Good place, family business with low overhead. It is worth the drive for me being only a few hours away. I know he ships Krone equipment as far away as Michigan and California.


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## Vol

Agree about the Clermont, GA Krone dealer. Best prices I have found.

Regards, Mike


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## somedevildawg

Tim/South said:


> Another one of those natural disasters associated with hay farming that would make a preacher cuss. Isn't this your second round with them?
> 
> Krone tedders:
> Cain equipment in Georgia sells the 4 basket for $6900 out the door. Good place, family business with low overhead. It is worth the drive for me being only a few hours away. I know he ships Krone equipment as far away as Michigan and California.


Yes it is Tim, sprayed 15 days ago with mustangmaxx and dimillin, but critical error, I didn't spray the adjacent horse pasture because I didn't make time to build temporary fence for them....thought the dimillin would've give me a lil help but a few inches of rain within a few days of spraying prolly didn't help, got at least a 1/3 of this field...and got it quick....funny things those army worms, they like the well fertilized fields, neighbor never has em...he also never fertilizes, go figure....


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## mlappin

Was supposed to have a ten day window with no rain, mowed the last of the second cut on the sand and I'll get it baled no problem but have rain tonight and tomorrow now. Last of the second cut is on heavier ground and really needs time to dry out before I drive on it. Case in point the field that I fought for two weeks trying to get baled you can see every place I drove baling and picking bales up now as the alfalfa died out in every wheel track :-(

Quickly losing out on any chance for a fourth cut, much more rain and the last few fields I have second on may not even get a third cutting off of.

Good yields this year but mediocre hay from delayed cutting, last year with the drought at this time I actually had more premium hay to sell than I do now, I do have an excessive amount of hay for my cows though might have to quit culling the herd until it's used up.

Having the crop dusters come in next week to spray all the corn fields with fungicide, seed rep came in and checked em all Friday and feels that we have a lot of close to 200 bpa yields or plus possible but it needs fungicide or it isn't going to happen. $30 an acre for chemical and application.

Think it was earlier in this thread I said it, but I'll take too dry over slopping wet.


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## DSLinc1017

1st 15 acres of second cut is on the ground. Rain on its way on Monday. Does watched hay dry quicker? Paranoia will lead me to a second tedding. Slow and steady. 
The rest of my fields are no ware near ready as 1st cut was just taken off 2 weeks ago. 
If I do get second cut off of them it will be late.

I am looking for a new Tedder, you all are saying Krone, I'll take a look. Unfortunately our local Krone dealer also sells the green tractors. I've priced other stuff out there before and apparently most of their equipment is made of gold.


----------



## haybaler101

mlappin said:


> Having the crop dusters come in next week to spray all the corn fields with fungicide, seed rep came in and checked em all Friday and feels that we have a lot of close to 200 bpa yields or plus possible but it needs fungicide or it isn't going to happen. $30 an acre for chemical and application.
> Think it was earlier in this thread I said it, but I'll take too dry over slopping wet.


Is your corn that late that you are just now spraying now? Most was done 2 to 3 weeks ago here. We are past roasting ears heading for dent. We spray fungicides even in dry years, so much humidity here it looks like it rains every morning with heavy dews. Didn't last year just because we were certain yield would be very bad anyway.


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## blueridgehay

The hardest hay season I have ever had. I still have 30+ acres of 1st cuttin to go. You can imagine what it looks like. I was able to get 2000 up this past week but it was a struggle every day. This week looks just like every other week this summer, rain every day. I'm havin to spray pumpkins every 5-7 days to keep them disease free. Amazingly they actually look pretty good. Any you fellas up north got any? The crop here is really gonna be short this year and gettin lots of calls and orders. This year is the poster child for diversification in farmin.


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## blueridgehay

haybaler101 said:


> Is your corn that late that you are just now spraying now? Most was done 2 to 3 weeks ago here. We are past roasting ears heading for dent. We spray fungicides even in dry years, so much humidity here it looks like it rains every morning with heavy dews. Didn't last year just because we were certain yield would be very bad anyway.


Sounds like corn lookin good up there. Bought my 1st combine last week, '81 6620. Looks to be solid ole machine. It actually came from northern Ill. Got it home Friday and a goin over it now tryin to getting ready.


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## haybaler101

Corn looks real good here. Should be plenty of 200+ bpa. Upgrading my combine as well.


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## Teslan

Good luck with your new to you combines guys. If I would get into growing corn or wheat every year I would consider buying a used combine, though I don't know much about them. Last last time we had a crop that required a combine (probably 15 years ago) my dad was quite unsatisfied with how much wheat/corn was left on the ground after it went through the machine as the custom combine operators don't seem to care to adjust their combines for the conditions compared to what they had in the past. Gotta do it yourself if you want it done right.


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## somedevildawg

DSLinc1017 said:


> 1st 15 acres of second cut is on the ground. Rain on its way on Monday. Does watched hay dry quicker? Paranoia will lead me to a second tedding. Slow and steady.
> The rest of my fields are no ware near ready as 1st cut was just taken off 2 weeks ago.
> If I do get second cut off of them it will be late.
> I am looking for a new Tedder, you all are saying Krone, I'll take a look. Unfortunately our local Krone dealer also sells the green tractors. I've priced other stuff out there before and apparently most of their equipment is made of gold.


DS, you can't hate a guy just cause he sells the best....lol.....others are made of fools gold....


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## steverutherf

Finally finished first cut last week. We have fields ready to cut for second cut in a couple of weeks.


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## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> Is your corn that late that you are just now spraying now? Most was done 2 to 3 weeks ago here. We are past roasting ears heading for dent. We spray fungicides even in dry years, so much humidity here it looks like it rains every morning with heavy dews. Didn't last year just because we were certain yield would be very bad anyway.


Yup, that far behind. Lots of cloudy rainy days, low day time temps and cool enough at night have almost shut windows at 4am.

Usually only the seed corn guys do fungicide around here, but return on their investment is much higher.


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## haybaler101

mlappin said:


> Yup, that far behind. Lots of cloudy rainy days, low day time temps and cool enough at night have almost shut windows at 4am.
> Usually only the seed corn guys do fungicide around here, but return on their investment is much higher.


So early October frost is going to be bad then!


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## Shetland Sheepdog

"I am looking for a new Tedder, you all are saying Krone, I'll take a look. Unfortunately our local Krone dealer also sells the green tractors. I've priced other stuff out there before and apparently most of their equipment is made of gold."

Hendy Brothers?


----------



## Chessiedog

I have to say Krone again .

*Update on tractor and clutch . It's not right ,slipping just going up a hill seen at least 2 bolts loose . I'll be at the dealer in the morning *. And I not going to be to happy with them . Real temped to send it to someone else and send them the bill !


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## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> So early October frost is going to be bad then!


Corn should be fine, beans will be screwed


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## DSLinc1017

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> "I am looking for a new Tedder, you all are saying Krone, I'll take a look. Unfortunately our local Krone dealer also sells the green tractors. I've priced other stuff out there before and apparently most of their equipment is made of gold."
> 
> Hendy Brothers?


I think they now call themselves Mountains view.

Nothing against the green ones, wish I could afford one. Been there, sat down, priced them out. Did the comparison. If they were even close in price I would. In fact I grew up red, priced them out too. Bigger issue on the red ones was the closest dealer is to far.

With all that, I always love to kick some tires. Will absolutely do my home work on a new Tedder, First though is a discbine. About had it with wet hay and 1MPH with my haybine. Just baled 150 second this afternoon. Had to break open around 25 because of wet slugs. They came from uncut hay that my rake pickes up. To much waisted time! Have another 500 to go tomorrow, can't wait for those slug surprises.

Sorry for the rant, just when you think you have a great crop to put in the barn. The meter on the baler starts singing....


----------



## mlappin

DSLinc1017 said:


> I think they now call themselves Mountains view.
> 
> Nothing against the green ones, wish I could afford one. Been there, sat down, priced them out. Did the comparison. If they were even close in price I would. In fact I grew up red, priced them out too. Bigger issue on the red ones was the closest dealer is to far.
> 
> With all that, I always love to kick some tires. Will absolutely do my home work on a new Tedder, First though is a discbine. About had it with wet hay and 1MPH with my haybine. Just baled 150 second this afternoon. Had to break open around 25 because of wet slugs. They came from uncut hay that my rake pickes up. To much waisted time! Have another 500 to go tomorrow, can't wait for those slug surprises.
> 
> Sorry for the rant, just when you think you have a great crop to put in the barn. The meter on the baler starts singing....


A discbine will be a great addition to your equipment lineup. Nothing like mowing a down or rank crop, getting it all with zero plugs while watching the guy across the road fight his haybine all day.


----------



## bensbales

mlappin said:


> A discbine will be a great addition to your equipment lineup. Nothing like mowing a down or rank crop, getting it all with zero plugs while watching the guy across the road fight his haybine all day.


I agree 100% get a disk mower first. I convinced one of my hay supplyers to get a disk mower this spring and he is happy happy happy. Every field i've cut his year has been lodged, disk mower made life easyer . Still have 60 acre of first to go.


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

"Bigger issue on the red ones was the closest dealer is to far."

Champlain Valley Equipment?
also in Middlebury


----------



## JD3430

Just sold my sp haybine. Never had to use it since discbine arrived. 
Night & day difference. 
I noticed a guy running around in a sp discbine and he cut dozens of fields as a subcontractor for a lot of farmers, one very big farmer in particular. That sp is the cats meow.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> "Bigger issue on the red ones was the closest dealer is to far."Champlain Valley Equipment?also in Middlebury


Yes, Champlain Valley Equipment. Good folks,

They sell the blue colored red ones. And a lot of orange ones.


----------



## DSLinc1017

mlappin said:


> A discbine will be a great addition to your equipment lineup. Nothing like mowing a down or rank crop, getting it all with zero plugs while watching the guy across the road fight his haybine all day.


I'm the guy across the road!


----------



## Chessiedog

Was at the dealer when they opened this morning . They are going to bring a loaner tractor and pick up the other one . No I didn't go off on any one , as soon as I told the head cheese what the problem was he was on it .


----------



## Teslan

JD3430 said:


> Just sold my sp haybine. Never had to use it since discbine arrived.
> Night & day difference.
> I noticed a guy running around in a sp discbine and he cut dozens of fields as a subcontractor for a lot of farmers, one very big farmer in particular. That sp is the cats meow.


Yes they are nice. I wouldn't want anything else. What kind was it? I've often thought cutting hay for others would be the easiest custom job there is. Go cut when the owner tells you to. If it rains on it that's the owners fault. At least until you hit that buried car surrounded by weeds.


----------



## Dill

I'm starting to see the light at the end of first crop! On my last 20 acres, baling half of it today. Just got a call offering another bunch of fields. The odd thing about this year is there is more available fields than I have ever seen. Talking to another haymaking buddy about it, both of us are gun shy about grabbing more land cause we are so far behind. But on the other hand it would be great to have in a normal year.


----------



## JD3430

Teslan said:


> Yes they are nice. I wouldn't want anything else. What kind was it? I've often thought cutting hay for others would be the easiest custom job there is. Go cut when the owner tells you to. If it rains on it that's the owners fault. At least until you hit that buried car surrounded by weeds.


It was a Deere. I think a 4995????? 
I wouldn't mind cutting other people's fields, either. Especially with a SP
Would never want to bale for others, thou.


----------



## mlappin

JD3430 said:


> It was a Deere. I think a 4995?????
> I wouldn't mind cutting other people's fields, either. Especially with a SP
> Would never want to bale for others, thou.


Problem I found with cutting other peoples fields is this, what they think is a good hay field I find to be a rock strewn rough SOB that I usually end up cutting at less than half the speed I mow mine to prevent myself from being bounced right out of the cab.

They also tend to never keep the fence rows cut back either but expect you to beat the crap out of your cab trying to get right up to the tree line.

I have a select few that I cut for and I charge em dearly for it.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Dill said:


> I'm starting to see the light at the end of first crop! On my last 20 acres, baling half of it today. Just got a call offering another bunch of fields. The odd thing about this year is there is more available fields than I have ever seen. Talking to another haymaking buddy about it, both of us are gun shy about grabbing more land cause we are so far behind. But on the other hand it would be great to have in a normal year.


I'm in the same boat, still have 10 acres left of 1st left, as of today, 400 smalls of second is in the barn.

Local land owners keep knocking on my door, " would you like to hay my field". With this weather this year, I'm afraid to bite off more than I can hay (chew). Thinking to my self, take it.... Take it.... Worst case I thnk mow it down and Ted it out. Then next year....

Those dam what if's....

Oh did I mention, If I keep up at this rate I'm out of barn space.


----------



## slowzuki

Another 650 in yesterday, about 3500 left but gonna cut and leave about 1000 bales of junk. Would round it up for cattle but no round baler at the moment.


----------



## covenanthay

I haven't responded to this topic because I didn't want to sound too depressed, but that is what this year is, very depressing. The haying season started just a bit early and had some good 1st cutting alfalfa but a tornado took down half of my hay storage and the rains started coming every three days. I am still trying to bale 2nd but have trouble getting a dry window. I even purchased a round baler so I could store bales outside and keep my small squares in the little barn space I have left. I am trying to do some new seeding but even that is already ten to twelve days behind. We now have a forecast for five to six decent days so maybe things are beginning to turn around.


----------



## Tim/South

covenanthay said:


> I haven't responded to this topic because I didn't want to sound too depressed, but that is what this year is, very depressing. The haying season started just a bit early and had some good 1st cutting alfalfa but a tornado took down half of my hay storage and the rains started coming every three days. I am still trying to bale 2nd but have trouble getting a dry window. I even purchased a round baler so I could store bales outside and keep my small squares in the little barn space I have left. I am trying to do some new seeding but even that is already ten to twelve days behind. We now have a forecast for five to six decent days so maybe things are beginning to turn around.


I can see where what you have been through can leave a sour taste. The constant rain is enough of a challenge. Adding the tornado damage just compounds it.

Hopefully you will get the 5 days and can make some hay.


----------



## DSLinc1017

covenanthay said:


> I haven't responded to this topic because I didn't want to sound too depressed, but that is what this year is, very depressing. The haying season started just a bit early and had some good 1st cutting alfalfa but a tornado took down half of my hay storage and the rains started coming every three days. I am still trying to bale 2nd but have trouble getting a dry window. I even purchased a round baler so I could store bales outside and keep my small squares in the little barn space I have left. I am trying to do some new seeding but even that is already ten to twelve days behind. We now have a forecast for five to six decent days so maybe things are beginning to turn around.


You are not alone, I still have some standing 1st cut! I guess we just need to have a bad year now and then to show us how good the good years really are. Besides, if making hay was easy everyone would be doing it! It will get better, hang in there!

On a side note it would be great if you added your location into your profile for all of us to see where things are bad.


----------



## somedevildawg

DSLinc1017 said:


> You are not alone, I still have some standing 1st cut! I guess we just need to have a bad year now and then to show us how good the good years really are. Besides, if making hay was easy everyone would be doing it! It will get better, hang in there!
> 
> On a side note it would be great if you added your location into your profile for all of us to see where things are bad.


I can bet it's somewhere in the eastern half.....


----------



## DSLinc1017

somedevildawg said:


> I can bet it's somewhere in the eastern half.....


From east and south of Colorado!

Oh and north of Colorado, From what folks here are saying our brothers and sisters north of the border (great white north ( Eh). Are hosed as well


----------



## JD3430

We actually got flooding rains again today. Rt 1 closed (our major thoroughfare)
Other side roads flooded. 2 of my low lying fields 90% immersed in muddy water.
The only good I can see coming out of this is that it'll make the "good years" be a lot more appreciated.


----------



## R Ball

Yep I used to that to JD.. However this year no flooding just rains every other day. Got approx 30 acres down now and Friday is looking like rain. 
This year started out smokin and is going out cooked.
We also have a 8 acre bottom plowed up getting ready to seed. Seeding 85% og with the balance alfalfa so we can say its in there for the horse people.


----------



## slowzuki

Hoping to knock down somewhere between 35 and 100 acres tonight and tomorrow am depending on the showers that are forecast. This will wrap up 1st cut.


----------



## SixesnSevens

Had a slightly early start this year, yet just finished the last of my first cut on Aug 16, thanks to the stationary front that seemed to linger here almost all summer. Last year's first cut was finished on June 16!


----------



## DSLinc1017

A week of great weather! Baling tomorrow, only a few acres of second. Biut wait I still have 10 of first to lay down. I guess there is just more money in second, and the first that's left is now boredom hay.


----------



## slowzuki

We put up 750 today, left about 700 to rot as its all weeds. Tomorrow will be trying for 900 bales to get everything that is cut up before the rain forecast.

Once that is done there is only 750 bales to go then done.


----------



## DSLinc1017

slowzuki said:


> We put up 750 today, left about 700 to rot as its all weeds. Tomorrow will be trying for 900 bales to get everything that is cut up before the rain forecast.Once that is done there is only 750 bales to go then done.


Gettin tired of baling wood line weeds and wet hay. I've taken to raking the south wood line and weedy edges right back into the woods. It's just not worth it.


----------



## haybaler101

3rd cut Alfalfa is all done, 80 acres of 4th done, 35 acres of 2nd cut grass to bale Monday, then caught up again for 3 weeks or maybe done for the year if it doesn't rain soon.


----------



## robert23239

Hello From North Carolina,

Missed alfalfa cutting in june because of all the rain. Found a resonable priced used bale wrapper. The rest is history.

Cut one day bale next.

Got July cutting up and just finished August one, had only 3 dry days. I am sure I am using more plastic than needed. but so far they seem to be holding.

Robert


----------



## Grateful11

Robert what kind of wrapper did you get, stationary 3pt. or trailed ?


----------



## Josh in WNY

Finished up the last of the 1st cutting timothy yesterday. I was some of the worst hay I have baled in years, loaded with weeds and lodged like crazy. The fields that were mowed earlier in the year look real nice, but with the equipment needing some major work and 13 acres to get seeded into hay this week, I think I'm done for the year.

Noticed a noisy bearing and a loose bolt on the stacker wagon when I started picking up the hay yesterday. Checked the bearing and I could hardly touch it... way too hot. Squirted some chain/cable lube into it and nursed it through the few loads I had left. That will be going into the shop and having every bearing/idler between the front of the PTO and the first table replaced. Too expensive of a machine to let a simple little bearing burn it up! Wonder what else I'll find when I pull it apart.


----------



## slowzuki

Ended up at more than 1000 bales yesterday even short a few people. Had a mishap on the way home with the last hay basket though, the gate let go on one side, chained it. Part way the other side let go and the chained side pin hit the pavement. See pic.


----------



## robert23239

Hello,

It's a 3 point from ag nation. Hooked it up and it worked fine. I could stand to replace a couple hoses but not leaking now. It does a good job wrapping tight but I guess the real test is when I open one up in Dec.


----------



## hayward

127 (4x5) today on less than 20ac, wow, never before had hay so thick. It's a forty ac lease that I ve been running 14 heifers on all yr, got em penned off most of it so went over cut it fri baled it today. Impressed myself lol don't do that often. Good day, got nuf to feed them there now.


----------



## hayward

slowzuki said:


> Ended up at more than 1000 bales yesterday even short a few people. Had a mishap on the way home with the last hay basket though, the gate let go on one side, chained it. Part way the other side let go and the chained side pin hit the pavement. See pic.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg


Sounds like one of my normal days, lol! If u ain't braking somthing, u ain't doing nothing!


----------



## RockyHill

Finished 1st cut today -- have done a few acres of 2nd cut in there before it got past maturity (and those are ready again)! This was intended for small squares but that sure didn't happen. Normally fields look like they've been mowed with a lawn mower but you all know that didn't happen with these conditions. Would have finished yesterday but had two bearings lock up -- saw them while greasing/oiling before starting and caught that problem before catching roller on fire! Fast trip to town just at closing time for bearings. Have only had bearing problems a couple of times in over 10 years and very thankful there wasn't hay in the baler. Needless to say didn't finish yesterday; today a belt tore -- almost all the way through. Don't have a belt lacer so it was 'stitched' together with some high tensile wire -- had a Frankenstein look but got the job done. Then, moving rolls out of field broke the end connecting hydraulic cylinder to hay fork. Put the regular third arm on and finished moving hay out of field. So, belt needs repair, third arm cylinder repair, wait for weather to get back to 2nd cutting. Certainly 2013 will be one for the record book -- just hope it is not the first year of a trend in weather. In the 'too much info' category Shelia radioed Jeff with the beginnings of the Hallelujah Chorus when she finished raking; he said he was waiting to see her dance so not to be outdone Shelia does the 'happy dance' that our 18 month old little friend does. Don't know if there will be any energy or motivation for end of season cutting -- or with this weather, this could have been it


----------



## Teslan

I'm a week away from starting 3rd grass hay cutting. I really love this time of year. Not as much irrigation. Somewhat cooler days, but the air just feels different. LIke fall is just around the corner. Hopefully I will only have to irrigate one more time after we get the hay off for winter. The hay stays green after it's cut no matter if it rains or sometimes even snows on it. The only more difficult part is that it takes longer to dry since the days are shorter.


----------



## AndyL

Where I'm at? Waiting, waiting, waiting for the weather to get right. While the grasses grow and grow and grow beyond being good hay. Weather on tv as I peck this, is for rain. 7 days at 40-30%. Where's the sun.


----------



## Tim/South

AndyL said:


> Where I'm at? Waiting, waiting, waiting for the weather to get right. While the grasses grow and grow and grow beyond being good hay. Weather on tv as I peck this, is for rain. 7 days at 40-30%. Where's the sun.


At least you had the patience to wait. I have had hay on the ground for 6 days and 4 rains. Finally had it ready to attempt baling by this afternoon and monsoon season rolled in at 10:30 this morning. Water standing in every low spot. Will ted again in the morning if I can get in the field. Just trying to salvage what I can and feed it myself.

Finally have a nice window beginning Thursday. Will hopefully cut 25 acres, second cutting. Then 30 more acres of second cutting.

I am pondering the use in applying Ammonia Nitrate this late in the year in hopes of getting a good third cutting. I am 200 rolls short of what I need to feed myself.


----------



## slowzuki

Back into sun/rain/sun/rain pattern here. Heading out to cut more. Can't convince one of my better customers to take delivery now, they want to clean storage out to 0 before taking more hay which means I have to put it in the barn.


----------



## mlappin

Baling the last of the 2nd today, made the last 25 acres a little early so I have time to get a third off it. Starting 3rd back in the other county Friday.


----------



## bensbales

Summer finally decided to show up for the last week and a half and we took good advantage of it pushing out 11000 bales and finishing first cut, i got to bale hay 6 day in row  My labor crew got to handle hay 6 day in row  looks like chance of rain today than nice for 3 -4 day should be able get a big chunk of 2nd cut done


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## slowzuki

Got 550 bales of very nice nearly weed free Timothy baled today. Then the sky opened. The wind was so strong I couldn't get the tarps on the loads right and we were 15 drive from where I left the first load uncovered. 1/2 -1" rain in the hour I think I'll lose about 150-200 of the bales. Discouraging!


----------



## somedevildawg

slowzuki said:


> Got 550 bales of very nice nearly weed free Timothy baled today. Then the sky opened. The wind was so strong I couldn't get the tarps on the loads right and we were 15 drive from where I left the first load uncovered. 1/2 -1" rain in the hour I think I'll lose about 150-200 of the bales. Discouraging!


Wow, been there and done that one....sorry to hear bout that....with this weather this year, I went and bought 10 new 40x20 tarps and we don't leave anything untarped....sure as we do, here it comes.....discouraging is an understatement


----------



## slowzuki

I'm pretty much decided to put up a tarp building now. I could have parked my load inside, the first basket I dumped would have been inside. Saw a 30 x 96 for 4600$ the other day. I could get 6 wagons in there easily with 2 baskets on the ends and room for 5-6 feet of implements/junk on each side.


----------



## DSLinc1017

somedevildawg said:


> Wow, been there and done that one....sorry to hear bout that....with this weather this year, I went and bought 10 new 40x20 tarps and we don't leave anything untarped....sure as we do, here it comes.....discouraging is an understatement


Did the same here in the spring , and its saved a bunch of hay already. It's like carrying insurance. I had some custom ones made up that fit a wagon, Don't have a place to drive them in and some of our fields are a bit of a drive away.

It's been piece of mind, not having to unload wagons into the night because of the weather.


----------



## slowzuki

I've been eyeing used transport lumber tarps, they say 24 ft long with 4 ft or 8 ft side drops. Anyone know how waterproof they are?

Raining again now @1.25" per hour. Just great.


----------



## DSLinc1017

[quote name="slowzuki" post="106403" timestamp="1377222891"]I've been eyeing used transport lumber tarps, they say 24 ft long with 4 ft or 8 ft side drops. Anyone know how waterproof they are?

Have one for our 28' GN, ours has the flap in the front as well, leaving one side open, typically the rear. The material is hands down waterproof and 10 times better than our other silver/black. If strapped down correctly they work great. If you use the whole tarp you do end up with one end open. I've found that having the tarp shed water over the edge of the deck keeps he bottom dry.

I use the same material for stage applications in my other life, it's heavy duty material that can take a lot of stress.


----------



## DSLinc1017

slowzuki said:


> I'm pretty much decided to put up a tarp building now. I could have parked my load inside, the first basket I dumped would have been inside. Saw a 30 x 96 for 4600$ the other day. I could get 6 wagons in there easily with 2 baskets on the ends and room for 5-6 feet of implements/junk on each side.


Bought a smaller one years ago that I never put up, this fall its going up.


----------



## slowzuki

They are frequently for sale, I'll keep my eye out for a good one. Was thinking of putting a tray like the nause wagons have to leave the tarp rolled up on the wagon.



DSLinc1017 said:


> The material is hands down waterproof and 10 times better than our other silver/black.


----------



## Fowllife

I rolled up 3rd cutting early this week. Layed for 4 days but still seemed to have a little stem moisture, doesn't show any signs of heating yet so all is good so far.

This field so far is at about 4.5 tons/ac for the year & quality has been very good, which I'm pretty happy with. 4th cutting next month will put me over 5tn/ac which is my goal. I expect it to do better next year. I seeded it last year & with the drought it just didn't take well. The alfalfa came up ok, but very little grass. I frost seeded some timothy in this spring which seems to be doing real good.


----------



## DSLinc1017

slowzuki said:


> They are frequently for sale, I'll keep my eye out for a good one. Was thinking of putting a tray like the nause wagons have to leave the tarp rolled up on the wagon.


That would be slick! one of the biggest issues with covering wagons is there is no roof to shed the water, so unless you have the hay stacked up higher than the rack you end up with a huge lake in the middle, then the corners of the rack poke through the tarp. I've thought about a curved pipe structure for the top. Just like the frame on those tarp buildings. I just haven't gotten there yet. I'm sure a company like farm tek could fabricate some up. Then your nause idea would be the cats meow.


----------



## FarmerCline

I finally got to cut some hay today....knocked down 6 acres of bmr sorghum sudan that had gotten 6 foot tall, surprisingly it was not all that stemmy and still very leafy should still make some nice hay as it was still in vegative state. My haybine with stub guards really did a nice got cutting it, never plugged once and I was able to go at a nice pace of around 4mph. The only problem was when I turned around to do the outside round that I drove over...it was so tall the rollers grabbed the grass before it was cut and ran a nice hunk of soil through the rollers...sure hope it didnt have any rocks. I ended up being able to cut it by holding the machine up with the hydraulics and cutting the top off to make the stems stand back up and the going back and cutting it down. Tomorrow I have some second cut orchard fescue mix to cut and 8 acres of badly lodged teff. Now just keep my fingers crossed they don't change the weather....supposed to be clear until next Thursday.


----------



## mlappin

DSLinc1017 said:


> That would be slick! one of the biggest issues with covering wagons is there is no roof to shed the water, so unless you have the hay stacked up higher than the rack you end up with a huge lake in the middle, then the corners of the rack poke through the tarp. I've thought about a curved pipe structure for the top. Just like the frame on those tarp buildings. I just haven't gotten there yet. I'm sure a company like farm tek could fabricate some up. Then your nause idea would be the cats meow.


Get some empty plastic 55 gallon drums like roundup comes in, place those in a line on top of the wagon from front to back then place the tarp over it. Nice plastic barrels = no sharp edges to poke the tarp. I do the same on my outdoor round bale stacks as I stack 4-3-2 and if not for the barrels between the top two bales it would hold water for sure.


----------



## DSLinc1017

mlappin said:


> Get some empty plastic 55 gallon drums like roundup comes in, place those in a line on top of the wagon from front to back then place the tarp over it. Nice plastic barrels = no sharp edges to poke the tarp. I do the same on my outdoor round bale stacks as I stack 4-3-2 and if not for the barrels between the top two bales it would hold water for sure.


Great idea, thanks! The wheels are a spinning.


----------



## slowzuki

I was thinking bows like a truck or just peaking the loads.


----------



## Hayman1

FarmerCline said:


> Tomorrow I have some second cut orchard fescue mix to cut and 8 acres of badly lodged teff. Now just keep my fingers crossed they don't change the weather....supposed to be clear until next Thursday.


Famous last words-"supposed to be nice". Just back from 2 wks of rain in Alaska but the bear watching and fishing were great. So, we were supposed to have a 4-5 day nice patch of weather and I need to get back to business. So when the air turned really dry on Thurs pm down went the teff. Then Fri morning the rain started and lasted all day. Looks like the nice weather got here this am and hopefully we will get it up before Tues and more rain.


----------



## DSLinc1017

slowzuki said:


> I was thinking bows like a truck or just peaking the loads.


Yes that's the idea.


----------



## FarmerCline

When I got to the field this morning where I left the tractor and haybine last night I noticed the tractor was not where I left it last night...when I got close I saw that the push bar on my haybine was bent in almost to the reel...thankfully there was not a scratch any where else on it, this makes me made because I now have a haybine that looks practically new with a bent push bar. I got on the tractor and saw the key was still on and guess what...whoever messed with it left it running and it ran out of diesel. I never would have thought that anyone would have come to that field as it is off the beaten path and would about have to be going there for a reason.

After hauling fuel in 5 gallon cans and getting the fuel system bled I went to Ted the sorghum sudan I had cut the previous evening then went to cut more hay. Finished cutting the teff right after dark...I was surprised at how well the haybine cut the teff as it was lodged badly, I had to go a bit slower but it did a good job of lifting it and never plugged once even after the dew fell this evening. Anyone want to guess how many days the teff will take to dry?


----------



## Chessiedog

Just an update on clutch in TN95. Still not done . Spiltting it now for the 3rd time .


----------



## Hayman1

After hauling fuel in 5 gallon cans and getting the fuel system bled I went to Ted the sorghum sudan I had cut the previous evening then went to cut more hay. Finished cutting the teff right after dark...I was surprised at how well the haybine cut the teff as it was lodged badly, I had to go a bit slower but it did a good job of lifting it and never plugged once even after the dew fell this evening. Anyone want to guess how many days the teff will take to dry?

FC-Sorry to hear about that damage. I never leave my key in a tractor anywhere out of my direct sight or in my shed area for that very reason-I am more worried about damage from kids fooling around than I am about theft.

I cut my teff for third time on Thurs nite, rained all day Friday. I tedded at noon yesterday and raked it late yesterday to get it up off the ground. Third cutting was considerably lighter than the first two and it has some barnyard grass and crabgrass in it. But it feels like it should dry fine to bale tomorrow pm. Not sure if yours is 2nd or 3rd cut but it sounds like it must be thicker than mine was if it was lodging. We have a great looking weather window here starting this coming wed and lasting until labor day-don't know if you are going to get that in NC or not. I would guess you are looking at 4 days if you are actively tedding it.


----------



## bensbales

mlappin said:


> Get some empty plastic 55 gallon drums like roundup comes in, place those in a line on top of the wagon from front to back then place the tarp over it. Nice plastic barrels = no sharp edges to poke the tarp. I do the same on my outdoor round bale stacks as I stack 4-3-2 and if not for the barrels between the top two bales it would hold water for sure.





DSLinc1017 said:


> Great idea, thanks! The wheels are a spinning.


That is a great idea, if you need some barrels DSLinc let me know i know of a large supply of them.


----------



## Bob M

Hopefully we will be baling some beautiful 3rd alf/orchard mix today.


----------



## FarmerCline

Hayman1 said:


> After hauling fuel in 5 gallon cans and getting the fuel system bled I went to Ted the sorghum sudan I had cut the previous evening then went to cut more hay. Finished cutting the teff right after dark...I was surprised at how well the haybine cut the teff as it was lodged badly, I had to go a bit slower but it did a good job of lifting it and never plugged once even after the dew fell this evening. Anyone want to guess how many days the teff will take to dry?
> 
> FC-Sorry to hear about that damage. I never leave my key in a tractor anywhere out of my direct sight or in my shed area for that very reason-I am more worried about damage from kids fooling around than I am about theft.
> 
> I cut my teff for third time on Thurs nite, rained all day Friday. I tedded at noon yesterday and raked it late yesterday to get it up off the ground. Third cutting was considerably lighter than the first two and it has some barnyard grass and crabgrass in it. But it feels like it should dry fine to bale tomorrow pm. Not sure if yours is 2nd or 3rd cut but it sounds like it must be thicker than mine was if it was lodging. We have a great looking weather window here starting this coming wed and lasting until labor day-don't know if you are going to get that in NC or not. I would guess you are looking at 4 days if you are actively tedding it.


 It was 1st cutting teff as it was planted late...end of June...it really needed to be cut two weeks ago but weather would not permit and it was headed out now. After hearing all the troubles y'all had I am worried getting dry enough. It looks like we're good until Wednesday and then there showing isolated storms Thursday and Friday.


----------



## slowzuki

FINISHED 1ST CUT TODAY! Finally. I don't think there will be second cut, mama would riot after this season.

Day was a rough one, hay was supposed to come in monday but now rain forecast so into high gear after running around moving equipment back to the farm we are working at. Got tedding and was motoring. Managed to lose clip and pin, tedder came off, gilpoked and landed upside down. Me with no loader on that tractor and no chain.

We get the other tractor and get it righted but find the pto shaft got bent and won't slide together. Off to rob my parts tedder and we get everything going again. My person raking now has another time commitment and can't rake so we didn't get raking until 3:30 pm.

The "new" wagon I bought the day before just to finish off the season we find has a rotten deck. While replacing enough boards to use it we find the beams are rotten. Oh well, I guess we won't put much on it!

Get baling and the baling tractor is still having fuel problems. Changed the filter last night and it had slime in it on the clean side. Tried to get it all clean to the pump but no luck.

In all the excitement once we got baling, almost ran out of twine and did run one tractor out of fuel. Luckily I had my full barrel I had just filled that morning on the truck and we got finished.

Put in a couple of baskets and will tarp 3 wagons for delivery in September. Time to tear into the repairs I put off during the season!

The final tally isn't in but somewhere between 7000 and 8000 bales this year, 75% of it with only 2-3 people and put into a dairy mow while working full time. Need to make some changes before next year.

1) Cheap round baler for the 2000 bales/50 ton fed on our farm.
2) Finish hanging mow conveyor now we can reach.
3) Finish redecking the 8 running gears that are bare right now
4) Tarp building to park loads in and some tarps for wagons.
5) Bushhog all our fields under 1/2 acre. Waste of time, takes almost same manhours to do 50 bales on little patch as 500 in a 5 acre field.

Best changes for this season have been:
1) Fransgard Ti-4000p rotary rake - it cut our raking time in less than 1/2, it can be set to leave the wet hay the tedder missed too. Even was able to skip a tedding on a windy day.
2) Running two balers - this rocks in our climate as we rarely have more than 3-4 hours to bale.
3) Ez-trail basket for the hay going up conveyor


----------



## Josh in WNY

All the hay was done a couple weeks ago, but I finally finished my field work yesterday by seeding down 13 acres into timothy/birdsfoot. After spending all weekend on tractors fitting and seeding (and running out of sunscreen Saturday morning), I feel a bit like one of those hot dogs on the rotisserie at the mini-mart.

It feels good to have all the time sensitive stuff done, though, and to not have to run on the fields any more and cut in more ruts. Now I just have a bunch of cleaning up and repairing equipment to do for next year. Hopefully the weather will be a little nicer next summer.


----------



## slowzuki

The Tedder:


----------



## bensbales

slowzuki said:


> The Tedder:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg


I see im not alone in the upside down tedder incident lol. That happened to me while i was a teenager working for my hay "fodder" he caught me as i was trying too flip it back over, his wife toke a picture his quote was "how the hell did you do that!" with a big smile. Its a good funny memory. congrat on finishing your first


----------



## deadmoose

Sorry about your pin. Have you thought about locking ones? My brother lost a piece of equipment behind his pickup like that. Luckily no harm. Since then he bought locking pins and I am hooked on them.


----------



## deadmoose

Lockease hitch pin


----------



## slowzuki

I do run the spring pins or lynch pins, did I mention our rough ground? I wasn't tedding with my normal tractor, but a borrowed one that had a hammer strap so my normal supper short pin I have for the tedder that locks well didn't fit. The spring pin got knocked out and pin jumped partway out, enough to drop the tedder.

I really don't like running long pins. No end of trouble with them including catching rocks and bending them over so far you can't get them out!


----------



## ANewman

Slowzuki, is that a NH163 tedder? I have one in the scrap pile that was once upside down in the field. All the bolts that hold the hitch backed out on one side. It was on its last leg anyway.


----------



## Tim/South

Rolled 72 yesterday. Cut 30 acres today.

It is nice to see a week long forecast with no chance of rain. First time since Spring.


----------



## mlappin

Chances of rain here and there, only have 19 acres that can be mowed, but not critical. Not sure it would dry anyways, poured concrete today, didn't think it was ever going to set up enough to finish. Wouldn't have thought humidity would play that much a role in curing once the chemical process is started. Filled in an old tunnel in a existing grain bin, stuff outside the sheet exposed to sun and a breeze set right up, finished asap, stuff inside the bin with no sun and no wind took hours to set enough to finish. The foundation we poured for another bin set right up as well.

Changed clothes including underwear three times today, pretty sure the alfalfa wouldn't dry worth a darn.


----------



## blueridgehay

Best hay week here since last week of may. Squared around 1700 mon and Tuesday. It was 1st cuttin, but had so much undergrowth looked like 2nd once I got it baled. The hardest hay year I have ever had.


----------



## slowzuki

Hi it is a 163, I hope this one is not scrap any time soon, I've been through 2 deutz tedders that took a pile of work.



ANewman said:


> Slowzuki, is that a NH163 tedder? I have one in the scrap pile that was once upside down in the field. All the bolts that hold the hitch backed out on one side. It was on its last leg anyway.


----------



## endrow

chopping corn


----------



## haybaler101

Chopping corn about to hit full swing here. A few combines starting to run in some corn.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Where are you at in your hay season?

Running out of warm weather.

Wondering if the ground in a lower field will ever dry out. (It's been 3 months now)

Waiting for second cut to grow.

Running out of time.


----------



## somedevildawg

Just finished a 4 th cut, amended and hoping for hot weather for the next 30 days.....perfect conditions today.....small 10 acre field did 2tpa despite them damned army worms....pleased with that....


----------



## JD3430

Waiting for these weeds I sprayed to finally fall over. Standing there dead as a door nail, but they're still standing!


----------



## R Ball

Hope to get another 3rd cut this coming week on 40acres. Plan to square bale if possible.
Rain on our newly panted 7-8 acres yesterday evening. Planted 90% og. 5% fescue 5% alfalfa. Did not want to waste any seed. Fertilized it with 2 ton of triple 19 and 30 tons of lower quality lime. First time I haven't tested in a while. Now set back and see if I have grass coming thru the dirt next week. S$&@, did I say that. My wife acusses me of watching the grass grow.


----------



## Bob M

Got lucky last night we seeded 60ac of alfalfa Tuesday and got a heavy rain at home farm last night 3.5" but alfalfa was seeded at rented farm 8 miles from home farm and it only got 1.25".


----------



## somedevildawg

Bob M said:


> Got lucky last night we seeded 60ac of alfalfa Tuesday and got a heavy rain at home farm last night 3.5" but alfalfa was seeded at rented farm 8 miles from home farm and it only got 1.25".


Livin good Bob.....


----------



## Grateful11

Done except to bring in about 90 more round bales, out of storage until they get some tarps and get the hay shed added onto, handyman said it would be a couple weeks before he could get to it. He's already added on it once this year. 411 rolls in 2 weeks. Biggest window we've had all year to make hay. 724 rolls for the year. I told my wife they would not meet her goal of 700 bales, I was wrong and glad I was.

Just in time to for Fall tillage to start.


----------



## JD3430

Made 59 biscuits last night and early this afternoon. Up to 560 for the year. Have about 125 to go.


----------



## slowzuki

We are out of dry hay weather here. First frost was last week and rainy weather. Couple of guys rolled some 2nd cut sileage yesterday. Daily highs are only near room temp.


----------



## Chessiedog

The one tractor still at dealer for clutch . they have put in 3 so far . They don't have a clue i guess


----------



## mlappin

All caught up, have about 65 acres of third to finish, might be ready to cut in a week. Thought I might have got some fourth, with as dry as it has been I'm thinking it's better to not cut it and let it build up some reserves for winter since technically our cut off date is September 15th.


----------



## endrow

Grateful11 said:


> Done except to bring in about 90 more round bales, out of storage until they get some tarps and get the hay shed added onto, handyman said it would be a couple weeks before he could get to it. He's already added on it once this year. 411 rolls in 2 weeks. Biggest window we've had all year to make hay. 724 rolls for the year. I told my wife they would not meet her goal of 700 bales, I was wrong and glad I was.
> 
> Just in time to for Fall tillage to start.


 where I farm they wouldn't encourage you tooplant cover crops and skip the fall tillage


----------



## endrow

sorry for the typo they would encourage you to plan cover crops and skip the tillage


----------



## mlappin

endrow said:


> sorry for the typo they would encourage you to plan cover crops and skip the tillage


Never have been a fan of fall tillage. For years have watched the people around us fall chisel, then every once in a while we clean our section of the ditch and spread their top soil on our land.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Cut 10 acres of second, and 5 of 3rd. The second will be a good yield, I'm not sure if the third was even worth cutting. 
Now if I can just get around to getting that last 8 of first down I'll be in good shape! Not to mention another 25 of second. 
Something is telling me that I'm running out of time................


----------



## bensbales

Cut the rest of second that is in my neighborhood about 18 acres still have 15 acres 4 miles to the north of me and 30 acres 6 miles to the south. We deserve an extended Indian summer after the this wet summer!


----------



## mlappin

Have 30 acres of third to finish for sure, with all the dry may only have 25 acres of fourth worth cutting and that's iffy at best.


----------



## JD3430

Was asked to cut 8 more today. Thickest hay I've ever seen. It's in a corporate center. Also was offered 10-12 hours of bush hogging to go with it!
Bad thing is rain coming in 2-3 days.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Baling tomorrow.... Then next week is a all sun!!! I think the barn will be full after all! 
Darn,,,,, I will get to bale the first cut,and the new10 acres I picked up today.... 
I'm gona need more grease.


----------



## Hayman1

DSLinc1017 said:


> Baling tomorrow.... Then next week is a all sun!!! I think the barn will be full after all!
> Darn,,,,, I will get to bale the first cut,and the new10 acres I picked up today....
> I'm gona need more grease.


Where ya going to put that grease?


----------



## somedevildawg

I was thinkin the same thing.....I know where I need it after this year!


----------



## DSLinc1017

Hayman1 said:


> Where ya going to put that grease?


I could say where the sun don't shine. But that would be to easy. .....

Well I guess it was just that . To easy 

I should have re- read before hitting post.... Should have known y'all would have had your heads all in the wrong place.


----------



## JD3430

I think tomorrow's my last day of raking, tedding, baling. 
Was looking at a field all done today, bales scattered all over. Got kind of choked up a little. Gonna be a long time before I cut hay again. 
Love it. Love the action, the smell, the noise.....


----------



## FarmerCline

I love it too. I still have a month and a half before I take off my last field for the year but I wish the hay season wasn't winding down. It would be good for the pocketbook to have a few more thousand bales in the barn also. I could handle making hay year around I believe. I said the other day it would be nice if I had the time from when I take my last cut off until Christmas to take a break and then January 1st it would be spring with hay season around the corner and skip the dreary days of winter.


----------



## Teslan

JD and FarmerCline. You guys need to move to California or Arizona then. You would only have a month or less off.


----------



## mlappin

JD3430 said:


> I think tomorrow's my last day of raking, tedding, baling.
> Was looking at a field all done today, bales scattered all over. Got kind of choked up a little. Gonna be a long time before I cut hay again.
> Love it. Love the action, the smell, the noise.....


Nah, you miss it that much you need either one of two things or a combination of both, they are:

even worse weather or more hay to make.

Personally I'm looking forward to parking the hay equipment and getting the combines rolling. Get the crop in then a month vacation mostly in England but with time also spend in Scotland and Normandy France.


----------



## FarmerCline

Teslan said:


> JD and FarmerCline. You guys need to move to California or Arizona then. You would only have a month or less off.


 I don't think I want to move out there but a job making hay from January until March might be nice.


----------



## somedevildawg

mlappin said:


> Nah, you miss it that much you need either one of two things or a combination of both, they are:
> 
> even worse weather or more hay to make.
> Personally I'm looking forward to parking the hay equipment and getting the combines rolling. Get the crop in then a month vacation mostly in England but with time also spend in Scotland and Normandy France.


Marty you are REAL fortunate to be able to take off a month and leave the farm.....that's unheard of in the farming biz....


----------



## mlappin

somedevildawg said:


> Marty you are REAL fortunate to be able to take off a month and leave the farm.....that's unheard of in the farming biz....


Yah, a few things involved there.

1: All the crops will be in, equipment will be cleaned and put away, even the dryer will have been power washed out.

2: With everything done and the cows in the winter pastures all Dad will have to do is grind hay every third day and feed the dogs and cats.

3: After the wife's last open heart surgery (her third) her health is good enough that the specialist in Indy only wants to see her every other year now instead of yearly. While her health is good now, not sure how long that may last so we are taking advantage of it now.

4: None of her family in England is getting any younger, her oldest cousin has 13 years on us, the wife is the baby out of all the cousins. Her favorite aunt is approaching her late seventies, her favorite uncle is leaving his mid eighties and approaching the later 80's. We also need to keep on the oldest cousin to keep saving so he can retire to Spain like he wants to. Will have a nice warm place to visit in the winter in the future then.

5: We both hate traveling by car, the wife was a air force brat and when her dad was stationed out in the Colorado/Nebraska area wasn't unheard of for them to pile into the car, drive back to Indiana for the Fourth of July or another holiday, spend one day then drive back. Did I mention we both HATE traveling by car, but we don't mind traveling at all when you actually get on a plane, go three thousand miles to get there. Any extended trips in England we can get on a train, have room to get up and move around, eat or converse with other travelers.

6: Things were REALLY tight for a long time after we got married, a vacation then might be heading to the Brickyard 400 or F1 race in Indy or maybe going to the James Dean festival in Gas City or Fairmount then back home to the farm and that would be our vacation for the year, she deserves better considering the weird hours a farmer puts in.

EDIT: 7: The most deciding factor of all to make it a month instead of three weeks like last time. A month gives us the extra time to do Normandy as well as Scotland. Depending on what Obummercare is going to cost me this might be the last trip for a long time as I can't afford both in any given year.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Made some great second cut yesterday. On my last windrow decided to bale up the wet wood line to feed out....... 
That was yesterday today I get to dig out my kicker as the first wet bale got stuck. The next one just packed in behind it. 
I knew they where wet as the meter just said HI. But I had no idea they were @ 100%! That's after cut and Tedded or 4 days on the ground.


----------



## JD3430

DSLinc1017 said:


> Made some great second cut yesterday. On my last windrow decided to bale up the wet wood line to feed out.......
> That was yesterday today I get to dig out my kicker as the first wet bale got stuck. The next one just packed in behind it.
> I knew they where wet as the meter just said HI. But I had no idea they were @ 100%! That's after cut and Tedded or 4 days on the ground.


Exact same thing happened to me. Made a 1/2 dozen "hi" bales on the harvest Tec.
Just don't have the time to re-Ted, re rake anymore with the really shaded fields.


----------



## mlappin

I've found something out with those wet bales as well. The vertical TMR wagon will handle dry bales, it will handle silage bales, it does not like at all wet hay. Killed the 100hp tractor on it dead. I'm thinking the wet hay wraps up too much while the silage bales it has to chew apart more and actually cuts easier as after fermenting the fiber is degraded somewhat.


----------



## DSLinc1017

Ended up taking the bottom half of the kicker off ( all of 6 bolts ). To get the massive wet slug from the chamber. All is good, lesson learned. The only good thing from the learning experience is that the animals are in heaven with he spoilage. 
Now on to next week.... Weather looks good, Will be cutting some 35 acres mostly second, have a field of first that at this point will be hard to dry, them a new field that hasn't been cut in two years, looks good all but the bed straw that is commen in this neck of the woods ( field). 
It will be gods will if the first cut drys. As they say, only time will tell.

Oh and my spreader broke again! I guess shit happens...


----------



## FarmerCline

DSLinc1017 said:


> Ended up taking the bottom half of the kicker off ( all of 6 bolts ). To get the massive wet slug from the chamber. All is good, lesson learned. The only good thing from the learning experience is that the animals are in heaven with he spoilage.
> Now on to next week.... Weather looks good, Will be cutting some 35 acres mostly second, have a field of first that at this point will be hard to dry, them a new field that hasn't been cut in two years, looks good all but the bed straw that is commen in this neck of the woods ( field).
> It will be gods will if the first cut drys. As they say, only time will tell.
> Oh and my spreader broke again! I guess shit happens...


 Sounds like you have an opportunity to put up quite a bit more hay this year yet....I sure hope the weather stays good for you and you get it in the barn dry. What type of grass is the hay? The bedstraw you mentioned, that would not happen to the same thing that is called broomsage or broom straw down here is it?


----------



## DSLinc1017

Yes I do have too much to still put up! If it all doesn't happed it won't be the end of the world. 20 acres is second that really needs to be plowed under and started from scratch. Another field is one hat was just aquired and hasn't been cut in two years. Then another that is just a long story. 
Take in mind that most of these fields are not well taken care of and don't yield what their potential could or should be. 
Bedstraw (galium) is a good for nothing weed. It grows like crazy and likes to choke out the good stuff.
http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74154.html


----------



## FarmerCline

DSLinc1017 said:


> Yes I do have too much to still put up! If it all doesn't happed it won't be the end of the world. 20 acres is second that really needs to be plowed under and started from scratch. Another field is one hat was just aquired and hasn't been cut in two years. Then another that is just a long story.
> Take in mind that most of these fields are not well taken care of and don't yield what their potential could or should be.
> Bedstraw (galium) is a good for nothing weed. It grows like crazy and likes to choke out the good stuff.
> http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74154.html


 Ok, I know what the bedstraw you are talking about is now. Down here it is more of an early summer weed though....in fact I had a post on here about how to get rid of it this past spring.....I ended up using weedmaster before it bloomed and it did a good job of killing it.....I hate walking through a field that has that stuff and all those little balls get on your socks.


----------



## slowzuki

Smooth bedstraw up here doesn't cling, it just dominates a field and smothers anything else out over time. Given a few years without intense management it will get to 90% of the biomass in a field. Triclopyr works. 24D is useless. There is one other very expensive tripclopyr relative that works too. About 60$ per acre to spray for it up here.



FarmerCline said:


> Ok, I know what the bedstraw you are talking about is now. Down here it is more of an early summer weed though....in fact I had a post on here about how to get rid of it this past spring.....I ended up using weedmaster before it bloomed and it did a good job of killing it.....I hate walking through a field that has that stuff and all those little balls get on your socks.


----------



## DSLinc1017

FarmerCline said:


> Ok, I know what the bedstraw you are talking about is now. Down here it is more of an early summer weed though....in fact I had a post on here about how to get rid of it this past spring.....I ended up using weedmaster before it bloomed and it did a good job of killing it.....I hate walking through a field that has that stuff and all those little balls get on your socks.


Usually it's not that big of an issue, this year however its been thick in our late first cut, along with a host of other unwanted weeds particular milk weed. 
I don't have any experience with weedmaster, thanks I'll looking up.


----------



## FarmerCline

The bedstraw I had was the catchweed type like is in the link DSL provided. I found out that 2,4d didn't work on it, just made it kind of sick for a week then grew out of it. The dicamba in the weedmaster I sprayed is what did it in I think. I'm sure triclopyr would work but like you said it is expensive.


----------



## mlappin

Mowed some for the last time today, 20 acres, decided going to take a hell of a indian summer for the last ten to grow enough to even be worth it. Need to go look at another 25 in the other county to see if a fourth is worth it or not, I'm betting not since we didn't have any real rain until a few days ago from the last time I mowed it.


----------



## JD3430

Got a last minute call from a new customer to cut 6 acres of THICK crop. Dropped it this am.
I hop I can get it dry before it snows!!!


----------



## DSLinc1017

The rush is on!! making more hay now than I did all summer! Its amazing what 5 days of strait dry weather is like.


----------



## rjmoses

Mowed 30 acres of alfalfa yesterday--last cutting, then tedded it. Forecast 20% chance of rain. 1" in last 7 weeks.

Within an hour of unhooking the tedder, it rained .2". Looked the weather map---the only place it was raining within 100 miles was DIRECTLY over me!

Will someone please explain how this works?

Ralph


----------



## DSLinc1017

rjmoses said:


> Mowed 30 acres of alfalfa yesterday--last cutting, then tedded it. Forecast 20% chance of rain. 1" in last 7 weeks.
> 
> Within an hour of unhooking the tedder, it rained .2". Looked the weather map---the only place it was raining within 100 miles was DIRECTLY over me!
> 
> Will someone please explain how this works?
> 
> Ralph


It's called Murphy's law. I see him lurking around all the time.


----------



## somedevildawg

I'm in sell mode.....one more cut to do and finished for the year....sell, sell, sell


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Done for the year!  Unless I decide to bale up some low ground RCG for mulch/silt barrier! :huh:


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

I'm from the "deep" south, so my second cut was put up by August 25th...lol. Good luck to those still finishing up!


----------



## Shetland Sheepdog

Farmboy555 said:


> I'm from the "deep" south, so my second cut was put up by August 25th...lol. Good luck to those still finishing up!


Here in New Hampshire, we would shoot to be done 1st crop by the end of June, 2nd crop by the middle of August, and 3rd crop by now!

But, this year was anything but normal! We can usually start 1st crop any time after May 20th, and figure 6 to 8 weeks for re-growth. This all revolves around weather cooperating, and you all know how that works!  

One good week at the end of May, then fight showers for the month of June, and get serious about harvesting over mature hay going into July! :huh: :angry:


----------



## mlappin

Baled the last 20 of third today. Not sure if I'm even going to mess with what little of fourth cutting I may have.


----------



## Circle MC Farms LLC

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> Here in New Hampshire, we would shoot to be done 1st crop by the end of June, 2nd crop by the middle of August, and 3rd crop by now!
> 
> But, this year was anything but normal! We can usually start 1st crop any time after May 20th, and figure 6 to 8 weeks for re-growth. This all revolves around weather cooperating, and you all know how that works!
> 
> One good week at the end of May, then fight showers for the month of June, and get serious about harvesting over mature hay going into July! :huh: :angry:


Today was a drought year for us, normally my schedule runs 1st cut late april 2nd mid June and then 3rd in august if we get the rain, this year there was no early cut so it bumped everything back a month or so. Now I'm just fighting the rain trying to get stuff tilled for next year


----------



## JD3430

I'm in southeast PA and I baled my last 35 bales on Friday. 
I put baler away yesterday. Now I just have to load trucks with mushroom hay and I have about 120 bales of good stuff stored in the old barn. 
I Made about 750 4x5's @~ 850lbs this year by myself. About 320 tons. Pretty happy with that. 
Next year I want to get to 400-500 tons. Gotta acquire more land and a second barn for storage!!!!!!!


----------



## swmnhay

I should get done today with hay.

Cornstalks will be starting in a week or so.


----------



## Hayman1

swmnhay said:


> I should get done today with hay.
> 
> Cornstalks will be starting in a week or so.


SWMN-why do they bale corn stalks-just a question. Seems like they would be worth more to the producer to return to the ground for nutriens and organic matter. What are they used for there? I have seen them fed to cattle but not cleaned up well like hay.


----------



## somedevildawg

Hayman1 said:


> SWMN-why do they bale corn stalks-just a question. Seems like they would be worth more to the producer to return to the ground for nutriens and organic matter. What are they used for there? I have seen them fed to cattle but not cleaned up well like hay.


There is alot of crops that are baled....if they did the math, prolly better to leave it in the field. Peanuts are commonly baled here, high in protein, but had a friend who baled his last year and only did half of a field, one side that he didn't bale had much better looking growth the next year.


----------



## rjmoses

Done with baling--Finished last field Friday, broke a belt on my round baler on the very last bale! My fault, I had just a short strip bale, so I thought I'd make the bale a little bigger. Turns out, I made it a little too big! Ooops! (Well, that isn't exactly what I said!)

Ralph


----------



## haybaler101

Done round baling forever, just sold my round baler! Also sold hoelscher accumulator off of small square. Just have my NH 570 wire tie left to sell.


----------



## mlappin

Hayman1 said:


> SWMN-why do they bale corn stalks-just a question. Seems like they would be worth more to the producer to return to the ground for nutriens and organic matter. What are they used for there? I have seen them fed to cattle but not cleaned up well like hay.


We bale cornstalks in the fall as wet as we can, then wrap like hay. Once they ferment you would swear they came out of a bunker or silo.

Also bought a Vertical TMR wagon last December. Grind two hay bales to one stalk bale and might have to clean up any leavings once every couple of weeks. Just take those and dump em back in the mixer to be reprocessed. This is being fed in the feed ally during the summer in what used to be hte dairy barn, when feeding on the winter pastures I didn't have to clean the portable feed bunks out once. If I have any I've also mixed one dry bale of hay, one silage bale of hay and one cornstalk bale.

When baling stalks we used to run the stalk chopper over the field then rake. Used to as chopped wet stalks raked with a wheel rake don't feed at all and is a PITA. Wet stalks that we used to rake with our tandem bar rakes fed a lot better as it was roped up more, the wheel rake leaves it too fluffy.

Now we take the spreader off on the combine and made a couple of metal shields so anything coming out the back is dumped into a windrow, just bale in the same direction the combine traveled as we also run stalk stompers on the corn head.


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## JD3430

haybaler101 said:


> Done round baling forever, just sold my round baler! Also sold hoelscher accumulator off of small square. Just have my NH 570 wire tie left to sell.


Going to big squares? If. Yes, I'm gonna join you someday!!!


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## haybaler101

JD3430 said:


> Going to big squares? If. Yes, I'm gonna join you someday!!!


yes, been running all three for last six years. Going to simplify life with more acres and fewer balers! Only big squares from here on.


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## DSLinc1017

We are going on our second strait week of no rain! Finally baling up my last field of first cut and working on getting the rest of second in the barn. Was even able to get some third in of pure OG. Now the issue is simple... I'm running out of barn, I guess it's a good issue to have. Already have moved some large squares out side under tarps. Going to move more tomorrow to squeeze another 1.5k in the barn.


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## swmnhay

Hayman1 said:


> SWMN-why do they bale corn stalks-just a question. Seems like they would be worth more to the producer to return to the ground for nutriens and organic matter. What are they used for there? I have seen them fed to cattle but not cleaned up well like hay.


Mostly for bedding for cattle.

Some feed it.Maybe grind it and mix it in the ration in a feeder wagon.

Some bale it off and sell it to cattle guys.A few factors here.It could be a corn on corn situation trying to get rid of trash.It could be they have ALOT of manure applied and actually trying to suck some nutrients out of the ground.

Some is baled for cellulostic ethanol.Mostly cobs and husks that drop behind the combine.

Our ground is heavy and can be wet in spring so takeing off the trash can actualy improve yields becase the ground warms and dries up faster then.Most of the stalks are returned to the field any way as manure.

In cattle feedlot areas in around here most all of the cornstalks are baled.It would be in the millions of bales mostly LG Rd bales


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## Teslan

I found the last bale of 2013 on my farm today. It was a 4th cutting 3x3x8 bale of Teff. Here is a pic of one of them. I would have taken a picture of the actual last one, but the light was going away fast. It is greener then the pic makes it. The other 2 are from the first bale out of the baler that was loose so I cut it open. This cutting had an inch of rain 2 hours after I cut it. Then 2/10ths of an inch on Friday. Still smelled good.


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## rjmoses

Sold my IH 966 tractor yesterday. Got my NH 570 baler and EZ Trail bale baskets cleaned and ready for sale.

Made arrangements to pull another 20 acres out of hay last week and put them into row crops.

May trade my NH BR 780A in for a BR 7060 Silage Special.

Rethinking my next 5 years, primarily going back to row crops. Hay market hereabouts is hurting. (With my luck, you all watch for $2 corn, $5 beans in about 2 years).


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## DSLinc1017

Had to call a friend in with a round baler to go get 30 rounds off the field, just don't have the time for small squares. Split it 50/50, Now I have 15 rounds (10) on a GN, now what? I'm used to smalls and large squares. These round things are a pain, I'm not one for reinventing the wheel, but these things roll! Dam wheel! 
Earlier I was all about baling into be fall... Now I'm done.... Still have more to do, if I really wanted I could keep cutting. 
Please hard frost, please come. I'm ready for some snow!

In a few months I'm sure I will look back at his post and kick my self.


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## somedevildawg

DSLinc1017 said:


> Had to call a friend in with a round baler to go get 30 rounds off the field, just don't have the time for small squares. Split it 50/50, Now I have 15 rounds (10) on a GN, now what? I'm used to smalls and large squares. These round things are a pain, I'm not one for reinventing the wheel, but these things roll! Dam wheel!
> Earlier I was all about baling into be fall... Now I'm done.... Still have more to do, if I really wanted I could keep cutting.
> Please hard frost, please come. I'm ready for some snow!
> In a few months I'm sure I will look back at his post and kick my self.


I'm sure some others up there are wanting to kick you now.....


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## DSLinc1017

somedevildawg said:


> I'm sure some others up there are wanting to kick you now.....


Your right, I'm just getting spoiled. We still have two more days of sunny weather. D I really try to get the wood line hay dry? Or kick it to the woods?


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## DSLinc1017

Where are you at in your hay season?

First off, hats off to Teslan for starting this tread, it'd been fun, Thanks! 
As for me , I baled my last bale today. Not bad for being October in Vermont. The season was one of the wettest I can remember, with only a few small windows this summer to make any hay. Then the last few weeks we get almost three weeks of dry and warm sun. I made more hay in the last few weeks than all summer, granted a lot of it was late second and even some first, including a new field that hasn't been cut. In a few years that was just baled. ( I will call it horse boredom hay). Most of you will call it mulch. 
I no look forward to prepping my fields for next season, fixing and maintaining some equipment for next year. A few bearings in the baler need preventative maintenance, broke a feeding finger and have got to sharpen up my knives as well as a bit of adjusting on the plunger. Not to mention going to finally get some stub guards for my haybine as a disk mower is just not in the budget. 
Cheers to all, I hope your barn is as full as can be.


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## Teslan

DSLinc1017 said:


> Where are you at in your hay season?
> 
> First off, hats off to Teslan for starting this tread, it'd been fun, Thanks!
> As for me , I baled my last bale today. Not bad for being October in Vermont. The season was one of the wettest I can remember, with only a few small windows this summer to make any hay. Then the last few weeks we get almost three weeks of dry and warm sun. I made more hay in the last few weeks than all summer, granted a lot of it was late second and even some first, including a new field that hasn't been cut. In a few years that was just baled. ( I will call it horse boredom hay). Most of you will call it mulch.
> I no look forward to prepping my fields for next season, fixing and maintaining some equipment for next year. A few bearings in the baler need preventative maintenance, broke a feeding finger and have got to sharpen up my knives as well as a bit of adjusting on the plunger. Not to mention going to finally get some stub guards for my haybine as a disk mower is just not in the budget.
> Cheers to all, I hope your barn is as full as can be.


I never thought this thread would get this huge. Look next year for Where are you at in your hay season 2014.


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## bensbales

INDIAN SUMMER ROCKS!!! Teamed up with the neighbors ten days ago and we went to town! we covered 200+ acres of ground , 50 acres of first and 150 aces of 2nd. Some first cut was round baled the rest was chopped for bedding and we small sq all of the 2nd cut. When the last bale fell into the wagon yesterday afternoon I was duck commander happy! 2013 hay season was a real tough one but it ended perfectly now its time to get a frost so we can combine our beans( Ps If we get snow soon dslinc i will kick you! haha!). This has been a great thread glad it will be my last post on it!


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## Teslan

I'm looking out the window right now and the snow is falling. I'm glad my haying is done, but many around us have just cut their last cutting of the year. It's supposed to snow a foot 50 miles north of me in Cheyenne WY. Not supposed to accumulate here.


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## DSLinc1017

bensbales said:


> INDIAN SUMMER ROCKS!!! Teamed up with the neighbors ten days ago and we went to town! we covered 200+ acres of ground , 50 acres of first and 150 aces of 2nd. Some first cut was round baled the rest was chopped for bedding and we small sq all of the 2nd cut. When the last bale fell into the wagon yesterday afternoon I was duck commander happy! 2013 hay season was a real tough one but it ended perfectly now its time to get a frost so we can combine our beans( Ps If we get snow soon dslinc i will kick you! haha!). This has been a great thread glad it will be my last post on it!


I guess I have some spreading to do before the snow. I take it back, regardless camels hump is still bare, so we have at least 6 more weeks.


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## barnrope

Getting ready to go out and do another round of haying after this storm system passes. Some CRP that came out Oct. 1, and some alfalfa that is going to corn next year. Then on to corn stalks. If we get drying weather after November 1, we will have hundreds of acres of prevented corn planting cover crops to hay, some of it alfalfa, hay grazer and oats. Problem is November can be full blown winter around here so who knows!


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## Tim/South

Rolled some yesterday for a guy who's baler broke.

Have one small field ready to cut as soon as the gulf weather passes. Not sure if then other fields will make a third cutting or not.

Still have time before to first frost to see how they grow.


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## hillside hay

35 more acres of second to cover then trimming up and bushog the crp. Smooth out some ruts that somehow got made this year. Dropped off three loads at local auction as it was on the way to the barn.


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## DSLinc1017

Earlier I said I was done..........
Next week looks like 5 days of dry and sun... I have some 15a of second cut I was going to let go. Biggest issue I have is barn space and the wife is done with stacking smalls. 
Not to mention the baler is cleaned out and ready for winter. 
I'm sure I can pile a few more bales in the peek of the barn.....


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## FarmerCline

DSL, are the leaves beginning to change colors up your way yet? Sounds like your going to have one stuffed barn.


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## DSLinc1017

FarmerCline said:


> DSL, are the leaves beginning to change colors up your way yet? Sounds like your going to have one stuffed barn.


We are in full color here, and its a good year for it. As well its still really warm for this time of year, In the 70's. and next week still looks warm and dry. 
As far as my last field goes, it's running into all the projects that I had scheduled for the fall, like re building the north side of our barn. I still have these silly round hay things on my GN, that I'm not shure what to do with. I could stack them in the barn, BUT that leaves no room for tractor storage or work space for fixing equipment.


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## DSLinc1017

I couldn't resist.... Cut 15a of second... 
I'm not sure what's going on with the weather! I'm expecting to start seeing palm trees growing in the wood line.


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## DSLinc1017

Well... I see I'm one of the last to respond to this thread so I can only guess that hay season, for at least us northerners is about done. As I am finally too, as of today! Managed some how to get another 250 smalls of second mostly in the barn, Have one wagon that won't fit in the barn and is covered.

Oh and yes, the date is October 13th and yes it is possible to make hay in Vermont (great hay at that). This late in our season! At least this year it was.

Cheers,


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## Dill

I'm just about done, I dropped the last 8 acres of thin 2nd crop on tuesday. And it hasn't dried much. Friday, sat and today have been socked in foggy all day. Hoping the sun breaks out tomorrow and I can ted it and maybe bale if not, I'm round baling and wrapping.

There are 2 fields of nice 2nd crop in town that seem to be abandoned, I'm thinking about knocking on some doors and seeing if I can mow it. It seems like I'm usually making hay into Nov but its silage at point.


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## Tim/South

Have 18 acres on the ground. Two more 10 acre fields left. May finish this week.

Still have 90 rolls stacked on the fence line to haul home from a previous cut.

Trying to get the ryegrass drilled in the pastures and some fescue established for next Spring.

Wish the days were not getting shorter.


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## dbergh

Done for the Season!!!! Finished up baling some 4th cutting alf/grass mix this week. Prettiest hay we've ever made I think! Made about 2000 4X4's and 40K small squares for the year. Had pretty good luck overall with some rain damage to 3rd but still baled ok with a little bleach. 4th was beautiful, but not enough of it. A cool late September slowed everything way down and caused a new seeding field of blend to go dormant early. Really could of used the extra hay as demand and price continue to be very strong for the small bales going into winter here. Sitting on way too much straight alfalfa in 4X4's that is good clean green hay but doesn't test real well so buyers are thumbing there nose at it and want to cherry -pick the high test stuff and make us eat the rest. Not going to do that this early in the fall/winter though. Tarped everything up and will wait 'till the snow flies and critters are getting hungry. Buyers attitudes will change quickly, IMHO.

Some days I wonder what they think it takes to put up good hay when they come around and try to steal this stuff from us.

Going to shift more and more into smalls as we go forward. I can always sell them no matter how many we seem to put up every year. Getting tired of trying to cater to the other markets only to be snubbed form year-to-year. Exporters came in a year ago and bought all the big squares of alfalfa they could for good money, but cant even get a phone call returned this season. And they wonder why growers tend to not trust them.

Dairy guys wont touch anything unless it tests 200 RFV or better and don't want to pay up front, so they are the usual pain in the a##.

Liking my smaller customers. They always appreciate what we provide for them and are willing to pay a fair price for it.

Hoping everyone else had a good season. I know we are looking forward to parking for the winter and celebrating the Holidays (and getting some sleep!).

Feeling very blessed that we get to do what we do in spite of the long hours and frustrations with buyers etc. Not many other things in life that give us the satisfaction and feeling of accomplishment that getting through a good long hay season does.


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## JD3430

I've been done for about 4 weeks and miss it already. Broke ground on a construction job and man it SUCKS compared to hay farming. Pays a lot more, though. I like hay farming so much, I think I'm going through withdraw symptoms! 
Drove by a field today and saw a real small timer had just cut some 2' high stuff. Guess he was trying to get every last bit he can. I don't know how he's gonna get it dried down. Wetter than heck here in the mornings. Dew is like rain and its only 55 daytime highs!


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## mlappin

Parked the hay equipment weeks ago. Too busy with row crop harvest to miss making hay.

This was the first week we've actually had more than two days in a row that we could cut beans. Decent yields but only 58TW.

Corn is being a booger. Down around 23% but the stalks and upper leaves still have a lot of green and don't feed into the cross auger on the head at all. If it keeps up we are going to take the corn reel, make shorter golf clubs for it and move it back enough so it helps shove corn fodder into the cross auger. Picking at 2-3 MPH is getting ridiculous.


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## DSLinc1017

I'm done, but have been having fun watching a neighbor bale wet rained on hay last week. 25% is baled, 25% is cut with 50% still standing. The cut fields are shaved to the roots and brown, such a shame as the fields are nice stands of OG. 
The irony is all his equipment is brand new. 
Lesson learned, there is a lot more than making good hay than throwing a lot of money at new equipment.

Ok ok, yes I'm a bit jealous at all the new equipment....


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## Lewis Ranch

I have around 120 acres still to get up, 20 acres on the ground that's already got 3" on it and another 5" forecasted tonight in a bad storm. Rain in 7 of the 10 days forecasted ahead. I'm afraid we aren't gonna get any more up, the rain has came to late and I won't rut up my fields just to get a little hay out. Not a good fall for hay making here in north texas.


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## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> I have around 120 acres still to get up, 20 acres on the ground that's already got 3" on it and another 5" forecasted tonight in a bad storm. Rain in 7 of the 10 days forecasted ahead. I'm afraid we aren't gonna get any more up, the rain has came to late and I won't rut up my fields just to get a little hay out. Not a good fall for hay making here in north texas.


Hate to hear that LR....I just laid 29 acres down yesterday and for the first time in so long I can't remember we had very low humidity and daytime highs in the high 70's low 80's, did nt even really need to use the tedder this time. But with the grass hardening off, the quality is likely to suffer and the yield is about 75% so not a complete loss to have left ours, decided to square it up. At least we have decent weather for a change?...wouldn't ya know it, right at the end....like a slot machine and it's near misses....keeps ya comin back for more....


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## Lewis Ranch

If I didn't love it I wouldn't be in the business, dang sure don't do it for the money lol I did pick up a "new" to me 2011 468 silage special yesterday, looking forward to see how it does next spring.


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## rjmoses

Hay equipment cleaned, greased and stored, beans done, fields cleaned up, road banks, etc. shredded, fences made ready, arena cleaned and dusted.

Everything done that I can think of except, I want to change oil in all my tractors and Gator so I won't have to do it in the winter.

Ralph

I'm bored.


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## Fowllife

I finished up on Monday by baling up some bean stubble. Cleaned the round baler up last night & looked it over. I have one bearing to replace on the square baler then it gets stored for the winter. I still want to spread some fertalizer yet this fall though.


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## somedevildawg

Lewis Ranch said:


> If I didn't love it I wouldn't be in the business, dang sure don't do it for the money lol I did pick up a "new" to me 2011 468 silage special yesterday, looking forward to see how it does next spring.


You're gonna love that 468 silage, awesome baler, I'd say one of the best a $ can buy...


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## JD3430

I had a 648 silage special and it was a disaster, but I think I got a bad one.


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## Lewis Ranch

What was wrong with it?


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## FarmerCline

I had to take a break from working ground and seeding to bale hay. Baled about 450 and just got in from stacking in the barn. Second cut teff made 7 bales per acre....wasn't really worth raking up. This third cut orchard and fescue made some absolutely beautiful hay....smells like candy. I have one field of third cut orchard and fescue left to cut....hope to be able to cut it next week.


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## Tim/South

Lewis Ranch said:


> If I didn't love it I wouldn't be in the business, dang sure don't do it for the money lol I did pick up a "new" to me 2011 468 silage special yesterday, looking forward to see how it does next spring.





JD3430 said:


> I had a 648 silage special and it was a disaster, but I think I got a bad one.


468 and 648, different balers.


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## mlappin

Baled another 70 of stalk bales today after pulling a leaky radiator out of the semi and running it to a repair shop, was hoping to get more done but a shower came thru and not only would it not feed into the baler, wouldn't feed into the corn head either.

Really really strange year, picking 23% corn off stalks that look green enough to chop for silage.

Bean harvest has been even stranger, stalks that are dry enough to cut like normal have beans that need binned and dried while the dry beans have come off stalks that are almost too tough to even cut.


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## bensbales

mlappin said:


> Baled another 70 of stalk bales today after pulling a leaky radiator out of the semi and running it to a repair shop, was hoping to get more done but a shower came thru and not only would it not feed into the baler, wouldn't feed into the corn head either.
> 
> Really really strange year, picking 23% corn off stalks that look green enough to chop for silage.
> 
> Bean harvest has been even stranger, stalks that are dry enough to cut like normal have beans that need binned and dried while the dry beans have come off stalks that are almost too tough to even cut.


Finished my soybeans wednesday they were all 12% to13% we have had a perfect fall so far, now i just have to combine the neighbors 70 acres. Mlappin what have you been getting for a yield this year on beans? Last year we averaged 58 bu/acre this year were only getting 35 -40


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## barnrope

It's November 1. Time to start making hay on prevented plant corn acres.


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## swmnhay

barnrope said:


> It's November 1. Time to start making hay on prevented plant corn acres.


Lets hope for a Indian Summer.This fog and drizzleing rain sucks!!


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## Grateful11

Everything is pretty much done here, Oats and Barley sowed, 725 4x4 round bales for the year, momma cows are going to eat good this Winter. Only 2 more tractors to wash, keep the cows fed and waiting on 39 more calves to be born.


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## JD3430

Lewis Ranch said:


> What was wrong with it?


Nothing wrong with the mechanical parts or the metal or paint, but the electronics drove us nuts. Wouldn't make the same size bales, would randomly set off alarms, etc. we tried everything. Then my dealer made me an offer I can't refuse on a BR7060SS.


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## barnrope

Cut a little over 300 acres of oat hay "stuff" and some dead sorghum sudan . Spread it out as wide as possible. Now to see if it will dry. A big "if".


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## Willyd3588

Caught a break with 1in rain yesterday, be running crazy putting up stalk bales for people. Have done 1,000 5x6 rounds in last 2weeks


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

JD3430 said:


> I've been done for about 4 weeks and miss it already. Broke ground on a construction job and man it SUCKS compared to hay farming. Pays a lot more, though. I like hay farming so much, I think I'm going through withdraw symptoms!
> Drove by a field today and saw a real small timer had just cut some 2' high stuff. Guess he was trying to get every last bit he can. I don't know how he's gonna get it dried down. Wetter than heck here in the mornings. Dew is like rain and its only 55 daytime highs!


I hear ya JD, i'm already planning projects for the winter. I'm all sold out of hay wish I had more 2nd and 3rd cut I just got some potential buyers for small square of 2nd and 3rd cut O grass but i'm all out. I can average $6.00/small bale roughly about $300/ton. I tried planting 12 more acres mid august and it didn't go so well. So will have to wait till spring, thought I did everything right but, I think I planted it to deep. Hoping it will take off in the spring if not may have to start over. I'm looking around to buy small square for these customers to keep um around for next year but theres none to be found in small squares. Gosh I love making hay, wish I had more then 40 ac.


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## Lewis Ranch

Gonna try to lay down 80 acres of Bermuda mix tomorrow, not sure how well it's gonna dry down with highs in the upper 60's for the next week though.


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## AndyL

Lewis Ranch said:


> Gonna try to lay down 80 acres of Bermuda mix tomorrow, not sure how well it's gonna dry down with highs in the upper 60's for the next week though.


It's taking me 4 days to dry enough to bale. Baling my last cutting, I think. Unless somebody calls.


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## somedevildawg

I'm thru....thankfully........a dismal year for putting up quality hay in the southeast


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## Lewis Ranch

We havent got to cut yet, the windrower got stuck coming in the gate. The rain is killing us, came to late.


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## ForemanTX

Same here Lewis Ranch,we got 9inches couple weeks ago,I tried cutting yesterday and bogged down,just going to have to leave it,not going to dry up anytime soon...


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## FarmerCline

Finished baling the last hay of the year today. It was some 3rd cut orchard grass....only averaged 30 bales per acre but it is some extra nice hay that will bring top dollar. That makes about 8,000 bales for the year....all put up by hand. Looking forward to hay season 2014.


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## Lewis Ranch

Finally got some up ive had laid down for a while. The new baler makes a nice bale!


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## mlappin

Hay equipment blown off and stored, still have to blow baler off from baling stalks.

Have snow on the ground now. Usually first snow of the year is towards the end of October, then it gets nice after that for at least a few weeks. Not going to happen this year. More white crap tomorrow, followed by a few sunny days then rain Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Stover bales I rolled over a week ago and wrapped should be fermenting rather well now considering the extra ones I made and didn't wrap just makes the steam roll out of the vertical TMR once it begins to bust em apart.

New(er) combine finally showed up, cut as many beans in 3 1/2 days as we did all season with the old one. 40% wider head and at least a mph faster makes a huge difference by the end of the day. If it would have shown up sooner (like it was supposed to) we'd be done with beans instead of having 120 acres to go.


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## Hayman1

FarmerCline said:


> Finished baling the last hay of the year today. It was some 3rd cut orchard grass....only averaged 30 bales per acre but it is some extra nice hay that will bring top dollar. That makes about 8,000 bales for the year....all put up by hand. Looking forward to hay season 2014.


FC-you must know or do something different that we do-how do you get 30 bales to the acre on 3rd cutting? Do you topdress with N after first cutting? A lot of times we are looking at 10-20 bales tops on 2nd here. that is after 100-120 on first.


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## FarmerCline

Hayman1 said:


> FC-you must know or do something different that we do-how do you get 30 bales to the acre on 3rd cutting? Do you topdress with N after first cutting? A lot of times we are looking at 10-20 bales tops on 2nd here. that is after 100-120 on first.


 First cut went 126 bales per acre it was fertilized the first of march with 60 units of N and the needed P and K. No amendments were put on after first cut. Second cut was made the 3rd week of August and went 60 bales per acre but it did have quite a bit of crabgrass and foxtail that had not headed out yet. A different field that due to a late first cut I only got a second cut had no foxtail or crabgrass went 45 bales per acre. After second cut I put 40 units of N right before a rain. We have had a dry fall and the grass was hurting at times for water so I think it could have done better on third cut.

It seems that second cut has to be made by mid august to allow for enough time to make a cut around the end of October. Last year I only took a second cut around the first of October and the summer grasses had gone to seed and was rank and the orchard grass had quite a bit of dead growth. By taking second cut before the summer grasses had headed out the hay was much better and by taking the orchard off then it did not have much dead growth and fresh new growth then grew in the cool fall days. I did not get a huge yield advantage by making a second and third cut instead of one second cut at the end of the season but the quality of the hay was better.


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## Hayman1

Can't figure out what the difference is. I cut in late may first cutting og and got less than 100 bales per acre. then cut mid july second and got 15/ac then late sept for another 10/ac. 60units of N in march but no top dressing. Still, my second (ahead of the horse nettle going to flower) and my third are not worth the fuel used other than keeping the field clean. Late Oct cutting here is really a non-starter. I try to be blowing my baler off by Oct 1.


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## Bgriffin856

Feeding.... Woulda kept grazing some third crop but the ground is wet and 4 inches of snow on it. Opened one of the silos today that has oatlage 6 loads of second cutting and finished with corn silage. Seems a little wetter than normal but the kernels were where they shoulda been prolly has to do with the weather this year. Cool and wet till august then cool and dry. Was a tough year for making dry hay. Started in June and finished the end of September with some second cutting. Yield was good but some of the quality is lower. Wish i had made more second and third cutting. Wish i had some corn to pick.


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## somedevildawg

Bgriffin856 said:


> Feeding.... Woulda kept grazing some third crop but the ground is wet and 4 inches of snow on it. Opened one of the silos today that has oatlage 6 loads of second cutting and finished with corn silage. Seems a little wetter than normal but the kernels were where they shoulda been prolly has to do with the weather this year. Cool and wet till august then cool and dry. Was a tough year for making dry hay. Started in June and finished the end of September with some second cutting. Yield was good but some of the quality is lower. Wish i had made more second and third cutting. Wish i had some corn to pick.


Those feelings and exact analysis has been echoed all the way down the East coast this year, a very tough year indeed for putting up dry hay......batten down the hatches, looks like it's gonna be a longer winter than last year


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## Hayman1

somedevildawg said:


> Those feelings and exact analysis has been echoed all the way down the East coast this year, a very tough year indeed for putting up dry hay......batten down the hatches, looks like it's gonna be a longer winter than last year


the only thing that every hay seller likes better than every hay user is a long cold winter with lots of snow. I have hay for sale sooo, bring on the snow. Also have timothy seedlings coming so bring on some more snow!


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## whitmerlegacyfarm

Ive been all done baling since mid sept, but know im buying a few ton of round bales and rebaling them into small squares for customers. Fun stuff haha


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## haybaler101

Few guys ready to go here now on a frost cutting since we shattered the magic stopping point for alfalfa last nite. I have a little I could cut, but it is not worth hooking everything back up plus I don't have time with turkey day next Thursday.


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## mlappin

haybaler101 said:


> Few guys ready to go here now on a frost cutting since we shattered the magic stopping point for alfalfa last nite. I have a little I could cut, but it is not worth hooking everything back up plus I don't have time with turkey day next Thursday.


Ditto here, but ain't worth getting the equipment dirty again.

Been a really strange fall, we had some trees that never changed colors but got the leaves froze off last night.


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## JD3430

Just loaded 150 4x5's and sent them off to mushroom plant. Thought I was all done and got a end of day call to load 10 bales of good stuff. 
That was the last "big" shipment for me. Sure, I'll be selling 10 bales to my horse customer every 2-3 weeks, but I was kind of sad knowing that was it for the long days of loading flatbeds until next June.


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## Lewis Ranch

Finally got the 80 acres mowed down today and picked up another 160 acres of 3-4 bale an acre hay for next week.


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## Bgriffin856

Kicking myself everytime i drive by a field of second or third cutting i didn't mow and baled. I wouldn't feel so bad if it was under some snow.


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