# Ted, Rake and Bale - Same Day???



## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

I gather not to many folks in the more humid areas can rake the day before baling (small squares - grass hay). So it's rake and bale the same day.

Question - how many of you have to ted, rake and bale in the same day to get good dry hay in the bale?

Just curious.

Thanks!
Bill


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

We did that a lot last year with the saturated ground.


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## RockyHill (Apr 24, 2013)

Frequently ted on baling day. Depending on conditions will ted, rake to retain color overnight, ted again next day before raking/baling. A lot of work but grass small squares ain't easy.

Shelia


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## cjsr8595 (Jul 7, 2014)

I ted right behind the mower, will generally rake on the second day and bale on the third. If its thin i can make two day hay.


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

All the time any more. When I was a kid seemed like we were raking by 9:30 in the morning, any more dew does not burn off til 10 and even then underneath is still damp. So our battle plan is to have the tedder moving as soon as the top is near dry (9-9:30), hope to have rake going by 10-10:30, baler going by noon. Just run the tedder at a low rpm to get it fluffed up so air can move through not beat it to death.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Almost always Ted the day I bale. On first cutting if drying is going slow or if there was a lot of lodging I will rake at the end of the day to ensure that I get any wet slugs off the ground. Then I Ted the windrows out at 1030-11, rake at 1-2 and start baling as soon as it’s dry enough. I might not have to work that hard if I was throwing preservative on but I have never used it


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## broadriverhay (Jun 13, 2014)

I do that about all the time. That’s why I bought a 6 basket Tedder. Trying to speed things up all I can. A lot of times I ted what I’m going to bale today and then ted what I’m going to bale tomorrow. Then I rake and bale the first part. It’s a lot of work but makes for some pretty bales that aren’t zebra striped and very evenly cured.


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I ted the same day as baling if it's 2nd or 3rd cut, or second day in the case of first cut. On day 3 I rake and bale.

If it's hot and sunny for 2nd and 3rd cut I can mow and ted on Day 1, and rake and bale on Day 2.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Ted every day usually, sometimes twice. Rake runs just ahead of the baler to give maximum drying time as it doesn't dry in a windrow here.


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

Thanks for the replies - much appreciated!


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## Shetland Sheepdog (Mar 31, 2011)

The theory here is "keep it in the air"!
I will generally ted again, as soon as the hay has flattened to the ground.
The drier the hay gets, the more I slow the rotor speed.
If it looks like heavy dew, or sprinkles, coming over night, I will rake before sunset, and then ted out in the AM when top has dried.
Not uncommon to ted a cutting as many as 4 or 5 times!


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## IH 1586 (Oct 16, 2014)

Shetland Sheepdog said:


> The theory here is "keep it in the air"!
> I will generally ted again, as soon as the hay has flattened to the ground.
> The drier the hay gets, the more I slow the rotor speed.
> If it looks like heavy dew, or sprinkles, coming over night, I will rake before sunset, and then ted out in the AM when top has dried.
> Not uncommon to ted a cutting as many as 4 or 5 times!


Last year for 2nd cutting was like that. Between wet ground and small questionable windows you had to "keep the hay moving" If one of the days was perfect it was nothing to tedd 3 times.


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