# Raking strategies



## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Do you have this problem?

I find each of my fields are a series of micro climates. As you would expect, in many of them the center of the field is sunny and dries faster. However, the edges of the fields near tree lines take forever to dry.
Have you ever cut your field, then rake the outer edges inward? Say 50-100 feet towards the center of the field to get the fresh cut forage away from the trees and into the sun?

I did this out of desperation to get my hay to dry faster because rain was just a few days away.
Of course the problem is the hay is very thick since I'm raking outer rows on top of the rows back in from the edges.

Anyone do this- rake the outer edge forage away from trees towards middle of field?


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

My fields are also surrounded by forest land - and the perimeters are shaded. I've not tried your technique yet but there may come a time...​


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Ted the outsides along the tree lines repeatedly. Better yet do some trimming to thin the tree line out and get some firewood in the process. If neither of those are feasible get some cows and feed the wet stuff to them. Better yet, once you get better established don't rent the PITA fields far as drying wise for hay.


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## T&LSkaarfarms (Dec 11, 2011)

I live in Northcentral WI and have this issue with a few fields. Depending on the mood I am in and how fast I need to bale sometimes I will mow the outside rounds of the field, (I do 6), as soon as the dew goes off. Once I am done with one of the fields I will go to another field that has the same issue and do the same. Luckily for me I only have about 3 10 acre fields that this is ever a problem so it is not that big of a deal for me to move. When I am done with the outside rounds on these fields I just work back and do the middles... I also try to mow these on the hottest days of stretch of good weather. I just bought a diskbine, but have used a NH 479 for the last 15 years. No tedder. 5 bar rake. I almost always double windrow my hay. Yes, there will be an occasional heavy bale in the wagon, but not enough for me to be concerned about... Sometimes the windrows are pretty big and I am just barely creeping along, but I try very hard to keep my stroke count around 60/minute and 12/bale. I always figure if I go a little slower with big windrows it is less bouncing around in the fields and theoretically I should be baling about the same amount of hay per hour. Plus, the bales seem to come out the best this way... I certainly work the hell out of my old NH 270. The old timers keep telling me thats how they were made to bale. Everyone else thinks I push it a little hard. Nothing ever breaks really so I will side with the old timers. haha


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I had/have the same problem in 2 of my small fields. Raking to the middle was not an option...it was all the rake would roll without clogging up just pulling thru 1 time after tedding. I did tedd a couple times, then raked to get some ground exposed to the air. When I did try to just roll the windrow over to air the bottom, I had one hell-of-a-time trying to keep the rake from clogging. I finally just gave up, let it air another day then baled later in the afternoon.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

This is the case with my 2nd biggest field (40 acres) and I don't want to lose it.
The branches aren't the only issues. Theres a river on one side and a swamp at the end of each field. They look like two fingers held up like a peace sign. The gap in the middle is woods.

I get a LOT of hay off this property. Can't really do much cutting back and it's hell to get the sides next to the woods to dry down.
The only strategy I had was to rake the hay inward so it gets more sun.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

I would think by raking the hay inward you will just keep piling the hay up and it just will never dry and even if you went threw and tedded it back out after you had it away from the edges, you would either have to much hay to ted it out properly for drying or either end up breaking stuff on the tedder. I know the feeling cause i have very odd shape fields that i've been haying. On my own property i had a small hollow dip up threw the cent of my biggest field and it always blocked the afternoon sun. So i had neighbor come down late summer and dozed them over and brought in some fill to fill the tip of the hollow in and now that's going to be my pad for a 30x40 pole barn in the spring that is much needed. This is all if works stays good threw the winter that i can afford the extra dough to build it then.

Very new to all this so maybe there is other options, but i have found that i just have to waste a little more fuel to ted the hay out multiple times. The one thing i did try on some Clover/grass hay i baled at a neighbors was raking 2 rows into one and allowing a day for the ground to dry out and then next day come in and ted it out gives plenty of room between the rows then for the hay to lay on dry ground. And then you still have room when you rake it up to flip on completly dry ground.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I hear ya. These 2 'fields' are only about 3/4 acre and 2 acre, but have LOTS of grass. Off the 3/4 acre (that has a bayhead on 2 sides, and drain on another,) I got about 115 squares off of, and the 2 acre (with swamp around 1/2 of it.) apr. 280 squares.
That was this last cut, I finished this week.
They are such a pain to work I'd like to just turn the cows in it, but get more $$ with the hay than I would with the cows.


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

For situations like these I like the traditional Tedder. One that you can turn the wheels 45º and throw the hay away from the fence row. Go around the field two times throwing the hay to the middle, each time you feel the need to use a tedder.

I have a small field that I play with. It is more of a hobby than a hay field. If I ran livestock I would fence it in for grazing. Fortunately it is square and not odd shaped. I also have three patches that are small and uneconomical to hay. The others are also odd shaped which adds to the cost of harvesting.

Small acreage hay meadows are costly to harvest for hay. All those turns eats up time and time cost.

I possibly should combine the three plots into a 9 hole par three golf course. Trouble is I do not like golf.
As it is now all but the square patch is in weeds and trees. Willow and Cotton Woods. Maybe I could plant pecan trees. Have some pecan trees on one patch. Beavers trimmed them back for me.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

maybe it's best to just leave the outer 20' band un-cut, then cut it with bush hog when I'm done? Just hate to waste that much hay.
Sure would be easier on tractor and haybine in terms of scratches & scuffs!


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## OhioHay (Jun 4, 2008)

Does it matter for the mushroom market if the hay is tough? If it doesn't, harvest the outside for the mushroom market and the inside for horses, cattle, ect. The other option is to wrap the outside part that is by the tree lines for baleage and then harvest the rest of the field dry for horses, ect. Just about all of our fields are surrounded by woods and this is a common practice for us.


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

I guess we could leave the outside several feet until the inside of the field is cleared...then would have the whole field to rake that outside 20 or so feet into to dry...just make an extra trip to the field.
And you are right, I'm not in the market to waste that much hay. I needed rounds for my cattle any way, so I round baled the outside few feet. The smaller field I would have gotten about 55 or 60 squares off of, the 2 acre I would have gotten about 60 also, but only rounded part of the outside.


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## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

JD3430 said:


> Have you ever cut your field, then rake the outer edges inward? Say 50-100 feet towards the center of the field to get the fresh cut forage away from the trees and into the sun?
> 
> Anyone do this- rake the outer edge forage away from trees towards middle of field?


I've never had much luck getting hay dry in windrows. Prefer to run a tedder over it to spread it out.

I never liked to cut too close to the treeline anyway. Pick up too much trash in the hay such as leaves and branches.


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## whitmerlegacyfarm (Aug 26, 2011)

I just picked up a NH 255 tedder/rake this morning for only $550.00 so hoping this will help me out come next year to spread the hay out wide in those areas to get it dry.


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## ANewman (Sep 20, 2012)

urednecku said:


> I guess we could leave the outside several feet until the inside of the field is cleared...then would have the whole field to rake that outside


That is what I have done to get the hay next to the tree line dry. I bale everything else first then that evening bale what didn't get the morning sun


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## Rodney R (Jun 11, 2008)

Just leave the stuff go under the trees. It's hard to do, I know, but normally the grass doesn't grow nearly as well under the trees, and you have found out how well it dries. You can always mow it come 2nd cuttting, cause it'll be dry then, and the mushrooms don't care if the hay is brown. If the branches scratch the tractor when you mow/rake/bale under those trees, then the branches are far too low, and should be another 10ft higher, or more.....

Rodney


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## MikeRF (Dec 21, 2009)

Rodney R said:


> Just leave the stuff go under the trees. It's hard to do, I know, but normally the grass doesn't grow nearly as well under the trees, and you have found out how well it dries. You can always mow it come 2nd cuttting, cause it'll be dry then, and the mushrooms don't care if the hay is brown. If the branches scratch the tractor when you mow/rake/bale under those trees, then the branches are far too low, and should be another 10ft higher, or more.....
> 
> Rodney


 Here is the answer to the low branch problem. I hate broken mirrors, scratched equipment etc.!!


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

I am constantly trimming back my trees around the field. I have a special steel crate that my help stands in while the loader tractor carries them around with a pole saw. I leave the outside rows until last just before the sun gets off of them and then bale it. The cattle get all of the outside rows of hay including what is by the roadside or ditches.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

[sub]I'm like mike bale it up and feed it myself.I don't have trees like some of you guys but maybe endrows are wetter form being driven on.Bale them up and they may carmelize some![/sub]


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Bet you could buy at least 20 or 25 Limbhogs for what the multi sawhead with the arm sells for. We have a Limbhog and love it, once you get used to it you'd be surprised how quick you can work your way down a 1/2 mile long fencerow. We have ours mounted to a rock bucket on the skid steer so you can look thru the bucket while using it. The rock bucket also doesn't pick as much dirt up when your shoving branches into a pile.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

I've always had my eye on the limb hog. I would have to mount it on my farm tractor FEL bucket. The thing I can't understand is if it would run on my 3rd function hydraulic circuit out at the FEL bucket. I currently use it to power angle my 102" snowplow. It really angles the plow quickly, so it seems like it flows a lot of fluid, but I don't know if it has the gpm to run a limb hog. I should call them....


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

6 GPM.
Not sure if that acc outlet flows that much......


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I've thought about mounting a second bracket on our FEL to get a little more height, but the tracked skid steer is so much more maneuverable.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I haven't figured a good way to address it here. Was thinking of hiring some precommercial thinning in the woods around my fields.


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