# What does it mean for hay to be "In Case"?



## MarkTwine

I've been around farming most of my life, but sometimes I hear things that makes me feel greener than the hay I just cut. I have heard that you should cut hay in case, rake in case, and bale in case. I have always joked, Yeah, In case it rains tomorrow! Can anyone clarify just what they are talking about hay being in "Case"? Thanks...


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## haybaler101

It is a term you will never need to know in Indiana! It was what western alfalfa producers wait for daily and we see about once per season in here. Basically, completely cured hay with enough moisture from dew or humidity added back for leaf retention. That is why they bale at night west of the Mississippi. With our high humidity, we are lucky to get stems dry enough to bale at all and leaves go from shattering to sopping wet in 30 minutes in the evening.


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## MarkTwine

Thanks for your reply Haybaler101, I have seen hay that has cured and remained green and really looked nice, but I've not had anyone show me hay in case. I am down toward the Salem area, and last night was first time in a long time I could continue baling after dark. We had little to no dew and the dust was still coming up at midnight, I baled everything we had down trying to beat todays rain.

Thanks, again!


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## somedevildawg

Welcome to haytalk marktwine......


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## Vol

You used to hear that term, "in case" a lot here when speaking about tobacco and "handing it off in case".....which basically was what Joe says about having enough dampness so as not to shatter leaves but dry enough so as not to mold when packed/baled. Practically zero tobacco raised here anymore....which is a good thing.

Regards, Mike


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## swmnhay

Vol said:


> You used to hear that term, "in case" a lot here when speaking about tobacco and "handing it off in case".....which basically was what Joe says about having enough dampness so as not to shatter leaves but dry enough so as not to mold when packed/baled. Practically zero tobacco raised here anymore....which is a good thing.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Was just watching This week in Agribussiness.They were saying more acres of tobacco in US but more large farms and less small farms.Alot of tobacco exported to China.And a lot of "dark fired" tobacco for chewing tobacco sold in US.It's use on the rise in the US.

I thought tobacco acres where way down also


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## Vol

Used to be here that every little 25 acre hillside farm had a tobacco allotment....you would have to search a multi-county region to find tobacco today. They do still grow dark fired up in KY and VA...go up I-24 thru Western KY in the early fall and you still can see a few barns smoking.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin

MarkTwine said:


> Thanks for your reply Haybaler101, I have seen hay that has cured and remained green and really looked nice, but I've not had anyone show me hay in case. I am down toward the Salem area, and last night was first time in a long time I could continue baling after dark. We had little to no dew and the dust was still coming up at midnight, I baled everything we had down trying to beat todays rain.
> 
> Thanks, again!


You must be further south. Humidity is thru the roof in Northern Indiana, water standing every where. Went to Indy yesterday, water standing at Rochester, Peru, Kokomo, Indianapolis.


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## Teslan

haybaler101 said:


> It is a term you will never need to know in Indiana! It was what western alfalfa producers wait for daily and we see about once per season in here. Basically, completely cured hay with enough moisture from dew or humidity added back for leaf retention. That is why they bale at night west of the Mississippi. With our high humidity, we are lucky to get stems dry enough to bale at all and leaves go from shattering to sopping wet in 30 minutes in the evening.


I've never heard of that term here in Colorado.


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## barnrope

I've never heard of that here either....


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