May Hay

[Does’ Leap]

We laid down 3 acres of hay today. It was mostly orchard grass and was in the pre-boot stage about 12″ high. We have 5 days of sunny weather coming up. It should make some nice hay for our milking goats if we get it to dry down. The horses were full of it after being on this spring grass for over a week. Lots of fun.

George

[Donn Hewes]

Hi George, That will be interesting to see how that turns out. Here I think the high soil moisture, and cold nights would make it very difficult to dry; but I will be interested to hear how it works out. Take some pictures! Donn

[gwpoky]

I think I am going to knock some down the next good stretch we get, it would be nice to have first crop all done before Horse Progress Days. Good Luck.

[Donn Hewes]

Sure looked like hay making weather today. My wife wants me to mow, but I am not ready – mentally.

[Does’ Leap]

Hey Donn,

Sorry no pictures, but the hay is drying nicely. I think it will be ready to bale tomorrow, but I will be at the farmer’s market all day. Kristan will probably ted once tomorrow and we will rake and bale Sunday.

George

[drafthorsey]

Nice to hear an early haying season in the northeast this year. I wondered how Oklahoma might rebound after last years smothering heat and drought. I was really concerned about weeds after last summer, and they’re here but with a little prep work in March not as bad as I feared. We’re only working 160 acres for hay and grazing. Our alfalfa field 60 acres cut two weeks ago and not the best quality or tonnage, and we started on the hay two weeks ago pausing often for a passing rain storm. We also have a lot of hay to get hauled in from the fields this week. Between work and the farm I haven’t moved any of it yet. We round bale all of our hay and use a plastic netting called “surface wrap.” It protects the hay pretty good from rain damage and this spring we need it. We used this for the last two years and it seems once the hays baled we’re pretty safe.

Some of the neighbors have been cutting wheat this month for hay after last years drought. They’ll let the wheat fields either grazed or cut for hay leaf again before spraying with a chemical “burndown” using glyphosate. I’m new to this, but the goal is also to help keep in check unwanted natural rye fescue which popped up in bunches after the wet winter. I’m guessing on fields they’ll use again as a ‘no till’ planting later this fall. This is all news to me as we run a tiny operation compared to the big boys at the local coffee shop. At least we’ve got hay, first things first …. amen.

[Does’ Leap]

We baled on Sunday and the hay looks good. We cut Thurday and tedded once that same day, 2x Friday, once Saturday, and once Sunday. We raked around noon and started baling by 2. There were some heavier bales, but most is nice and dry. I am always surprised by how long first cut takes to dry compared to second cut. I have often made the mistake of baling first cut too early b/c I overestimated how dry it is. Those stems really hold moisture.
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[Rivendell Farm]

I couldn’t resist posting some pictures of my May hay here in southern Michigan. It’s the earliest we’ve ever baled hay, started cutting May 14. Usually it’s early June before the weather cooperates and the hay is ready to cut. This year we may finish first cutting in May. Bob

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Bob and George, Nice work gentleman. I hope to start mowing tomorrow and Friday. Bob, It looks like you didn’t ted the hay. I think you had mentioned before that you don’t all ways. How did you mow it? and how many days till baling? What is the humidity like? How did the bales come out? Nice work! And thanks for the great pictures, both. I was teaching the intern to mow by clipping a pasture in front of the house. Only wiped out two potted bay plants!

[J-L]

Looks really good you guys. I will be haying here around the 15th of July. Seems like a long way off. Drought here will mean a shorter haying season.
I am amazed at how many times you have to ted your hay back east there. Sometimes I can rake in a day and a half then bale the next day out here in the dry climate we have. Down in the river bottom where the trees block the wind and the ground may be more damp it will take an extra day or two.
No tedders around here.

[Rivendell Farm]

I didn’t ted the hay, and I seldom get the time to do it, unless it gets rained on, then I have to ted to get it to dry. I mowed it with an old 489 New Holland haybine and a non-equine tractor. One time I tried just mowing and conditioning part of a field, then mowing, conditioning, and tedding another part. I couldn’t notice much difference in drying time. There are so many variables, though, that there are no absolute answers. Tedding may make a difference with more legume in the stand. Humidity was low. Ground was very dry with conditions more like you’d expect in July. It took three days of clear blue sky to dry it. That is, I cut in the morning of day one, did nothing on day two, then raked in the morning of day three, and baled in the afternoon. The round bales came out a nice green and quite dry. As Gene Logsdon says, “The answer to any question about farming is ‘It depends’.” Bob

[Donn Hewes]

Hi Bob, Interesting the difference of conditions and tools. I used a haybine for several years but don’t any more. Mowing with a sickle bar mower. I mowed about six acres of light hay on Thursday afternoon. Follow that with a few showers and tedding, then a warm muggy day of high humidity, and the hay is slowly starting to dry. Chance of showers this afternoon and I will try to rake and bale before that. Tough sledding some days.

[karl t pfister]

Hay Donn, hope you got that hay in, the good weather has continued longer than they thought here .I wish I’d mowed now except we had family and a b-day and I always find it awkward trying to farm and be social . Once we start it’s haying rules and socializing fits in when possible . Anyway hope your hay is dry and happily in the barn .

[Rivendell Farm]

Donn- Making hay can be very enjoyable or excruciatingly frustrating. The hay that takes the most time is always the worst hay. I would happily send you some of our 90 deg. plus, dry weather in exchange for even a few drops of rain. Bob

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