Hay Crop

SouthernFarmall · Jul 30, 2011

How is the hay crop going for y'all this year? I square baled a 5.75 acre Coastal field today, and got 465 good-sized bales. Yield is down this year, but it is getting better, now that we have had some rain. I remember the days we could get 600-800 bales off that field, 4 times a year. I feel sorry for the folks in Texas, who need rain bad. We've done okay over the past month or so, but we can take some more rain. So, how are your hay fields doing?

SF

Buckeye · Jul 30, 2011

We've had so much rain that it has hurt the yield on the hay crop in Southern Ohio. I am just now finishing up first cutting. Average hay crop, I guess. We only had one week without rain, and that was the last week of May, first of June when everyone planted corn. Will have some second cutting due to the rain, just need some dry weather to bale it. Last year it didn't quit raining until the middle of August and didn't rain again until November, I think it was. Would have been glad to share some of this rain with the folks in the drought areas.

bradk · Jul 30, 2011

Cut down second crop alfalfa Thurs.Should have been 3rd crop,but the constant rain wouldn't allow cutting.

If no rain tonight(Sat) might be able to rake tomorrow and bale Mon. SE MN.

RayP(MI) · Jul 30, 2011

Due to wet weather early, work schedule in June, and an injury, I"m way behind. Hay is thick and difficult to cut with a sickle bar mower. Lots of fine grass in the under layer, which clogs even the sharpest, best set up sickle. Yields probably higher than normal, if I can just get it in. Have a flail chopper with back end removed, may have to start using that to cut with - just shoots the product out the back. Unfortunately I loose a fair amount that way, but it sure makes nice soft hay!

flying belgian · Jul 30, 2011

I just came in from raking second cutting alfalfa. So. central Mn. Will bale tomorrow if it don't rain tonight. We are in a severe thunderstorm watch right now so keep my fingers crossed. I swathed my spring wheat yesterday and that might be ready to combine tomorrow also but I will bale if I can as wheat actually threshes better if it gets rained on in the swath. Kernels swell up and then when it dries out they are looser in the head which makes it thresh easier and cleaner.

Deere Scotty · Jul 31, 2011

I dont have any hay; but I know its way down this year in central, IN. Talked to one guy at work who said picked up about 70 small bales off about 6 acres Thursday. I saw a few fields of corn that have turned an ugly brown. Good parts of the field were curled up black. It rained Friday night, & that was the first rain I have had in several weeks. About a 1/3"; but forcast calls for 90's through Thursday, & we are already at 13 straight days in the 90's. If its hits 90+ we will brake an all time record on Thursday for the most 90 degree days in a row. & one day it was 100 so not sure if that counted. We havent hit 100 since 1998!

Eldo case · Jul 31, 2011

What hay? Just came in from feeding a bale. So dry here several started feeding. Going to be a long winter.

bison · Jul 31, 2011

Still fighting to get the first cut in,30 acre in the bale(3'rain on it) 40 acre on the ground cut a week ago,rain on it every day.
230 acre still standing,getting old.
yield is average as we had little rain in may and june,and now it won't stop raining.

God hates farmers.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 31, 2011

got my first cut off early.actually baled hay before planting corn and beans cause the ground was too wet to work.2nd cut came off 2 weeks ago,nice hay but yeild was down. Now no rain forever and the 3rd cut is about 20% stand.been buying extra hay to feed now and save my barn hay for this winter. Hay prices are high for this time of yaer cause pasture is gone and pople are feeding bales now. Doug from ne Indiana

Joe(TX) · Jul 31, 2011

North central TX
Nothing to bale here. I talked to a a Man you only got 14 round bales on 50 acres. No rain, 100+ temperature for over 30 days straight. Our first days over 100 were in May.
West of here it is worse.
If you have hay, send it down here.

wolfman · Jul 31, 2011

Southwest PA second cutting good heavy on the ground. Fields too wet to be on most of the time. Still much first to be done. It's heavy, some down; considering wheel weights for the rake. Rake wants to slide & drag - no more double windrows.

Nancy Howell · Aug 1, 2011

We got 10 4x4 rounds off the coastal field in May.

Normally get 100 or so 5x4 rounds off the bahia fields, but none this year.

Might get a little more off the coastal field if we can get some rain.

Bahia fields will need several inches in the next week or so to make any hay this year, but that doesn't appear too likely at this point.

Hay Crop

SouthernFarmall

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Buckeye

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bradk

Well-known Member

RayP(MI)

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flying belgian

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Deere Scotty

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Eldo case

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bison

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Anonymous-0

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Joe(TX)

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wolfman

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Nancy Howell

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