Raking hay

Guy at work wants me to learn how to rake hay. Said he is tired of people not showing up when they are supposed to. He is going to teach me. Says it is not that hard.Not sure what equipment he has.

Any good tips for a 62 year old beginner.

Billy
I suggest to just listen to the owner of the rake and follow his directions. When my normal rake hand who is 78 years old(been helping me for 20 yrs) had surgery and couldn't drive a tractor I had a 65 year old man rake a few days with no problems.

Wear a seat belt so that you don't fall off the back of the tractor like I did.

Ride a few rounds,it's self explanatory. I started at about the age of 7. My kids might have been all of 10 when they started.

Talk to the guy running the baler, or better yet, run the baler yourself. I was just kind of going through the motions of raking until I got a baler and had to do that, too. If you ask the guy to give you feedback, you'll get better every field you do.

Avoid real sharp turns in your windrows because that can bind up the PTO on baler. It's OK to rake the same area twice to straighten out the rows (unless it's alfalfa or some leafy legume, then you want to minimize leaf shattering from multiple passes)

Been raking since 1956 and still learning and not always pleased with the results. I now rake back and forth throwing two together. Sometimes rake around the field and rake corners last

Rake it the way the guy running the baler wants it raked...
I generally want it raked in one continous loop from start to finish even if I lose a bit on the corners. That said.... if I'm square baling and using the accumulator then I probably want it raked in rows from one side so I don't end up dropping bale packs on the row while making a turn.
Easiest to just do what the guy wants so he doesn't want to ring your neck...

Rod

I would agree with the others, there's really nothing to it, but you do want to make the windrows per what the baler likes, so like was said, have him show you.

If there are any leafy hay crops, alfalfa or similar you do have to be cognizant of hot dry weather concerning the loss of leaf due to same, but it would seem the owner would state this and time the raking accordingly.

You obviously want to rake just prior to baling, but with enough lead time to allow the bottom to dry. Around here, if one side is left on the bottom too long, you can absorb moisture, enough to cause problems once baled, I've seen it more with 2nd cut, so in our neck of the woods you kind of pay attention to that, more so in some fields than others. May not even be a consideration where you are.

A few years back I was asked the same thing, farmer needed help with the hay and I had not raked since I was a kid. Really did not know much about tedders or disc mowers, ran both of those for him. He refreshed me on adjusting his ground driven NH side delivery rake, setting the pickup teeth, same with the tedder, it was easy.

Ironically, the first field I had done in what could be over 30 years, I tedded first, the whole thing was just covered in 1st cut evenly. Well I started on the outside of the field and made nice even windrows in this thick hay, right to the middle of the field, whereas I called the farmer, (I knew he would get a real laugh out of the question I was going to ask) and said, I'm done here, but "how do I get out?" LOL I'm right smack in the middle, done and did not want to mess up the neat uniform windrows, we used to have a M-F pto side delivery rake, so you lift and drive over, baler would still pick it up, he & I still laugh about that, I knew he liked a neat job and I wanted to make sure the work I did was right, he still laughs like heck about that, but knew anytime he asked me to work, I'd do it as close to what he wanted every time.

His son came home from the day job, went over and baled that field, with the JD 4440/NH315 baler, asked his dad who raked and said what a nice job, exactly how he wanted it done, I guess you don't forget these things. I had some photos of this, but the phone they were on got washed, I may have a few in an old camera I have not uploaded from.

He upgraded and added a Kuhn rake to his hay equipment, I never got a chance to use that one, supposed to fluff more and not intertwine as much like a side delivery does.

The only confusing thing for me was and its really nothing was combining 2nd cut windrows into one, with a single side delivery rake, in that case you drive and rake one way, then the opposite, I made it more confusing on myself, but still got good reviews, farmers brother rakes, his son on the baler does not like how he does it, me I'm good, so when raking, you aim to please the baler LOL !!

Just get on the tractor and start driving. 'Might want to look back once in a while. The baler guy will tell you of any "mistakes" you're making. It ain't hard. Only hard part is listening to the baler guy yell a few times.

Depends on several things, type and amount of hay, type and size of hay rake, and the field.

I started out raking for my dad back in 1966....and to this day raking hay is one of my favorite chores. It does take some forethought and planning as you rake....so you do not end up raked into a corner.

But like the others have said, do it the way the balerman wants it raked....and he can bale you out of trouble on the ends if you are both working together at the same time.

Here I have finished up the field and headed for the gate on my last pass....

It is pretty easy for a square field, gets more complicated if the field is odd shaped. Have the guy that is going to bale it ride with you the first time.

He will yell a lot less at you come baling time that way.

Rake it and imagine you are running the baler. If you get into a pinch, it's worse for the baler! Don't make the corners too tight.
Larry NEIL

(quoted from post at 05:09:01 09/27/12)
Any good tips for a 62 year old beginner.

Click to expand...

Actually pretty easy...... Should get the hang of it quick enough... May wanna wear gloves tho

:roll:

On small fields, it's easy. Just follow the windrow work your way from the outside in same as the mower.

If he wants doubles, you skip a windrow, then rake the same one twice.

Triples, skip two, rake the same one three times.

On larger fields you need to learn to read the grain of the stubble. The field is split into smaller sections to minimize the amount of empty running on headlands when mowing the up-and-down rows.

There's light stubble and dark stubble. Only drive on the light stubble if you can help it.

The light stubble indicates that the hay was cut in that direction. It's laid down and you're looking at the light shining off the sides of the stems.

Dark stubble indicates you're looking down on the tops of the stems. If you drive down dark stubble it will tend to catch some of the hay as you rake, and you'll end up leaving some on the ground.

When you get to the other end of the field, you'll see that the stubble behind you is now dark, and the dark stubble on the other side is now light.

Rake it early in the morning or late in the evening while there is dew on it. You will do less damage to the hay.

When I was 8 years old, was raking a 15 acre patch with a coupe of terrace and just finished when a strong wind come up and tore up the windrows. All dad said was get your a?? back on that tractor and rake it again. Now that ain't no fun for a 8 year old with a side delivery rake. Always heard over and over, no big bunches, will plug the baler.

Thanks for all the tips guys. I work with the guy and he is pretty easy going. May not be when I get through.But he has given me some pointers to start out with. Rake the outside first and make room for the bailer to get through. Raise the rake before you make a turn. Take it slow until you get used to it.Watch for dips and holes. I am sure I will be back with more questions. My first class starts Monday if it doesn't rain. The field is pretty flat and no trees in it. At least the field where my school will be.

Sure hope I don't screw this up.

As James B. says. RUN THE BALER FIRST. You will do a whole lot better job of raking.

Follow the mower swaths.

Be sure and take a lot of thoughts with you. Once you get comfortable with what your doing, you can get a lot of thinking done.

That almost looks too good to bale.

That is about the only raking I know how to do.

JD I hope I can get mine to look even half that good.