On Sunday my dad and I were chopping bedding off a swamp we normally get every year. Normally we like ot get it off when we combine our oats so we can chop it all at once, but this year just didn't work out like that.
The swamp is owned by a developer who has apartments all around the swamp. His plan was to build in the swamp too, but the DNR put a stop to it. We have been taking the grass off it for all of a good 15 years or longer, and well before the apartments were built. We had a standing agreement with the fellow that we would cut it and bale or chop it, and if he ever needed any bales of cover hay we'd cut him a break. This past year a new gal stepped in the Apt. Manager title and tried to strong arm us into paying for it. She kept hemming and hawing, changing her mind and delaying getting back to us with an answer. Dad kept reminding her that with the swamp comes unwanted rodents and other varmints, so it would be in their best interest to let us take it.
She didn't want us to so we finally said F!#@ it and made due without. That's when my brother stepped in and stuck his nose in(where it didn't belong as he wasn't in the loop with what was going on), and donated a good $100+ in pumkins and other produce to decorate the complex with. Then her mind changed and she agreed that we could take it. The only problem was that this was in October, when we were trying to get ready to chop corn and stuff the engine back into our 1855. It was also a pretty wet and cold month to boot. We called my brother a dipsh!t for gett8ing involved and told him he probably just donated to a lost cause because we didn't expect to be abel to get in there anymore this year.
Dad tried cutting a few times, but if the haybine wasn't acting up, he was getting stuck, so he left it sit. On Saturday I heard about the forcast, and while entertaining family at our house warming party, Dad and I discussed if we thought we could get it off yet the next day. I went to church and then we bought our tree, got it in the house and in the stand, and went home to chop bedding in December.
Dad was already out cutting when I got home. I had to put the drawbar back on the 1855, as well as install the weather brake so I could stay warm out there. Our Gehl 970 is still down from busting the axel on the tandem, so we borrowed the neighbors wagons again and used our 920. I filled 2 wagons, came home and helped Dad set up the blower, and went back out to chop some more. Got off just over 4 loads (pretty good for the small swamp) and unhooked the chopper. Dad finished unloading today with a fresh 1" of snow on the ground, and brought the wagons back to the neighbor and probably even parked them where they normally go, as opposed to where they were when we went to get them.
Never chopped bedding in December before, and I hope that I never do again. Wasn't bad, just very unusual, even for a year like this. Now I gotta install the new alternator in our 1855, and et the plow out again because in addition to discussing the bedding, we decided to plow under a hay field yet this fall, instead of waiting until after 1st crop next year. We are looking at 2 really poor feilds that we were thinking about cutting 1st and turning to corn next year for late corn like we normally do, but we normally only do 5-10 acres like that. We felt 20 acres was just too big of a gamble, and the ground is still barely frozen on top, so I'll get out my plow that I had painted and put away, and start plowing. According to the forecast, I might be plowing 20" deep or more if that 8-14" of snow comes starting tomorrrow at noon....
Will try to get pictures if I'm plowing the feilds in the snow...
Donovan from Wisconsin
The swamp is owned by a developer who has apartments all around the swamp. His plan was to build in the swamp too, but the DNR put a stop to it. We have been taking the grass off it for all of a good 15 years or longer, and well before the apartments were built. We had a standing agreement with the fellow that we would cut it and bale or chop it, and if he ever needed any bales of cover hay we'd cut him a break. This past year a new gal stepped in the Apt. Manager title and tried to strong arm us into paying for it. She kept hemming and hawing, changing her mind and delaying getting back to us with an answer. Dad kept reminding her that with the swamp comes unwanted rodents and other varmints, so it would be in their best interest to let us take it.
She didn't want us to so we finally said F!#@ it and made due without. That's when my brother stepped in and stuck his nose in(where it didn't belong as he wasn't in the loop with what was going on), and donated a good $100+ in pumkins and other produce to decorate the complex with. Then her mind changed and she agreed that we could take it. The only problem was that this was in October, when we were trying to get ready to chop corn and stuff the engine back into our 1855. It was also a pretty wet and cold month to boot. We called my brother a dipsh!t for gett8ing involved and told him he probably just donated to a lost cause because we didn't expect to be abel to get in there anymore this year.
Dad tried cutting a few times, but if the haybine wasn't acting up, he was getting stuck, so he left it sit. On Saturday I heard about the forcast, and while entertaining family at our house warming party, Dad and I discussed if we thought we could get it off yet the next day. I went to church and then we bought our tree, got it in the house and in the stand, and went home to chop bedding in December.
Dad was already out cutting when I got home. I had to put the drawbar back on the 1855, as well as install the weather brake so I could stay warm out there. Our Gehl 970 is still down from busting the axel on the tandem, so we borrowed the neighbors wagons again and used our 920. I filled 2 wagons, came home and helped Dad set up the blower, and went back out to chop some more. Got off just over 4 loads (pretty good for the small swamp) and unhooked the chopper. Dad finished unloading today with a fresh 1" of snow on the ground, and brought the wagons back to the neighbor and probably even parked them where they normally go, as opposed to where they were when we went to get them.
Never chopped bedding in December before, and I hope that I never do again. Wasn't bad, just very unusual, even for a year like this. Now I gotta install the new alternator in our 1855, and et the plow out again because in addition to discussing the bedding, we decided to plow under a hay field yet this fall, instead of waiting until after 1st crop next year. We are looking at 2 really poor feilds that we were thinking about cutting 1st and turning to corn next year for late corn like we normally do, but we normally only do 5-10 acres like that. We felt 20 acres was just too big of a gamble, and the ground is still barely frozen on top, so I'll get out my plow that I had painted and put away, and start plowing. According to the forecast, I might be plowing 20" deep or more if that 8-14" of snow comes starting tomorrrow at noon....
Will try to get pictures if I'm plowing the feilds in the snow...
Donovan from Wisconsin
