Third Cutting of Cheyenne/Coastal Hay

Took a day off last Tuesday to cut our hay field for the last time this season.

Cut the field with "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqwqzzqOHl0">Vernon</a>" our 56 70 gas tractor and 9ft JD 350 sickle mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/John%20Deere%20Equipment/Vernon/?action=view¤t=055.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>

Even with the "cooler" temperatures, hay was ready to rake and bale on Saturday.

Raked the hay this time with "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0hiR2tO_DzY">Uncle Earl</a>" our 39B.

Shared the raking duties with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbWw1_yOHUA">Nancy</a>.

While Nancy was raking, walked back to the tractor shed and got "<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qVQV6jXLDrw">15</a>" our 53 70 gas tractor and the KRONE 125 baler.

The <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H_1_iWV9WqE">KRONE 125</a> makes 4x4 round bales.

Finished up with 16 bales of very clean horse hay.

As always enjoy the Vids , Question : on that 350, I never used one with belt drive,
Does that work like the small 4' versions that is used on garden tractors ?
I mean when you manually position cutter bar up to travel position.

I had a "Habin" for a wheel horse unlike the finger getter pitman drive the cutter blade didn't move when raising cutterbar.

Glad you enjoyed the videos.

The JD 350 is one of the later belt-driven sickle mowers.

The knife will continue to "move/cut" when you raise the cutter bar.

Only raise it 8-12 inches while cutting otherwise puts a "strain" on both the tractor and mower.

Since most of the turns are <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4Ovuhf8kjc"90^o</a> right turns, very seldom raise the cutter bar.

Disengage the live PTO when done, raise the cutter bar manually with palms open, lock the cutter bar in travel position, and then raise the mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/John%20Deere%20Equipment/Vernon/?action=view&current=027.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

thanks for the pics and video mr howell. seeing that krone baler behind the old 70 gives me some hope that w/ my older tractors i may be able to get a small round baler one of these days. is that 125 all rollers or is it a chain type baler? thanks again

Glad you liked the photo and videos.

With your older tractors, make sure you know the tractors PTO horsepower.

Determine the minimum horsepower tractor needed for the small round baler of your interest; makes it easier to shop for round balers.

The KRONE 125 is a chain drive baler with a fixed chamber.

It requires a 32 horsepower minimum tractor; this JD Model 70 is rated at 50 hp at the PTO.

Hope this helps.

THANKS for sharing the vidios and pictures .. enjoy them ...
Wondering ... you use a different tractor for each stage of cutting,raking, baling ...

Do you fill them full of gas in the spring and does that last ALL season ??

Mark

Glad you enjoy the videos and photos.

Yes, at this point we use a different tractor for each stage of harvesting the hay.

Here's the history over the last 4 years.

We originally used "Old John" Nancy's 48A to cut the grass with a JD #5 sickle mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202007/?action=view¤t=IMG_1231.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Switched over to "Easy" our 46A and #5 sickle mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202008/First%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_1523.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Next cutting the grass was too thick; #5 mower would not cut the grass and 46A quit running.

Use "Big John" our 55 70 diesel and JD 350 sickle mower as the "backup" tractor/mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202008/Second%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_0151.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

To relieve "Big John" from both cutting and baling, bought "Vernon" 56 70 gas with power steering for the mowing tractor.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202009/First%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_1475.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Vernon" is the mowing tractor.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202010/First%20Cutting%20Hay%20Field/?action=view¤t=042.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Originally used "52" our 52A as the raking tractor.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202007/?action=view¤t=IMG_1011.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"52" had transmission issues so we used several tractors just for fun.

"15" got some raking duty.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202008/First%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_1476.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Vernon" got some raking duty.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202008/Second%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_0176.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Old John" got some raking duty.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202008/Third%20Cutting/?action=view¤t=IMG_0018.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Uncle Earl" got some raking duty.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202009/The%20Long%20Hill/?action=view¤t=IMG_1604.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Sam" is the raking tractor.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202010/The%20Bottom/?action=view¤t=002.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Originally we used "Big John" as the baling tractor with the KRONE 260 baler on the Coastal/Cheyenne hay field.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202007/?action=view¤t=IMG_1250.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

"Big John" is now the baling tractor with the KRONE 260 baler on the Bahia grass hay fields.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202010/The%20Bottom/?action=view¤t=024.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

We use "15" as the baling tractor with the KRONE 125 baler on the Coastal/Cheyenne hay field.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202009/The%20Hunt%20Place/?action=view¤t=IMG_1589.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

At this point every tractor is doing what it does best, at least we think so.

I SO enjoyed your videos and explaination of the process/tractors used - Regards Mark

Nice pictures and equipment. It's good to see that vintage of equipment still in use. I sowed 60 acres of common bermuda this spring, I considered planting Cheyenne but the cost was about 3x. I've got a neighbor that has a few fields of Cheyenne and he gets 3-4 cuttings a year but he fertilizes heavy with potash in the spring and hits it with 50# of nitrogen after every cutting. How many tons per cutting do you get?

Glad you enjoyed the videos; we enjoy sharing them with folks on the YT forum.

We started four years ago with a 5 year plan for improving our hayfield.

We also continue to improve our "fleet" of old JD tractors to work around the farm.

Got a lot more <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/JamesLHowell">tractor videos</a> of some of our other tractors.

Thanks for the compliment on our equipment.

We have been very fortunate on our used tractor/equipment purchases.

No way could we afford newer equipment with our small scale "hobby" hay operation.

We figured that if the tractor/equipment still works after 25-70 years, it will out last us.

We have very little Common Bermuda in this hay field.

It grows really good in this area/climate, but does not grow as tall as the Coastal and Cheyenne.

You are exactly right about the high cost of Cheyenne seed.

We had to get on a "waiting" list several years ago and paid on average about $200 per bag.

It is very hardy and adds a different "color" mixed in with the Coastal Bermuda.

Coastal has a blue tint and the Cheyenne has a yellow tint.

Bottom line is Nancy's horses like it regardless of the color.

Really makes some pretty hay when it cures.

We fertilize once in the late Fall with 0-0-60 for root growth and maintenance.

We take soil samples in the early Spring to determine the other fertilizer ratio.

The last two fertilizer ratios were 21-7-14.

This last season we applied fertilizer after our first cutting.

It started raining 2 hours after we finished and rained for four days.

Second cutting yeilded around 42 bales, each about 500lbs, on 7.5 acres.

Our county AG agent was in shock and disbelief and came out to inspect our field.

No doubt the timing of fertilizer and rain was the key to this production.

Average production is 15-20 500+/- pound bales per cutting; best guess would be 3.5 - 5 tons per cutting.