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Hay - Second cutting

DaveNay

Klaatu barada nikto
It's about a week late. The alfalfa has started flowering already. Finally have about 5 nice days, and I cut this afternoon. Baling on Sunday.

Anything optimistic for you guys in the east, or are the fields turning into rice paddies?
 
Nothing like the smell of fresh cut alfalfa hay on a warm summer evening. That is a smell that well stay with me for the rest of my life. :thumb: How many cuttings will you get in a season? In the arid parts of the west without irrigation, two will be average. In warmer longer season areas of the west with irrigation four cuttings maybe possible.
 
mtntopper said:
Nothing like the smell of fresh cut alfalfa hay on a warm summer evening. That is a smell that well stay with me for the rest of my life. :thumb: How many cuttings will you get in a season? In the arid parts of the west without irrigation, two will be average. In warmer longer season areas of the west with irrigation four cuttings maybe possible.

The last couple years we have had three cuttings. This year, we started our first cutting earlier, plus the weather has been exceptional, so we are shooting for four cuttings.
 
I hope you do get the four cuttings as that can be that extra blessing that we all wish for and need at times in the ag business.:thumb:
 
Dave, excuse me but how many acres, and what tractor did you end up with, I can't remember. and is it going ok.
 
daedong said:
Dave, excuse me but how many acres, and what tractor did you end up with, I can't remember. and is it going ok.
10 acres, and I ended up with the Oliver 1850 gasser (petrol :D). It runs like a charm, and actually isn't all that bad on fuel consumption.

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Dave . . . did you join the HPOCA? They can tell you what color paint you need :yankchain:

My neighbor up the road just got his 2nd cutting done late last week. Bailed it over the weekend. So he is only a few days ahead of you.
 
As long as we're talkin' hay... :blahblah:

Does anyone have a going rate for the large round (1000 lb?) bails of "horse hay"? A neighbor cuts and bails the 40 acres or so of my property that is hay. He had paid the previous owner per bail. Just curious what the rate is so I don't get completely ripped off. I think he paid $20 per bail last year.

BTW he will cut and bail once per year for max volume not necessarily max nutrition.
 
Well look like we will start 2 crop They are calling for hot in the mid 90s and dry ,and with all what heat it wont grow any more , so I know what I will be doing for the next week chop chop chop :tiphat:

For hay like that if you can get $20 bucks and don't have to do any thing but count the bale do it.
Like you said your bales are baled to get max volume not necessarily max nutrition. That hay may only run 9% to12% protein , The higher the RFV in the hay the better price you will get the hay, Hay that brings $85 for that 1300# bale is most likely 140 to 150 RFV ! How most good hay is sold is per ton price , You bring in the trailer empty put the hay on and check the weight when loaded , per ton is the only way to buy:thumb:
Now it you sell then by the bale is better because the seller will give show you his great bigger & heavy bales And when it come to unload them they just ain't that big , they alway show the good and pass off the poor hay & light bales .Some hay jockys set there bales so they bale light bales, they look great at first but as they sit they start to flatten out
 
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We did finish the second cutting on Monday evening. Ended up with around 850 bales. Perfect weather, and not a drop of rain on this cutting.
 
daedong said:
Dave when and how do you pick it up?

I cut the hay on Wed evening, raked it once Sat morning, and baled it on Sunday afternoon. The baler pushes the bales up a chute and onto a towed wagon where a person is riding. They take each bale from the chute, and stack it on the wagon. When the wagon is full, it is swapped for an empty one, and the full one is pulled up to the barn to be unloaded and stacked upstairs in the barn. There is a hay elevator (more like a conveyor, but the term used is elevator) that moves the bales upstairs without having to carry them up by hand.
 
DaveNay said:
I cut the hay on Wed evening, raked it once Sat morning, and baled it on Sunday afternoon.
Why so many days before the first raking? Are you using a tedder or crimper?
 
bczoom said:
Why so many days before the first raking? Are you using a tedder or crimper?

I have a New Idea Cut/Ditioner. I can't guarantee I am doing it right, this weekend was only the second time I've ever done my own hay. :respect:
 
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