Hay Making 2021

bluebell

Member
its like alot of decisions to be made when the weather has a big part to play ? anyone seen the film the longest day, film about the D Day invasion the weather was iffy and were they to go or not, if they waited for another settled period of weather the invasion would have to be put off for a few more weeks, not alone the fact that all the soldiers and equipment had been already loaded, so the decision as we know was go ?
 
Yes, I only kept the massey a season and a half. Couldn't get on with it at all. it was an 1839, maybe the 1840's are better. Maybe I was unlucky. It just broke stuffer shear bolts for fun and was 1/2 hour each time to unblock it. I love the Welger, I just wish they still made them! I nearly bought a nice secondhand one to keep in the barn until I need to replace mine.

No more Welgar, why they were the best?
 

andybk

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Mendips Somerset
None of it is 100% ready, but I just wanted to get something in the barn as virtually out of last year's and there will be a big push when the weather does come right or we'll be doing hay, second cut haylage and combining and baling winter barley at the end of july. A week of unsettled weather is a long time at this time of year. Probed it 24 hours after baling and it's all under 10%
It's some of the best stuff i've made off these fields as we can't graze it but took a small late cut last september so there's no dead in the bottom. Sod's law the horses won't like it!
An Empty barn puts a edge on appetite for sure , coupled with high 70s clear days , bird in the hand and all that !, Mine should have been left another month ,but its good green stuff just right for the milking ewes in dec , can bulk up with wrapped rounds now and dont need the weather window like hay
 

Grassman

Member
Location
Derbyshire
. Sod's law the horses won't like it!
I did an early field last year due to the fine weather and wanting to make a start.
Was lovely stuff but horses would not touch it.
Delivered to 3 customers and they all gave up in despair and had to return it.
Then decided to try it for the sheep and they loved it.
Reseeded the field now!
 

kfpben

Member
Location
Mid Hampshire
its like alot of decisions to be made when the weather has a big part to play ? anyone seen the film the longest day, film about the D Day invasion the weather was iffy and were they to go or not, if they waited for another settled period of weather the invasion would have to be put off for a few more weeks, not alone the fact that all the soldiers and equipment had been already loaded, so the decision as we know was go ?
😂 I love the idea of comparing D Day to making a few small bales of hay.
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
😂 I love the idea of comparing D Day to making a few small bales of hay.

I can't see the fascination of hay in the UK given all the dodgy weather :scratchhead:
Never seem to see a lot of it round here and its always dry in summer, perhaps we don't have the horses the same:unsure:
Always thought a hay farm in one of the hotter US states would be nice.
 

ffukedfarmer

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
West Kent
Initially it sounds impressive but when you think about it it’s nine drivers, one on the rake, 3 balers, one packer, one loading packs in the field, 2 wagon drivers and a loader driver unloading at the other end.

I was thinking that. I did 2300 on Wednesday virtually on my own, just had my wife do 2/3 of the raking and had someone help me cart them back to the yard as the rain started earlier than forecast. All under cover by 9.30pm. Admittedly it's rare that I have to cart on the road.
 

Longlowdog

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Aberdeenshire
@kiwi pom whenever I've watched hay making in the states the produce looks great but the quantities are really poor. I'm sure I've left more cut grass in a field after topping it. Where in the states the compromise between weather and quantity would suit the tastes of someone accustomed to our volumes would require serious research.
 

robs1

Member
@kiwi pom whenever I've watched hay making in the states the produce looks great but the quantities are really poor. I'm sure I've left more cut grass in a field after topping it. Where in the states the compromise between weather and quantity would suit the tastes of someone accustomed to our volumes would require serious research.
I have seen video from the states where they use water as a very fine mist when baling as it can get too dry .
Should get some decent second cuts now lovely steady rain here to wash the fert in.
 

Cornish bob

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Cornwall
Made a start this week about 750 bales done IMG_20210615_195620.jpgIMG_20210615_195606.jpgIMG_20210615_155702.jpg
 

kiwi pom

Member
Location
canterbury NZ
@kiwi pom whenever I've watched hay making in the states the produce looks great but the quantities are really poor. I'm sure I've left more cut grass in a field after topping it. Where in the states the compromise between weather and quantity would suit the tastes of someone accustomed to our volumes would require serious research.

I worked for a silage contractor in New Mexico for a few years. The valley we were in grew a lot of Alfalfa hay and had a good reputation for it. The very best stuff tended to be small baled and left the state, next was big bales, some would be sold out of state, some would stay for the dairies and ranchers. The poorer stuff was chopped and Ag Bagged by us and sold as silage to the dairies year round.
New hay yielded quite well, the big difference to the UK being they would get 4 or 5 cuts a season. We could stretch that out to 6 cuts with chopping as the crop was only down a day at most before it was cleared and the water put back on. I think we worked on 28 days between cuts.
I think the season is even longer if you go further west. Every states different.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 80 42.3%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 66 34.9%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 15.9%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 7 3.7%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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