Anyone made any hay yet?

[Pan mixer]

Finished yesterday, it seems like we have been going for ages but it is less than 6 weeks, the first third of the hay is poor due to the weather, the rest is older grass and more difficult to convince people that it is nice, however no-one has much better about here.

As above, yields high, more bales than customers, 7 acre field we finished on had over 1000 good weight bales.

Over 2000 acres of turning - sad enough to keep a count, most of that on early grass that started out looking so nice but got worse as the days and the inaccurate weather forecasts passed.

Need a rain now.

 

[Hesstondriver]

@Pan mixer

if you ping me your address ill post you a couple of new spare parts for your lely mower I have left over from mine - they are no use to me any way

 

[onthehoof]

Finished yesterday, it seems like we have been going for ages but it is less than 6 weeks, the first third of the hay is poor due to the weather, the rest is older grass and more difficult to convince people that it is nice, however no-one has much better about here.

As above, yields high, more bales than customers, 7 acre field we finished on had over 1000 good weight bales.

View attachment 383324
Over 2000 acres of turning - sad enough to keep a count, most of that on early grass that started out looking so nice but got worse as the days and the inaccurate weather forecasts passed.

Need a rain now.

Sounds like everyone has more hay than customers, doesn't bode well for prices. Think big bale hay will be worth less than straw this year.

 

[Goweresque]

Sounds like everyone has more hay than customers, doesn't bode well for prices. Think big bale hay will be worth less than straw this year.

I think that its a case of the south and east have had a good last month weatherwise and will have made plenty, the north and west haven't had such good weather so a lot less will have been made in those areas. I'd rather have lots of hay safely in the barn than be sat with an empty barn assuming I'll be able to buy cheap hay when I need it come winter.

 

[andybk]

I think that its a case of the south and east have had a good last month weatherwise and will have made plenty, the north and west haven't had such good weather so a lot less will have been made in those areas. I'd rather have lots of hay safely in the barn than be sat with an empty barn assuming I'll be able to buy cheap hay when I need it come winter.

yes agree , we put all the early stuff straight into haylage before it got to old . and had plenty to see us through , grazed another till mid june planning on august cut of quality silage for pre lambers , made that into hay instead this week , no stalk / head and bales as green as green , but still only 20% on the meter , so that can keep till next year if need be, never a waste of space if its good quality , glad its in the barn

 

[Bones]

How long can small bales sit outside , they were baled reasonably dry on Tuesday and stooped together but plenty of rain since ,don't want to bring them in wet ,?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

No no no

 

[Grassman]

How long can small bales sit outside , they were baled reasonably dry on Tuesday and stooped together but plenty of rain since ,don't want to bring them in wet ,?

They will get even wetter tomorrow!

 

[hang-on]

We've made a right few this past couple of weeks. Got away well I think. Only thing out is wrapped haylage and last of the hay in rounds. It's under a few tarps tho.

Made a venture into small bales of haylage this year

 

[Boohoo]

Made a venture into small bales of haylage this year

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I made my first attempt at small bale haylage too. Seems to be a bit of a debate on bale size and weight. Some want a short bale around 20kg weight others want a full 3ft bale, some that I wrapped last night must've been 35 to 40kg.

 

[Boohoo]

Sounds like everyone has more hay than customers, doesn't bode well for prices. Think big bale hay will be worth less than straw this year.

I've got more customers than hay for the 2nd year in a row. Very little good hay made here this year.

 

[Pan mixer]

One customer says that her horses won't eat hay from batch 1 (two weeks in the making due to weather incidents)

A nuisance since batch 1 is the only stuff old enough to feed to hay burners at the moment and it happens to be at the front of the shed.

Two more customers have had hay analysed from batch 1 - very low sugar (no surprise to me, of course) 'Ideal for my diabetic horse' says one and 'it will stop my horse getting fat' says the other. 'We will take the lot'

Somedays you get happy surprises too.

 

[holywell farmer]

Finished yesterday, it seems like we have been going for ages but it is less than 6 weeks, the first third of the hay is poor due to the weather, the rest is older grass and more difficult to convince people that it is nice, however no-one has much better about here.

As above, yields high, more bales than customers, 7 acre field we finished on had over 1000 good weight bales.

View attachment 383324
Over 2000 acres of turning - sad enough to keep a count, most of that on early grass that started out looking so nice but got worse as the days and the inaccurate weather forecasts passed.

Need a rain now.

Good rows there

 

[Pan mixer]

Good rows there

Lely combi 600 - quite happy with it although many here hate them

 

[hang-on]

I made my first attempt at small bale haylage too. Seems to be a bit of a debate on bale size and weight. Some want a short bale around 20kg weight others want a full 3ft bale, some that I wrapped last night must've been 35 to 40kg.

We made these at about 3/4 the size of the normal ones and they're about 25kg so middle of the road kind of!

 

[Bones]

One customer says that her horses won't eat hay from batch 1 (two weeks in the making due to weather incidents)

A nuisance since batch 1 is the only stuff old enough to feed to hay burners at the moment and it happens to be at the front of the shed.

Two more customers have had hay analysed from batch 1 - very low sugar (no surprise to me, of course) 'Ideal for my diabetic horse' says one and 'it will stop my horse getting fat' says the other. 'We will take the lot'

Somedays you get happy surprises too.

How long can you fight with the weather and the hay before you have to admit defeat,?

 

[Pan mixer]

How long can you fight with the weather and the hay before you have to admit defeat,?

If you turn it every two days to stop it going mouldy too quickly - about three weeks I reckon.

 

[Goweresque]

A personal record today - mowed some margins yesterday morning, turned it 3 times today, rowed it up, baled up by 6pm. From standing grass to round bales inside 36 hours. About 60 round bales for my neighbour who asked me to make him some if I could, couldn't resist the lure of 27 degrees today, so gave it a shot, was hoping to get it by end of tomorrow before Thursdays rain, but the heat and wind today just dried it out a treat.

 

[bobk]

A personal record today - mowed some margins yesterday morning, turned it 3 times today, rowed it up, baled up by 6pm. From standing grass to round bales inside 36 hours. About 60 round bales for my neighbour who asked me to make him some if I could, couldn't resist the lure of 27 degrees today, so gave it a shot, was hoping to get it by end of tomorrow before Thursdays rain, but the heat and wind today just dried it out a treat.

Now the difficult bit... selling it all .

 

[Goweresque]

Now the difficult bit... selling it all .

Making it all is the hard bit, selling it is a doddle in comparison. My hay selling technique is based on on Kevin Costner - make it and they will come.........