Hay Making 2021

[som farmer]

best hay we had, came on a lorry !
but what we made ourselves, 4 and 6 stringers, we stacked 'loosely' to get the air around them, they will need moving, and stacking properly, but they certainly would have sweat, if stacked straight into the shed.
That problem, was more to do with grass growing so quickly, after mowing, it was not possible to not have some new green grass, in the bale, all in all, a shite year for hay.

 

[Pan mixer]

best hay we had, came on a lorry !
but what we made ourselves, 4 and 6 stringers, we stacked 'loosely' to get the air around them, they will need moving, and stacking properly, but they certainly would have sweat, if stacked straight into the shed.
That problem, was more to do with grass growing so quickly, after mowing, it was not possible to not have some new green grass, in the bale, all in all, a shite year for hay.

In some cases 4 or 5 weeks worth of grass growing before the 'hay' could be baled.

 

[som farmer]

In some cases 4 or 5 weeks worth of grass growing before the 'hay' could be baled.

we chickened out of the last 15 acres, weather forecast was dry, then they said wet, after cutting, so wrapped it.
The main cut was down 6/7 days, 2nd cut, it was the very fast regrowth, that we couldn't do anything about, or stop it being 'swept' into swathe.
Today, was meant to be heavy thunder showers, a few gnats flew over, but towards the coast, they really caught it, flash flooding.

 

[Fendt516profi]

we chickened out of the last 15 acres, weather forecast was dry, then they said wet, after cutting, so wrapped it.
The main cut was down 6/7 days, 2nd cut, it was the very fast regrowth, that we couldn't do anything about, or stop it being 'swept' into swathe.
Today, was meant to be heavy thunder showers, a few gnats flew over, but towards the coast, they really caught it, flash flooding.

Would a merger be better in these situations to pick the grass up and drop it in a row

 

[som farmer]

Would a merger be better in these situations to pick the grass up and drop it in a row

have to work with kit we have

 

[FG.]

Finally finished first cut tuesday.
Mon and Tues thick fog till late morning and no wind made it very challenging.
This whole season has been utterly sole destroying.
Second cut?. Its all going in plastic of different shapes, depending on quality, as ive got to get on with arable ground prep.
I'm not having a third autumn of not getting the wheat in.
Spring wheat was a total disaster this year.
It's been heartening this season, laterly, how people I know have been messaging and calling each other, some on a daily basis, offering support, seeking support
"What do you think" (in a voice of dispair) has been the most over used sentence this season.
We all know what we're doing, but 'we' seem to be struggling a lot more.

 

[Pan mixer]

Would a merger be better in these situations to pick the grass up and drop it in a row

I have looked at mergers with envy for some time, ideally I would want one that would pick a row up, turn it over and out it down again a yard away and be able to change which direction this diversion of the swath went so that I could move the whole field of swaths one way, not combining any swaths.

Mergers are hugely expensive and don't do what I want them to do, they really only rake.

 

[Fendt516profi]

I have looked at mergers with envy for some time, ideally I would want one that would pick a row up, turn it over and out it down again a yard away and be able to change which direction this diversion of the swath went so that I could move the whole field of swaths one way, not combining any swaths.

Mergers are hugely expensive and don't do what I want them to do, they really only rake.

 

[X344chap]

Its not any consolation but its been the best year for a long time for making hay in Central Scotland - big long periods of settled dry weather and a good bit of drying wind made hay a pleasure this year.

Appreciate its been very variable across the rest of the UK - but what you are seeing is what we usually get up here.

 

[FG.]

Its not any consolation but its been the best year for a long time for making hay in Central Scotland - big long periods of settled dry weather and a good bit of drying wind made hay a pleasure this year.

Appreciate its been very variable across the rest of the UK - but what you are seeing is what we usually get up here.View attachment 984615

Yeah, but we're southern sorties, not like you tough northerners

 

[FrasseSweden]

I find this thread very intresting, beacuse we all do the same crop, but in diffrent ways beacuse of were we live in the world.

I must ask did any of you use a conventional baler with a balethrower?
Beacuse here in Sweden we make hay a lot and many use conventional baler with a balethrower and that throw the bale in a wagon (balvagn in swedish) there that are a net on the bottom. And when the wagon is full you drove home and then attach the net to a winch and empty the wagon.

 

[carbonfibre farmer]

I find this thread very intresting, beacuse we all do the same crop, but in diffrent ways beacuse of were we live in the world.

I must ask did any of you use a conventional baler with a balethrower?
Beacuse here in Sweden we make hay a lot and many use conventional baler with a balethrower and that throw the bale in a wagon (balvagn in swedish) there that are a net on the bottom. And when the wagon is full you drove home and then attach the net to a winch and empty the wagon.

Not a common thing in the UK.
But seen more in the states.
And obviously Europe too.

 

[FrasseSweden]

Not a common thing in the UK.
But seen more in the states.
And obviously Europe too.

That was what i think when i read about hay on this forum. I see you in UK use some type of balestacker for small bales. I never in my life see any before i read this forum.

 

[Pan mixer]

I use a flat 8 grab on the loader, stack in 56's and then use a special trailer to pick the whole stack up and take it back to the yard where I usually let it mature a bit more before I put it in a stack.

I can pick up the whole 56 with a different grab.

Result shed full of bales, none of them touched by human hand.

 

[som farmer]

all the decent handling equipment came to late, most had gone to big bales, hay or wrapped, pity really, little bales are quite handy sometimes.

 

[FG.]

I'm a flat 8'er plus a double grab to speed the job up

 

[Pan mixer]

sledge

Flat 8 grab.

 

[Pan mixer]

I'm a flat 8'er plus a double grab to speed the job upView attachment 996416View attachment 996417

That must be a bit of a nuisance going up the road.

 

[Devil's advocate]

Is it too late to get my last 4 acre of 1st cut?

 

[FG.]

That must be a bit of a nuisance going up the road.

Haha It could be entertaining.
I chuck it on the top of a load, if on the main road.