I NEED ADVICE ON HAYMAKING PLEASE !🙈

[Little Karoo]

Hello Everyone.
Clueless Farmers daughter here again, who doesn't want to trouble my poorly old Father.
Had quotes of 2.5 - 4k to make 12 acres of hay.
Thinking of trying ourselves, particularly as we maybe getting a further 20 acres next year. Can anyone advise what are the best old machines. Remember Dad having a New Holland Baler and a red /yellow Haybob. Already bought a Ford 4000 Tractor.
Any help greatly appreciated

 

[icanshootwell]

Is it 12 a field or 12 paddocks, can make a difference when your being quoted.
I would get a contractor to mow it, should cost no more than a few hundred. You have a hay bob, so 3 times over should do it if the weather holds out. Get some cider in and the neighbours should flock over to help you get them in.

 

[M-J-G]

Can you deal with round bales?

I'd get someone else to mow, Row up and bale it if possible, but I would stay in control of tedding it.

 

[Flatlander]

As said above get some one else to cut it. The hay bob will ted it out and row up. Run the pto slower so not to beat the leaves off. Nothing worse that hay that looks like it’s been cut with a flail mower. If a neighbour can bale it let them, lot less stress than buying a baler and finding out the knitters aren’t tying. Once you feel more confident about the whole hay making process find a decent baler and keep the friendly neighbour as a backup.

 

[Dry Rot]

As above. Get someone to mow it. The best time to mow is before a fine spell is forecast and when the grass is in flower. You'll know this when the pollen blows off the grass heads. That's when protein production is maximum, so best for livestock production. If you want bulk, wait until the seeds heads are formed but protein will be lower.

Spread your hay with the haybob (different setting of the tines) and row up before rain or before the dew rises (reset the times for this). Move the row onto dry ground after it has dried out in the morning and spread when it is drying. Hay making is more art than science. Sometimes it dries sufficienty in the row and all you need do is turn the row.

Get a contractor or neighbour to bale it when it's "fit". I carefully examine stalks of grass to make sure the nodes are quite dry. You can crack them open with a thumb nail. Round bales are best unless you have the help and equipment to handle small bales. If you haven't got equipment to handle round bales, get a bale spike for the 3 point linkage (basic) or a tractor with a fore loader (best). Stacking round bales in the shed is best left to the experienced.

I cut about 12 acres of hay in the Highlands every year and so far haven't lost a crop in 40 years. Down south, it ought not to be difficult. And that £2.5 - £4K will get you all the equipment you'll need to get started. Haybob ("new" this year) £700, 4 rotor Stabilo tedder £1,000, KM22 mower £750, etc.

 

[Exfarmer]

As above mowers and hay bobs are common sense really , but balers you are entering the dark arts if you buy an old small baler. A good one can give you years of trouble free baling, a bad one will give you years of grief.
The only problem is getting someone to come in when the crop is fit to bale. If there is any doubt about the state of fitness at baling, do not stack it in a barn as that is inviting fire! Round bales can sit outside and take very little harm for quite a while.
If you are baling in small square it isa best to let them stay outside for a few days but at least stacked in 8's or more possibly bigger heaps with a cover

 

[Pennine Ploughing]

Hello Everyone.
Clueless Farmers daughter here again, who doesn't want to trouble my poorly old Father.
Had quotes of 2.5 - 4k to make 12 acres of hay.
Thinking of trying ourselves, particularly as we maybe getting a further 20 acres next year. Can anyone advise what are the best old machines. Remember Dad having a New Holland Baler and a red /yellow Haybob. Already bought a Ford 4000 Tractor.
Any help greatly appreciated

Oh bugger the hay, what you doing next weekend ?

 

[curlietailz]

What part of the country are you in. Someone local to you may be on here and willing to pop round to see your field and offer advice on the best contractors to use etc etc

failing that. Why don’t you go round your own neighbours and ask them for advice. You might get lucky and find someone willing to do it for you

the year my husband died my lovely lovely neighbour came and ploughed 350 acres for me coz I was bereft and flapping about.
I’ll never forget the kindness shown by my own neighbours in my hour of need

 

[Derrick Hughes]

You are asking the impossible unless one of the 10% who can make hay in this country happen to read this [emoji23]

 

[Alchad]

See if one of your neighbours is interested in making the hay for you on a 50 50 split basis, you get half and he gets half for his time/trouble.

Alchad

 

[Breakthru]

Hay will get rain at least once. Cut it in the rain when it gets the least damage. Your next four days tedding and baling. Round bales with wrap will keep if rained on. Large and small square bales have exactly the same percentage penetration of water if rained upon.

 

[betweenthelines]

Get a local farmer to do it for a share (half?) of the crop.

No cash outlay and they will make it as good as they can

 

[oakleaf]

The guy who quoted you 4k to do 12 acres of hay REALLY does not want the job!

 

[Flat 10]

Buy big bale hay for sub £100/t delivered?

 

[Goweresque]

The guy who quoted you 4k to do 12 acres of hay REALLY does not want the job!

It does look a bit like that, but not necessarily, it could be about opportunity cost. If you have hay to make of your own, whats 12 acres worth? Lets say 1000 small bales. Close to London thats going to be £5/bale all day. So a period of good weather that it takes to make 12 acres is effectively worth £5k to you. Given time for hay making is limited by the weather and season, why spend the time making someone else's hay to make (say) £2k in contracting fees when you could have made your own and made £5k worth of hay to sell? I'd guess he's priced it to be comparable with what he could make by making his own hay.

 

[Dry Rot]

Hay will get rain at least once. Cut it in the rain when it gets the least damage. Your next four days tedding and baling. Round bales with wrap will keep if rained on. Large and small square bales have exactly the same percentage penetration of water if rained upon.

Is that the right way? Up here, we might cut before rain confident that the undisturbed swathe would shed most of the rain. Cut it when wet and won't you just be trapping in the water? Anyway, that's what I do.

Once it's been tedded, it will take on water. Left in the swathe, it will dry on the top but still shed most of the water when it rains. That's the trouble with conditioning. You effectively get a tedded swathe from the start so it is more difficult to dry out initially. Once you start tedding ,just have to turn it up again after every storm, then row up before the next one.

 

[FED UP]

4k is a , pee take. Round here £10 acre to mow, £6 approx a time to ted or rake. Small bale cost to bale I would not know. Agree with previous posts, go 50/50 with a good neighbour who will look after the crop as it was his own

 

[Breakthru]

Is that the right way? Up here, we might cut before rain confident that the undisturbed swathe would shed most of the rain. Cut it when wet and won't you just be trapping in the water? Anyway, that's what I do.

Once it's been tedded, it will take on water. Left in the swathe, it will dry on the top but still shed most of the water when it rains. That's the trouble with conditioning. You effectively get a tedded swathe from the start so it is more difficult to dry out initially. Once you start tedding ,just have to turn it up again after every storm, then row up before the next one.

Either or, it is important that the rain it gets is at the start before tedding.
Nothing worse than seeing hay cut in the sun, tedded in the sun and even rowed up and then getting rained on. Wheat straw better nutrition than hay made in the wet.

 

[One tubby farmer]

Surly you have neighbouring farms that you could ask?! Seems a bit odd to spend that much on kit to make 12 acres?!

 

[Flatlander]

Sell it as a standing crop and go buy your hay. That way your sure wat you getting.