oakleaf
Member
- Location
- South coast of Ireland
My point is that its perfectly feasable to make top quality hay outside the extremely narrow parameters that you suggested.
Rowing up hay
- Thread starter trewern
- Start date
Although little experience I would agree however all suggestions and comments are welcomed and creates discussion. I would have baled until close to 9 this evening with grass only starting to damp up after that.. but I’d probably find a load of mouldy hay in 5 months.... it’s an art making hay and I’m no van gough
- Location
- Ceredigion
Be touch and go some days possibly what's the point of a that work drying it then baling it when the sun is off and the dew is on
- Location
- Ceredigion
It's not an art it's common sense. If the baler comes at 8 tell him to bug ger off. Or buy your own baler
oakleaf
Member
- Location
- South coast of Ireland
Yep there will be days like that but equally there will be days with both sun and wind up to 9 pm at this time of the year. Well at least there is here in the southwest of Ireland last week, this week and most likely next week too.
I have my own kit I’ll be making it start to Finnish myself.. just short of 70 acres down and close to fit. It’s just a large chunk of cake to eat all by my self in such short time. I’m no millionaire and don’t have a large bank loan or finance adviser on speed dial I’ve got reasonable kit that works when it’s not broken and don’t have weather like this on regular basis I’m not having a dig Its just thought there may be others in the same position lots to do lots to make lots to shift and stack stock to check aslwell as eat sleep sh it I’ve been sat behind the wheel of the tractor a total of 40 hours sinse Wednesday and have about another 100 hours before I can catch up with the other list of jobs on the farm... once again nothing personal just lots to do so little time to do it in Im just trying to gain my self an hour here and there
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
I suspect almost every farmer is is under similar pressure at this time of year. I know I certainly am, so I really appreciated the phone call from the ministry a couple of days ago, kindly alerting me to the fact that i’d Been randomly selected for a full sheep inspection, which we started on yesterday.
@Forage Trader was just posting useful guidance I think. If you (& me) are so stretched that you need to compromise on that, then it’s hardly his fault. His advice is good, if only we all lived in that mythical ideal world.
Deffenalty not his fault and as said before all advice is appreciated I know @Forage Trader is a long time well respected member and I know his advice is correct and gives the best set of surcumstances for best quality forage. However with the weather the way it is and my experience so young makes me question my judgement as to what I should or shouldn’t do as all advice is educational and respected and there is many of times my actions are based on discussions within this forum from others experiences and failuresI suspect almost every farmer is is under similar pressure at this time of year. I know I certainly am, so I really appreciated the phone call from the ministry a couple of days ago, kindly alerting me to the fact that i’d Been randomly selected for a full sheep inspection, which we started on yesterday.
@Forage Trader was just posting useful guidance I think. If you (& me) are so stretched that you need to compromise on that, then it’s hardly his fault. His advice is good, if only we all lived in that mythical ideal world.
It was already broken.
Member
- Location
- South Norfolk
As @Forage Trader has precise timings it would be only fair to point out that the sun travels east to west and therefore you need to add or subtract the position of your haymaking location in relation to his in Wales. I'm afraid you can't use 'railway time' and all get the same results.
I'm afraid you can't use 'railway time' and all get the same results.if its hot sun by 7 am and burns the dew off can start baling about 11 am
just depends how fit the hay is
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Sorry, I just don't get this thread! But then I am in the Highlands!
Row the hay up before the dew rises in the evening, move onto dry ground in the morning, spread when the ground is dry and it's drying. Row up again before dew in the evening. That's the ideal but it is seldom ideal up here and it's a matter of grabbing the opportunity between the spells of rain. Hay that's been rained on seems to dry quicker the next time around.
Sometimes the top will dry over night. Sometimes, it is drying so nicely, it can be spread on damp ground, but tedded again later.
The object is to dry the damn stuff, not watch the clock, so judge on how it's drying and act accordingly.
Row the hay up before the dew rises in the evening, move onto dry ground in the morning, spread when the ground is dry and it's drying. Row up again before dew in the evening. That's the ideal but it is seldom ideal up here and it's a matter of grabbing the opportunity between the spells of rain. Hay that's been rained on seems to dry quicker the next time around.
Sometimes the top will dry over night. Sometimes, it is drying so nicely, it can be spread on damp ground, but tedded again later.
The object is to dry the damn stuff, not watch the clock, so judge on how it's drying and act accordingly.
Imo, Provided it is fit, tedding the day of baling is pointless, row it up so the wind can get threw it. It's Suprising just how much wilting it will do in the swath.
Every situation is different but if I was on my own I would,
Row the outside swath (the damper part of the field against the hedge) up first, and leave the rest of the headland untill you've done all the landwork so you have somewhere to turn.
Every situation is different but if I was on my own I would,
Row the outside swath (the damper part of the field against the hedge) up first, and leave the rest of the headland untill you've done all the landwork so you have somewhere to turn.
Goweresque
Member
- Location
- North Wilts
Thing is, @Forage Trader is not wrong, even in warm conditions like we have at the moment, hay will pick up moisture from 6pm onwards. I was baling all afternoon, and the moisture meter was hardly registering anything, until I stopped at about 5pm. The couple of rows I cleared later at about 7pm had risen to about 12-15%, yet it looked and felt exactly the same as earlier. You can bale hay later in the evening, but the conditions have to be perfect.
Anyway, you know what they say about rules - they're for the observance of fools and the guidance of wise men.......
- Location
- sw scotland
Clockwise or anti-clock? I'm starting to feel dizzy
oakleaf
Member
- Location
- South coast of Ireland
North American custom cutters who get through thousands and thousands of acres each year do this. They lnow a few things about efficiency. Granted they have mostly square fields but if you have someone who can think a bit on the rake and has maybe operated the baler before it is possible to use this method in most fields.
had e nuff
Member
- Location
- Durham
But a lot of the fields in North America are bigger than most farms in this country.
oakleaf
Member
- Location
- South coast of Ireland
This is also very true.
- Location
- Scottish Highlands
Location, location, location!
I'm sure Foragetrader is absolutely correct -- for his location which is a long way south of here. (How do you tag with a Mac and no hash key??).
Up here in the north, some will even cut when rain is forecast. There is logic in that. Fresh cut grass will stay green underneath like flowers in a vase. It will dry on the top but stay green below that top layer. When the next spell of decent weather comes around, it needs tedding, then rowing as above, then tedding again whenever it is drying.
Two years ago I must have tedded out and rowed up a few dozen times over a couple of weeks. Anything to keep it off the ground. The worst year ever. But it still made hay. In nearly 40 years, I don't think there has been a year when I haven't managed to make hay, but "playing it by the rules" would certainly have lost the lot some years.
I'm sure Foragetrader is absolutely correct -- for his location which is a long way south of here. (How do you tag with a Mac and no hash key??).
Up here in the north, some will even cut when rain is forecast. There is logic in that. Fresh cut grass will stay green underneath like flowers in a vase. It will dry on the top but stay green below that top layer. When the next spell of decent weather comes around, it needs tedding, then rowing as above, then tedding again whenever it is drying.
Two years ago I must have tedded out and rowed up a few dozen times over a couple of weeks. Anything to keep it off the ground. The worst year ever. But it still made hay. In nearly 40 years, I don't think there has been a year when I haven't managed to make hay, but "playing it by the rules" would certainly have lost the lot some years.
I nearly always go anti-clockwise