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Hay Fever

Started by Norm, June 23, 2012, 02:23:13 PM

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Norm

We're right in the middle of hay season around here. We've been doing big rounds for a buddy that raises beefers and big squares for auction markets.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zWBSfw2Lo6s

Yields haven't been great due to  lack of rain but we'll get 4 cuttings this year because of the early spring.

How are the rest of you hay balers doing?

red oaks lumber

should start 2 crop the first of july, hoping to cut and bale 100 acres in 3 days. looks like a nice dry stretch of weather coming in.
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

chevytaHOE5674

Looks good.

Was going to start on our first and probably only cutting today but it decided to rain instead.... Maybe give it tomorrow to dry out and cut on monday.

I did cut a small field for a neighbor about 2 weeks ago and yields were about 1/2 of what they were last year.

Corley5

The crop looks poor here.  I'm watching the weather looking for a window this coming week to get started.  I only need a couple hundred 4X4 rounds this year.  Customers have been dropping out as their kids grow up and the horses are moved out  8)  I haven't looked to replace any of them and should be done with hay as crop in two seasons.  Three at the very most with amounts dropping each year  8)  I'm all into grapes now  ;D :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

thecfarm

Norm,the hay looks good,but those clouds don't. Most fields around here that are mowed have ruts in them in the low areas from all of the rain.
Model 6020-20hp Manual Thomas bandsaw,TC40A 4wd 40 hp New Holland tractor, 450 Norse Winch, Heatmor 400 OWB,YCC 1978-79

Norm

I wish they'd let some rain out Ray. We are badly dry here and need it, these produced sprinkles.

chevytaHOE5674

Got about 1/2-3/4" of rain last night, like 2-4 inches in the last two weeks. Fields have standing water in them so it will be a bit before we knock any hay down...

Before this last 2 weeks of rain we hadn't had any for almost a month. Always feast or famine.

Woodwalker

We are not fully out of drought conditions down here. We've had rain and crops are growing but by the numbers we are still just a tad on the dry side. We had a early spring and I've cut twice already and could cut again this week but I think the storm in the gulf is going to interfere with my plans.
It appeared that every Rye grass seed that had never germinated did so this past spring. Rye was very thick everywhere you looked. When we cut the Rye, the weeds sprouted. One of my lease pastures has Crotten coming up almost thick as the grass is. It was shredded early and cut again about three weeks ago.
Just cause your head's pointed, don't mean you are sharp.

POSTON WIDEHEAD

Norm, do ya'll bale many square bales or mainly just round?

What do round bales sell for out there?

What do square bales sell for? I'm talking about premium hay.

Thanks.
The older I get I wish my body could Re-Gen.

Norm

Most of our hay is put into big squares, they average 750-800lbs. The reason we did some big rounds was it was rained on and we knew the price would reflect that. Big rounds are easier and quicker.

Alfalfa is graded by RFV (relative feed value) and is priced accordingly. Big squares with a high number will bring $175-$200 per ton on the 1st cutting. Subsequent cuttings will go for a bit higher price. Big rounds will sell between $100-$150 per ton again depending on quality. Small squares will go for a premium to those prices.

These are auction prices and change as the season goes on. Weather not only in Iowa but things like droughts in Texas push the prices up even higher. A lot of hay fields have been put into corn and beans so we keep alfalfa in our rotation. Keeps us busy in the summer months until harvest in the fall.

clww

Most of the farms we drive by up in the valley started really making hay about 2-3 weeks ago in VA.
Many Stihl Saws-16"-60"
"Go Ask The Other Master Chief"
18-Wheeler Driver

LAZERDAN

Here in se wi we just finished second crop today. The earliest I can  ever remember.  It's ungodly dry the corns all curling up.  we've got a couple of creeks that I have never seen dry up and thier down to a trickle,  but here we always seem to manage, not to many extreems in the midwest.  will  start spraying corn Monday.  never a dull moment                            Lazerdan

chevytaHOE5674

Forecast is looking good for a few days. Couple hundred acres of hay to knock down and bale this week... Sometimes I'm glad to only be able to get one cutting as this sure is a lot of work.  :D

westyswoods

Not a farmer, although all the crops around here are really taking a hit. Creek through our property is bone dry only second time in twenty three years. No rain in the forecast with high 90's for the end of this week.

Westy
Stay Safe and Be Healthy
Westy

DoubleD

Norm what is inside the tank on top of the baler? are you spraying it inside the bales?
Wannabe a sawmiller

Norm

That's a treatment that is sprayed on the hay just after entering the baler. It allows you to bale at a higher moisture content.

scsmith42

Norm, I got in an early cutting back in April on a new field.  After that, the weather did not cooperate until last week, when I cut and baled "most" of my other pastures.  I was able to put up 44 round bales before the baler broke (and the sky's opened up on the rest of the hay). 

Fortunately I was able to get the highest quality hay out of the field before the rain.  I'll have to re-ted the rest and bale it for cow hay once I find out what's wrong with the baler.
Peterson 10" WPF with 65' of track
Smith - Gallagher dedicated slabber
Tom's 3638D Baker band mill
and a mix of log handling heavy equipment.

Corley5

I was going to mow this morning but had bad batteries in the 706 so I've got two new ones to install and should get some hay down yet today.  One forecast is calling for rain late Thursday into early Friday the others nothing through the Fourth.  Hoping to get done with it during this stretch  ;D 
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

blackfoot griz

I am probably two weeks before knocking down my 1st cutting of hay.

MHineman

  Most 1st cutting was done in the middle of May this year.  That's about 2 weeks ahead of schedule.  The problem is we had less than .25" rain the entire month of June. 

  It's time for a 2nd cutting.  It's getting cut, but there's not much hay to bale. 

  The 1st cut was good quality and a good quantity.  A month ago I thought hay would be cheap this year, but now it looks to be at record high prices.

  I just finished baling straw last Friday.  That's about 2 weeks ahead of schedule too.  Our wheat was shorter that typical and therefore only about 75% the usual amount of straw.
1999 WM LT40, 40 hp 4WD tractor, homemade forks, grapple, Walenstein FX90 skidding winch, Stihl 460 039 saws,  homebuilt kiln, ......

red oaks lumber

cut 42 acres this afternoon, real good looking stand of alfalfa.
the experts think i do things wrong
over 18 million b.f. processed and 7341 happy customers i disagree

Corley5

I got a start today.  I'd still be cutting but have a Farm Bureau meeting tonight.  Should be cutting hay  :)
Burnt Gunpowder is the Smell Of Freedom

slider

Norm we are starting our  second cutting this week,been very dry until now.Just got a new jd468 round baler nice machine also picked up a used anaerson wrapper which is something new to us.We put up around 60 acres of tift 85 and about a 1,000 rolls of peanut hay
al glenn

chevytaHOE5674

Started cutting this afternoon but was having motor troubles in the haybine. I think it is the fuel pump so one will be here in the morning, also going to tear the carb down and clean it out, hopefully be back to mowing by tomorrow afternoon.

LAZERDAN

Went out and looked at the wheat this morning it may be ready by the 4th of July a month a head of normal.  It's aweful short            Lazerdan

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