Hows your haying season?

draftx

Member
Wondering how the rest of the country is getting along. Here in Virginia , too much rain. Its put us way behind and quality is poor.
 

Just duckie. After no rain in April or May it has been raining every few days in June and July. I never applied my commercial fertilizer because there was never any rain in the forecast to wash it in. Now I am way behind and quality is poor, but it is still growing and as long as it doesn't get rained on the horse people are happy. Every good forecast gets reduced by a day within five hours of mowing, so I have to ted extra, rake in evening, then Ted out again in AM to get it dried in time to beat the coming rain.
 
Quantity and quality was low here in the pacific NW. I farm a small ten acres and usually get about five hundred bales off of about five acres, but this year was pushing to get three hundred bales. I'm not the only one, everyone I talked to said that most only got half to two - thirds of the normal. Unless, they irrigated, and being small I don't.
 
Not good in central NY. We didn't get any rain in May, so the hay didn't take off very well, then it's been rain every couple days in June. I'll be baling up a little this afternoon, but then it's showing rain again for the next couple days.
What's that expression? A dry summer will scare you to death, but a wet one will starve you to death..
 
Good where I am in Michigan. Wasn't steady,but the days that weren't fit for cutting,raking or baling,gave me time to move the round bales off. I got the corn in on time so I was able to start cutting hay June first. I cut the last of it June 25th. Nearly 160 acres all alone. Quality was good,averaged just a hair shy of five round bales an acre. Had some that went as high as eight.
 
Got the 1st snuck in between wet spells but was a month late....mature crop. Second is warm season grass (bermuda) and coming along lovely now that the rye has died for the year. Getting off and on rains and looking good. Expect things to dry out and have a nice cutting, maybe a third before I get ready for next year's cool season crop.
 
After a long cool and wet spring,first cut grass is phenoninal,even if late. Have had fantastic haying weather for the month of June.Alfalfa was a bit off.
 
Central IL checking in… I was one of a handful of folks to take a first cutting in June, and only managed that by cutting the day ahead of a rain – we thankfully got ~5 days of dry before the next 3" dumping hit us. The hay turned out nice, despite pushing it to beat the weather.

Just baled second cut yesterday, and got it up with no rain and cooler and slightly overcast drying days, so it looks and smells really nice. Hopefully the heavy rains are past us now! If so, I should get four cuttings without a problem.

es
 
I have at least 2/3rds of mine left to bale but due to rain have not been able to get it done. Last Thursday all of it was under water and now it has flood dust all over it. Plus they are calling for more rain all this week so no hay being cut in this area. Most places I drive by seem to be having the same problem so most hay in this area of Missouri has not been baled as of yet
 
I'm south of Ed S a little ways. My first cut is still standing. Had 4 different people say they were going to cut/bale for me since I didn't have my own hay equipment and when there was an open window they never showed. I have my own hay equipment now. Deere 1209 mo-co, 24t baler, and going to get a rake tomorrow. My 77 hydraulics are not working well so looking for a tractor too. Probably going to have to pick up a few extra small fields to cut/bale to help pay for things.
 
(quoted from post at 07:26:43 07/06/15)
(reply to post at 08:28:35 07/06/15) [/quot e]
Colin, the end of the week looks good,[u:d83d07de17]for now[/u:d83d07de17], I gotta get some unloaded between now and then!
Dave

Well I am confident that I can make Sat change from sunny to rainy by mowing on Thursday!! LOL.
 
Been dry as "ell up here in Northern Canada.
To try to beat the grass hoppers I cut 50 ares last monday, got 4" of rain on it on wensday(first rain in 3 months!) I rolled it up on Saturday,..got 35 rounds out of that.
I cut another 50 acre yesterday,..the crop is so thin(the grasshoppers are winning) i tried baling it this afternoon. It's hardly worth it, it took near 1/2 an hr to make 1 bale on 2 mile of swath and then it started raining again.
the baler chews all the fines out of the hay, all that's left is sticks.
An aggravating hay season to say the least :(
 
Well I am confident that I can make Sat change from sunny to rainy by mowing on Thursday!! LOL.

I made it quit raining by finally having gutters installed on the house and sheds (five years after re-roofing the house). :p

es
 
Sure wish you would keep all your smoke up there. I would have sworn there was a fire just over the hill, when I went out this morning about 6.
 
(quoted from post at 08:40:30 07/06/15) After a long cool and wet spring,first cut grass is phenoninal,even if late. Have had fantastic haying weather for the month of June.Alfalfa was a bit off.

Glad you are catching a break, and I hope that the price will be good as well!
 
Either its raining, or something breaks.

Gets old. Doesn't get me much hay so far.

Got 4.25 inches of rain last night. I farm heavy clayish bottom ground, my good farm land is the higher tiled stuff, the hay ground is the wetter stuff.... Anything over 2 inch rain is a major pain here......

Paul
 
Know what you mean. I have had 2 time this year I had a 4 day break with out rain. Cut hay down till the sickle bar mower broke. Fixed it but not fast enough to cut more. Got what was down baled and then more rain. Had a 2nd time of 4 days and tried again and yep mower broke again. Bale that up and then pulled out the Lover 77 and hooked up the back up Moco and has not had any dry times since plus had flood so the hay got a bath that is still standing. All the hay has a fine film of dust from the flood so hope for a small rain just to wash it off then no rain for a couple or so of weeks so I can get the hay done
 
(quoted from post at 17:54:51 07/06/15) Sure wish you would keep all your smoke up there. I would have sworn there was a fire just over the hill, when I went out this morning about 6.
on't blame me, i have no fires or smoke up here.
 
I cut the hay in northern Mo. on the 3rd. Started to square bale on the 5th at noon. Baled 411 bales. Moisture meter on most bales was between 15% and
20%. Some bales that were near the woods had 30%. The bales that had the higher % I set aside and tested them on the 6th. Measured 20% or lower. Could
it be the some of the dryer hay in the bales pulled the moisture from the greener hay?
 

from here in Maryland been too bleedin wet to make good hay in most fields. Early cut one filed in late May, but most fields been too soggy for a month now. Expect to see lots of round bales this year, wonder what good quality small bales will bring. My best fields are all Orchardgrass and red clover and too stemmy now for good small squares, will makes rounds.
 
The news here is saying all the smoke is coming from western Canada.
I know in 2012, we got less then 4 inches of moisture the entire year. Had lots of lighting storms, which set lots of fires. Was a nightly thing to go sit on a hill with
the fire truck. Sure hope that doesn't happen to you guys!!
 
I guess I got lucky. We cut and baled going into Memorial Day weekend. Had a bit if rain on one field, but got it up OK.

With all the rain we've had, we might get a decent second cutting.

Bill
 
East SD just great A little above average rain. Nice windows. A little cool for alfalfa. Most producers made second cut yesterday y and today. Grass is phenomenal Knocking my grass down tomorrow. Going to use the old Super H and a 9 foot Ih Sickle.
 
What kind of mower is that that is breaking. I have a spare JD 350 that Is bullet proof if you are interested?
 
Yep same here. Just started mowing on the 2nd this month. Of course that got wet once. Got some down that hopefully will bale this afternoon. Have never started cutting hay this late ever. Quantity is off as well. No rain in May and no sun in June makes for very little hay. Ground is also very wet. No fun making ruts so will just have to wait until it dries out. Been a very trying year. Hope it straightens out soon. I would rather have a year that is dry than a wet year as most of our ground is clay based and holds the water.
 

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