|
I don't do alfalfa but understand that it can get too dry and you have considerable leaf loss which is unacceptable. I have learned in other types of hay that I need a windrow to keep the cut grass out of the next round cutter.....not as much a problem on a swather as it is with just a sickle mower. I used to do the rake thing to flip the hay over to dry ground but found out that I was not getting anywhere and the more I raked it the more it rolled up in a roll which was slow to cure. So, Now I have the cut windrow just inside the tractor's wide tire setting and on grass, I come back immediately with a tedder and scatter the hay which seems to dry best even though it covers the ground beneath it, which normally contains moisture. Then, if it's springtime when moisture is a problem, I may go back and tedder again, timing depends upon incoming weather and rate of drying. Then only one raking and subsequent bailing. On suday-sorghum, I just leave it where it falls till ready to rake and bale. When it is properly cured, I rake in the late morning and bale that afternoon, stopping before very late in the afternoon when the moisture starts rising. Not an expert by any means but this seems to work for me. Mark
| 
