Why won't my hay dry?

4x4 · Jul 6, 2008

My neighbor has a 25 acre mixed grass hay field that I've been cutting and baling for him for a couple years now. We use a New Holland 469 haybine, an old New Holland ground driven side delivery rake, and a Massey-Ferguson #10 baler. We run the 'bine and baler with a Farmall 706 and rake with an old A-C WC. The darn stuff always takes FOREVER to dry. Everyone else around here can cut one day, and bale the next afternoon. It takes us 3 sometimes 4 days to get it dried out even when the ground is dry. I really don't know what I could be doing wrong. I'll cut one morning, and rake it the next. When I rake, the stuff on top is dry and I can see the wet stuff come up to the top. By that evening the stuff on top is dry again, but there's still wet grass mixed up in the middle of the row. So, I have to rake it again the next morning to get the last of the wet stuff up to the top and then bale later that afternoon. Sometimes the rake seems to twist up the windrow rather than just flip it over. What am I missing????

Anonymous-0 · Jul 6, 2008

around here we never rake any untill the hay has dried thru to the bottom, or real close. most of the time we cut one day, and rake and bale on the third and sometimes on the forth.(depende on weather) we try not
to run the trators no more than we half to anyway.

mnbob · Jul 6, 2008

Just a thought, have you checked the rollers? Grass is harder to crack the stem than you might think. If you share what type of grass someone might have a clearance to help "condition" and reduce dry time. Are your winrows wide or narrow? Wide will dry faster as you no doubt know.
Hope you get the solution.

keh · Jul 6, 2008

Like Bob said, check tension on rollers. Do you have the 469 set to spread the hay out rather than make windrows? Let the hay dry all the way through like Steven said, then rake.

KEH

Anonymous-0 · Jul 6, 2008

Invest in a hay Tedder. First Cut, Next use the tedder, Then rake once Dry, And finally Bale.

Allan in NE · Jul 7, 2008

Sounds like the "location" of the field is such that the wind can't hit it and it lies low where the dew 'hangs on"?

Are you waiting for the wilt before you rake?

Allan

randallinMo · Jul 7, 2008

What you're missing is that you're raking it too soon. If it is grass hay, let it dry first, then rake it. The tedders work great. When the top drys, go in a ted it. You'll be amazed. Naturally the weather plays a major role here........humidity, temperature, soil mositure, wind, etc. Nothing will ever work the same way twice. I still think you're raking it too soon.

4x4 · Jul 7, 2008

By "waiting for the wilt" what exactly does that mean? Before I rake it all the stuff on top is really dried out and brittle. If I take a blade of grass and bend it, it snaps.

According to the 469 manual, it says that for grass to set it so it leaves a windrow rather than a flat spread out row. From what I"ve read here, this seems wrong now..
Inside the machine there"s a large flap that can be placed down to lay out the hay flat, or leave it up so it leaves a windrow. On the back of the windrow "chute" there"s another very small flap. THe manual states to position the small flap in the down position to produce a "fluffy fast drying windrow." This is how we have it set up. Should I set it so it lays it out flat? Also, how long does it take everyone else"s hay to dry all the way through before it gets raked? I know everyone will be different, but I"d like to know anyway. Like I said, most everyone else can cut one day, and they have it baled up the next afternoon. I wish I could do that!

wanabefarmer · Jul 7, 2008

in heavy costal we cut then tedder the same day. this fluff the hay where air can get to bottom. we rake just ahead of baler. but we are located in tx. with dry climate.

kyhayman · Jul 7, 2008

I'd crank the roller tension all the way down. May even have to take some shims out. Make sure the rake basket is set all the way up to open up the windrow more. Keep windrow size small, and combine if needed when they dry out fully. Look seriously at a tedder if this doesnt help.

I usually can cut (disc mower, no conditioner) and tedder one day, wait a day (cut the next field that day), then rake and bale on day 3 for grass hay, day 4 usually for alfalfa and red clover. Inever start raking until the dew is off (1030 or so) then usually bale about 3-4 in the afternoon. But, it may take a day more or less. I always check moisture with a probe. All my round bales of hay get stacked tight in a barn so its got to be dead dry. Sometimes I can get timothy up late the ay after I cut it, but its rare. Normally I rake it quick to save color and that adds a day to curing.

HAYBOY1 · Jul 7, 2008

Take a wet towel and ball it up set it out on your lawn. Now take a wet towel , lay it out flat and see which dries quicker. Hay is virtually the same thing. Check your tension on your rolls, make sure you are not missing rubber and what not, lay it out flat. Next afternoon, rake it single if you are not going to use a tedder, This will help get some air through it, help in the curing process and also keep some color to it. The following day after the dew is off(3) flip your rows one more time to get the "green on top". If need be double up your rows, permitted it is ready to roll at the point.

sammyd · Jul 7, 2008

When using a haybine to cut for hay we open the wings as far as possible, have even taken them completely off at times to make the windrow as wide as possible so things dry down better.

Animal · Jul 8, 2008

Lay that hay flat, here in Mo. if we windrowed the hay it would not dry in 6 weeks.

Anonymous-0 · Aug 22, 2008

Hay will be wet in the morning.I rake the day after cutting in the afternoon.Ive been getting hay in for over 50 years and always figure on 3 days.A farmer I worked for never touched hay before 10 am .The thickness of the growth, humidity in the air and wind are all factors.A tedder would help.Grass seems to dry best before raking.While most of us dont have the time it would help to cut small lots using different methods and opening bales a week later.Dew is a big problem.Check your lawn grass at 9pm and again at 9am,it will be soaking wet.

Why won't my hay dry?

4x4

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Allan in NE

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4x4

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