Improving old hay field?

I have about 7 acres of hay ground that I use to make hay for a few horses. I'll admit I probably ignored / abused the ground for too long... I had a neighbor who used to cut my hay for me, and I didn't really put anything back into the soil. A few years ago, I started to make my own hay, and that's when I began to think a little more about managing the fertility of the field. For 3 years now, I've had a basic fertilizer mix spread on the field in the spriong. It really has made a difference in growth, and I produce more than enough hay for my horses, but the last couple of years I've noticed a type of weed that has really started invading my hay fields. I looked it up and I believe it's a type of "bedstraw", which is said to thrive in nutrient poor / acidic soils.

I'm thinking of having some lime spread on the fields. Is this a good time of the year to do so (Wisconsin)?

Also, I'd love to get a little more clover and alfalfa growing in the field. I have a decent mix of timothy and orchard grass, and there's some red clover, but not much alfalfa left. I really don't want to start over from scratch. This is my only hay ground, and I don't really need that much hay, but I would like to get rid of the weeds and increase the productivity of the field... heck, maybe I'll even have a little extra to sell. Do you think I'd have much luck just scattering seed in late winter / early spring, or do I need to try to find somebody to drill in some seed?

Bottom line... open to suggestions of ways to "improve" the field without necessarily spending a lot. Doesn't have to be perfect... just better than it is now. Don't have a lot of fancy equipment or people to do the work for me.
 

Love the 960. Had a problem with the rocker cover gasket leaking oil, but put a new gasket in and so far so good. I still use my 8n for a lot of the smaller jobs as it is more nimble in small spaces and is easy on the gas, but the 960 with its modern features like power steering and live PTO is spoiling me (I know... funny talking about "modern features" on a 70 year old tractor :lol: )
 

First try at baling hay...
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You can frost seed clover and I?ve heard you can
alfalfa. You could have the coop mix up fertilizer and
mix the seed in then spread it about thanksgiving
the snow and freeze thaw of winter will work the
seed into the ground
 
noticed you said not much alfalfa left..?? New alfalfa seed wont grow with alfalfa already in field..how much is a
little...

my hayfield is exactly what your talking about wanting.. field is brome, tim, orchard, alf, clover and misc .

Couple things I will tell you from experience is the alf and clover dry alittle slower then the grasses.. I cut with
mow/con so the swather rollers crimp it and help with drying.. but still grass will dry a little quicker.. that
being said.. I love the two crops in my hay bales.. believe it makes a great feed even better..

I spread goat poo as fertilizer about every 3 years. and drag harrow in. Works very well..
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You definitely need soil sample taken and analyzed first. I scatter a little clover seed every late winter. It goes in the ground very well with the freezing and thawing and I’ve had good results.
 

Look into wood ash. It is very popular around here. It provides potash and lime equivalent, and every place where it is spread lots of red clover pops up. If it is available in your area they will send a tech out to take soil samples.
 

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