when to rake hay

wally b

Here in MN typically cut one day, rake about 36-48 hours later into "almost" windrows, then the next morning finish the last little roll of the windrow into a full one & bale that afternoon.

Once I cut one afternoon, raked & baled it the next afternoon.

Many times I have gone 5 days or more to get it raked into a dry windrow.

So, it all depends. Experience will guide you. Need to rake it when it is about dry, but not bone dry or the leaves shatter off (alfalfa is very critcal on this; grass hay not as much). In humid or dampish conditions, need to tun it when it is dried 1/2 way thorugh, so the other side gets what little sun/wind there is to dry - as well as allowing the ground to dry, so you can rake it back the next day.

Yea, it really depends....

--->Paul

This year, so far....

a. cut day 1, tedded day 1, raked day 3, baled day 3
b. cut day 1, tedded day 2, raked day 3, baled day 3
c. cut day 1, raked day 3, baled day 3
d. cut day 1, raked day 2, baled day 3
e. cut day 1, raked day 3, baled day 4
f. cut, raked, baled, wrapped day 1

IF, IF I have a clear forecast, I like to rake a day ahead of baling. Any chance of rain and I like the rake right in front of the baler. Thats the one differnece with people where tedders arent common. Raking and letting hay cure on down in the windrow is great but here, we may normally have a 30% chance of getting an inch of rain every day during the summer, and then it may rain for a week. Nothing worse than hay rained on in the windrow.

On good hot days we can cut 1st crop, bale it 3 days later and not have to rake it at all. it turns out really nice too. That is also with a 9" machine. This year we steped up to a 14" Hesston, still haven"t used it because it wasn"t ready for the first 2 feilds, and now we"re not ready to cut the rest until Sunday. We"re probably going to have to rake it just because of the shear volume in a windrow, and the narrow crimper rolls, but it"ll still save time and fuel vs. double raking our 9" cut to make 18" in a windrow. Like the others said, it depends on your location because what they do in Texas won"t fly in Wisconsin 99% of the time.

Donovan from Wisconsin

You have to wait until the crop "wilts" before raking. Usually the next day after cutting.

Allan

If you are cooler or damper it may take more time for the hay to cure. If you have neighbors maybe they can give you a better idea.