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SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD

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Ken McWilliams

07-20-2001 03:41:53




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When I mow my hay field with a sickle mower I have to start and go clockwise around the field. The first round mashes the hay down by the tractor tires. After mowing the field, I go counter-clockwise around the border to trim. I usually have to go very slow, the blade gets clogged and the mashed tread marks won't lift and get cut by the sickle mower. To reduce the blade clogging, I'll usually lift the blade, but then it's so high it doesn't do much good. I'll raise the font of the mower to have the rock guards pointing slightly upward, but this still doesn't help much either.

Also, I have a similar problem at the middle when what is remaining is less than the width of the blade. That cut down the center looks very lousy.

One of the hay fields is fenced and I have to mow along the fence flattening the grass. The other field is open on 3 sides with a fence along the 4rd side. The three open sides are easy because the tractor runs either on previously mowed grass or gravel lane.

Other than keeping an 8' border finish mowed around the field to drive the tractor over on the first pass, do you have any secrets on how to get a good cut out of this first pass and down the middle?

BTW: How many critters did you run into this year? I'm through my 2nd cutting and haven't found a snake yet, although I've killed a few young rabbits - and fortunately no skunks!

Ken McWilliams
Dayton, OH

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Bill Smith

07-22-2001 21:46:45




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
My pull type mower hangs out on the right side of tractor and I always cut one pass counter clockwise. When I get around the field one time I turn around and mow the other way mowing what I just run right over the top of. Sure it is laid over where the tires ran over it but the uncut hay is laying down toward the mower and most of the time it is not laying flat enough to go under the bar without being cut. If that is the case however the only thing you can do is mow it last and hopefully the wind will ruffle it up enough that it won't go under the bar being left uncut. Uncut hay usually won't create clog ups and if you gauge your first round really good you can leave just about one mower width there to cut creating a situation where you are not mowing 4 ft. of grass with 7 ft. mower where you have 3 ft. collecting already cut hay. As for the center that comes out odd the only thing I can tell you is you might try starting at wide end going to the narrow end. I have found that the swath board thing at the far end of your mower that throws hay back away from uncut hay for the next round works really well for the right type of grass or hay but I have found that in the wrong kind of hay it seems to slow down the process of letting the hay fall to the ground creating clog ups. I found that in situations like this it is better to take the stupid thing clear off and mow without it. The only thing is you have to have your mower right on the money when you are mowing becuase if you pull it out of the uncut grass a little it will catch the cut hay causing clog ups down next to the tractor. I always keep the mower right up against the uncut grass and don't have a problem with this even in alfalfa. The key here is to always mow driven on hay the opposite direction that it was drove on and keep your mower in good shape as far as sharp sections and good guards. Here is a tip on raking. Always rake the same way the hay was mowed. When you rake over hay that was mowed cross ways the hay doesn't always rack very good and you end up leaving a little sciff of hay that manages to not get picked up. Mowing around and around in a circle for the whole entire field creates a problem when you rack it becuase you end up with all srewed up windrows if you rake the way it was mowed. Here is the key on that. It usually takes one swath of mowing for one swath of rake. You want circular windrows around the outside of the field to bail first creating a turn row for the bailer and the rake if they are working at the same time in the same field. About 3 of these windrows is all the circular ones you want. Then you want windrows that go straight and lenghtways with the field. It always works better to rake and bail this way. The thing is that you need to mow this way for your rake to pick up the maximum hay since it picks up hay better when you rake the way you mow. So mow around your field about 6 times and then mow the rest of the field in strips going the same way that works better for your rake and bailer. You will save hay this way that would get left in field otherwise. The part about this is that you just about have to drive across uncut hay and turn around and come back to create a mowing pattern for yourself that will save alot of extra driving from one side of the field to the otherside. I have found that this is the best way to mow, rake, and bail that I have ever tried and done.

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The Dukester

07-22-2001 17:34:47




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
My first shot at mowing hay was in 1950 with a nearly new H Farmall and a new IH 25V semi- mounted mower. In it's time this was a really nice outfit to mow with and I really enjoyed using it. Most fields were 8 to 15 acres in size at that time and I usually mowed about 8 acres at a time, in other words, the whole field if it was small or about half of a 15-16 acre field. That was what we figured we could handle "knocked down" every 2-3 days, depending on the weather. We had the hay baled by my cousin who had a NH pickup baler with a Wisconsin engine, he pulled it with a real "able" '37 John Deere A. It was work loading the bales off that outfit 'cause it would eat some hay and the wagons bounced around a little sometimes-especially on side hills, but I learned how-busting my a-- in the process. It was better to load in the field than unloading into the mow at the barn. I usually just drove into the field and started mowing the first round clockwise with the tractor next to the fence. An H was about the right width with the rear wheels spread out like we had them for cultivating, except we slid the left wheel in about 5 inches, then the wheels ran mostly off the swath. Yeah, the two front wheels ran right in the middle of the swath but that was okay. I mowed round and round until the unmowed chunk got small, then I'd finish it off back and forth style. Then I'd go to the outside and mow that "run down" unmowed round going counter-clockwise and it was no problem because there was no guessing where to drive because the tractor left wheel marks to go by when I's mowed the first round. Well, this got "windy", but, that's how I did it then. I raked the swaths with a IH side delivery rake driving just about the same way as I mowed. Funny, back then I felt life was good, now when I see how complicated and difficult farming is, I know life was good. It's too bad how miserable farming is now for most everyone except the big outfits.

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MrG

07-20-2001 13:20:20




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
Well, yer gonna make me think here...

Seems when I was younger, mowing with the sickle bar on the JD520 was always my job. I usually started mowing clockwise along the fence and kept right on going to the middle of the field. By the time I got doen in the middle, the alfalfa had sprung back up on the outside round and the backswath was never really a problem.

Don't know if it was a proclivity of the JD mower or not, but it seemed more inclined to plug on the inside rather than out by the swath board. Also was more inclined to plug running through already downed hay one way more so than the other.

Soo... the last (narrow) strip in the middle of the field (other than trying to eyeball it for width as you got closer), I would keep the tire next to the last uncut swath, allowing the end of the cutter bar with the swath board to extend into the already cut swath...paying attention to the direction the already cut hay had fallen so the cutter bar would ride under it without plugging. Gadget

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TomH

07-20-2001 15:03:28




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 Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to MrG, 07-20-2001 13:20:20  
I like to start mowing clockwise a couple of passes away from the fence or stream. By the time you've finished the rest of the field the last couple of passes around the edge usually aren't a problem and you can see where you are better. But if it does get an attitude I use the rotary mower...



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TomH

07-20-2001 15:07:41




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 Re: Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to TomH, 07-20-2001 15:03:28  
Haven't run over too many critters this year. Got a turtle, sickle bar went over a woodchuck but it popped up and ran off unhurt. Did flush a deer that took off at full speed, ran into a fence and broke it's neck.



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ET

07-20-2001 12:35:43




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
I mow the backswath first then turn around and do the rest of the field. When I get down to the last
sliver in the middle I run from the widest part down to the narrowest that way if the bar plugs
it isn't where your still needing to cut hay.



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Mark

07-20-2001 10:39:04




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
Ken,

What I decided to do this year is keep the perimeter of my field mowed (just 1 pass) with my riding mower. I then started with the sickle mower going counterclockwise, then turned around and cut the rest of the field clockwise. I didn't have too much trouble with the second row this time, since I had the time to make sure my mower was in top condition, and having a perimeter mowed sure was nice, since you can see the end of the bar. I realize the perimeter mowing is not practical on bigger fields, but it sure was nice. I am a younger person and enjoy "farming" with antique, obsolete equipment. I have often wondered while mowing what kind of secrets the old-timers had and can't even imagine the difficulties they had sickle mowing with a horse-drawn mower.

Good luck

Mark
MO

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Grove r

07-20-2001 11:33:42




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 Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Mark, 07-20-2001 10:39:04  
Hi, Mark, had to respond to the "farming with horses" note. Have done a little, when I was in my late teens, not realy all that bad, resonably good horses, is a real asset, when they get used to the routine, driving them is a none issue, they pretty well follow where they are supposed to go, so you have more time to watch the equipment, and there is no turning around to do that! everything is pretty handy on those old machines. One thing, you are always aware of the horses, are they getting tired from the mower pulling too heavy, maybe it's time to stop and get out the carborundum stone and touch up the sections, gives them a rest and will make the mower pull easyer, also, maybe a quick shot with the oil can on the pitman arm ends.... not all that bad , realy, have a brother-in-law that chose to farm with horses, after he retired, just a hobby, and it is absolutly amazing how much work he could do, and he worked smart, to save from working too hard.

Now I'm starting to ramble, Maybe we could get a good discussion going on how to farm with horses, sure that there are enough old timers left who have "been there and done that" that would be able to tell us a lot, What do you say?? Have a gooder, R.E.L.

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Jerry D in NC

07-20-2001 11:49:17




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 Re: Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Grove r, 07-20-2001 11:33:42  
Last time I had a team hitched to a mower my father and I had just started to mow and the team walked over a bees nest. Well a horse will do one of two things when they get into a bees nest, Run or Lay Down. I had one of each. That train wreck stopped the stacking of hay on the Dishman farm and ushered in the days of modern farming of an 8N pulling a motorized NH baler that had to be worked on for 2 hours to get 1 hour of baling time. LOL

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Joe B

07-20-2001 09:19:06




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
I trim around the edge of the fence with a bushhog, prior to mowing with my sickle mower, I use to go counter-clock wise first around the fence the first time, then turn around and mower the rest clockwise, but I hit the fence one time with the bar, knocked it back, etc.. as well as cut some wire with it,,now its not worth the trouble, I have the same problem with the middle section, and I just hit it when I mow the fence row again, I am keeping that down to keep the fence rows clean, as far as animals,, killed some quail, which didn't fly away, as well as a funny snake incident, my nephew (13 years old) was helping load hay bales, when he picked one up which had 1/2 of a snake in it on the bottom,, he dropped the bale rather quickly...

btw.. my MF sickle broke again, during my cutting of the field, and my neighbor,, loaned me his disc mower.. what a differnce.. I'm getting one (USED) it mowed my field twice as fast! and only clogged once!

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pappy

07-20-2001 08:58:35




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
I cut about 120 ac of hay in about 8 sections. I cut most of two sections, and bale the hay off, move on to do two more . come back later and do the edges, the hay has had time to spring back up, split the section in the middle with the bar cutting to the freshly baled part. Each field is different, some times its better to just bushog the fence rows. Happy baling, Pappy.



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Ken Goth (MO)

07-20-2001 04:37:33




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 Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken McWilliams, 07-20-2001 03:41:53  
I have the same problem with my hay pasture. This year I kept the pasture trimmed on perimeter with two passes of a 5' brush hog. In addition to a cleaner look, the mowed perimeter also gave me more turning room for the baler at the end of each windrow. I too had the problem of the last row being less than the width of the bar but was able to get though it going slow and backing up frequently to clear the bar.

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Grove r

07-20-2001 07:33:57




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 Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken Goth (MO), 07-20-2001 04:37:33  
Hi, Ken, age old problem, and the bigger the field, the bigger the issue! I usualy make the first pass the opposite way, so I cut along the fence, first, this lets me concentrate on cutting as close as possible to the fence without worrying about plugging on the stuff knocked down by the tractor tires. As for plugging on the down stuff???? with the haybine, it's not too bad, going slow seems to help. Used to have a horrible time with a sickle mower, too. With the "less than a cut wide" stuff, I lift the cutter head just enough to clear the already cut hay, to avoid pluging, does't look terribly great for a finished field, but a lot better than leaving it standing full hieght, which I have seen! Hope we have been able to help you, as you have helped so many of us, have a gooder, R.E.L.

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rhudson

07-20-2001 06:55:28




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 Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to Ken Goth (MO), 07-20-2001 04:37:33  
I have a neighbor that starts in the center of the hay field and cuts to the outside. he still has a lot of trim cutting in the corners. i saw one deer and stopped just before running over him this year. few snakes which explains all the rats i saw. i like the bushhog idea.



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Donald Clay

07-20-2001 20:39:51




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 Re: Re: Re: SUGGESTIONS ON HOW TO TRIM-MOW AROUND THE BORDER OF A FENCED HAY FIELD in reply to rhudson, 07-20-2001 06:55:28  
I have done quite a bit of mowing in odd shaped fields and on hillsides and trying to get the outside is always a problem. My mower is an old Ford 501 and it will mow with the outer end on the ground and the inside raised about 1-2 feet. This is great for starting in hay that is not wide enough for the whole bar, and it is also great for the outside part of the field. The trick is to know when to raise and lower the blade so it is in unmowed hay. The tip about mowing wide to narrow is also one of the best.

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