lastcowboy32
Well-known Member
As we get deeper into first cutting and approach second cut; this topic is on my mind a lot. Two sub-subjects of it this year.
Subject 1: There is an old-time farmer saying...something about, if you don't have your first cut done by July 1st; leave it until September 1st.
I know that this is somewhat of a philosophical vestige of old-time thinking; back to when farmers did one cut per year and weren't really pushing for tender, high quality hay (heck...most herds were seasonal and dry during the winter anyway back then).
But...I've noticed that there's still a little kernel of truth to it. I've seen a few times with my hay and with my brother's hay; where you couldn't get to a field until September. You bale it, and you get these "tiger-stripe" yellow and green bales with a mixture of old growth and re-growth. I had some of this just last year...canary grass. And our cows loved the stuff.
I'm looking at that same field this year. We're looking at baling it next week, more than a month ahead of last year...but I wonder... July 18th Canary Grass hay... vs letting it go until Labor Day... I'm a little on the fence about it. I'm going to walk the field and look at how coarse the hay seems to be, how much undergrowth, etc. This field also was left fallow for many years before last year...so I want to get at it earlier this year to thin out the remaining bits of goldenrod, wild parsnip, etc.
It's definitely fuzzy logic, based on a lot of factors.
Just curious what others would consider in the same situation.
Subject 2:
The field that we just completed was for a neighbor that has horses. We bale on shares. His field was seeded with "orchard mix" a few years back. There is still a strong presence of clover and birdsfoot trefoil in the hay; and I'd like to keep it.
I know that birdsfoot has fallen out of favor with many modern farmers; due to smaller yields than alfalfa...but I like the palatability. We cut this field last year over Labor Day; and the birdsfoot was still palatable. Our cows and our neighbors horses actually liked the hay...not as well as if it was cut in June...but they ate it.
This year, I just finished. The birdsfoot and clover were both in full bloom and hadn't gone to seed yet. Based on throwing a few bales to his horses and my cows... I'm seeing excellent color and palatability.
I'm thinking that I should leave this field alone and let that birdsfoot and clover go to seed this fall...as opposed to taking a second cut.
I won't need the hay (volume-wise)...and I think it will be better for keeping the clover and birdsfoot for the long haul.
Am I thinking on the right track here?
Subject 1: There is an old-time farmer saying...something about, if you don't have your first cut done by July 1st; leave it until September 1st.
I know that this is somewhat of a philosophical vestige of old-time thinking; back to when farmers did one cut per year and weren't really pushing for tender, high quality hay (heck...most herds were seasonal and dry during the winter anyway back then).
But...I've noticed that there's still a little kernel of truth to it. I've seen a few times with my hay and with my brother's hay; where you couldn't get to a field until September. You bale it, and you get these "tiger-stripe" yellow and green bales with a mixture of old growth and re-growth. I had some of this just last year...canary grass. And our cows loved the stuff.
I'm looking at that same field this year. We're looking at baling it next week, more than a month ahead of last year...but I wonder... July 18th Canary Grass hay... vs letting it go until Labor Day... I'm a little on the fence about it. I'm going to walk the field and look at how coarse the hay seems to be, how much undergrowth, etc. This field also was left fallow for many years before last year...so I want to get at it earlier this year to thin out the remaining bits of goldenrod, wild parsnip, etc.
It's definitely fuzzy logic, based on a lot of factors.
Just curious what others would consider in the same situation.
Subject 2:
The field that we just completed was for a neighbor that has horses. We bale on shares. His field was seeded with "orchard mix" a few years back. There is still a strong presence of clover and birdsfoot trefoil in the hay; and I'd like to keep it.
I know that birdsfoot has fallen out of favor with many modern farmers; due to smaller yields than alfalfa...but I like the palatability. We cut this field last year over Labor Day; and the birdsfoot was still palatable. Our cows and our neighbors horses actually liked the hay...not as well as if it was cut in June...but they ate it.
This year, I just finished. The birdsfoot and clover were both in full bloom and hadn't gone to seed yet. Based on throwing a few bales to his horses and my cows... I'm seeing excellent color and palatability.
I'm thinking that I should leave this field alone and let that birdsfoot and clover go to seed this fall...as opposed to taking a second cut.
I won't need the hay (volume-wise)...and I think it will be better for keeping the clover and birdsfoot for the long haul.
Am I thinking on the right track here?