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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

When to Rake?

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Joe in IN

07-27-2004 06:30:03




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First let me thank everyone for answers to my prior posts. I tried the suggestions I thought would work and they did. Thanks again.

So now I have alfalfa/timothy/weeds cut with a sickle bar. 1/2 cut Sunday night, 1/2 cut MOnday night. When do I rake? How many times to rake?

It was very cool in Indiana on Monday(70 degrees for a high) so not much drying occured. My plan was to rake into windrows on Thurs, turn it over again on Sat and bale on Sat. Hopefully the weather holds... Thoughts?

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Michael Soldan

07-27-2004 14:10:18




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 Re: When to Rake? in reply to Joe in IN, 07-27-2004 06:30:03  
Joe, do you mean when to rake or when to turn hay? When I used a sickle mower I had to rake the hay into rows but with a haybine I need to turn it over. Straight rakeing is a gathering of the hay into a windrow, ususally when it appears dry on the top. With the haybine you only want to flip the row and I find running the rake so only the tail of the rake catches the row it will turn it almost completely upside down,if you get over too far the rake will roll the hay like a rope and that is not good for drying. Some folks around here take off a couple of rows of teeth on the front of the rake so it doesn't catch the next row and then they can run the tail of the rake over the row and get a good clean roll over upside down without roping the hay into a continuous rolled rope. I cut one field on a Wednesday, rolled it friday morning and baled it starting at 2 pm..beautifull green dry hay, the best of this year. I had one field down 12 days and got rained on 9 times, but it was cool and I kept rolling it and although it is not the best hay it turned out and was not spoiled and black. I salted it into the mow and the cattle seem to like it. I hope my second cut will go well, I like getting hay off in three days. I even had a neighbour come and borrow my rake as his wheel rake wouldn't roll heavy moist windrows. I run and old New Idea rake that I rebuilt a few years back, cleaned and painted and a lot of new tines that were still available. I believe that hay should not be turned untill it is close to baling, just to dry out the underneath. If you rake hay and it rains you now have the top and bottom side coloured by the weather, best leave it lie until the morning you are going to bale...my thoughts..good luck with the haying guys, its been a strange year for making hay....Mike in Exeter Ontario

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yhayman

07-27-2004 10:51:07




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 Re: When to Rake? in reply to Joe in IN, 07-27-2004 06:30:03  
I cut last night too. While I plan to tedder mine tomorrow a.m. (still foggy here, not wilted enough). I'll probably rake Thursday late, bale Friday afternoon. If the forecast doesnt change.

If this is first cut and you cant tedder, I figure raking late Wed, and then turn the windrows with the rake late Thur and maybe late Friday. If rain comes into the forecast I would not want it in the windrow.

As far as windrow size, it depends a lot on the baler you are using. I generally go 1x clockwise and 1x counter clockwise for square baling heavy hay. Round bales 2x clockwise and 1x c.clockwise for the first lap or two. May even go twice in and then twice out to get some room. Then I try to go back and forth. Just pick out a width that looks right and go for it. For beginners its a lot easier to get it right going around. Once you learn how to estimate the windrow size you want it rakes and bales a lot faster in lines.

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Indydirtfarmer

07-27-2004 11:09:22




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 Re: Re: When to Rake? in reply to yhayman, 07-27-2004 10:51:07  
Obviously the rains we got yesterday and last night must have missed you. I bush hogged in the reain most of the day. (slight drizzle) That was in Bukner, Kentucky. I plan on cutting about 25 or 30 acres of alfalfa this afternoon. Rain in the forcast Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and into Monday. It looks and feels like October outside.....Strange year. John



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Joe in IN

07-27-2004 12:25:55




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 Re: Re: Re: When to Rake? in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 07-27-2004 11:09:22  
Rain missed. I'm in West Lafayette, In. I work 15 miles north and got a few showers there, but not at home. Thank goodness.

They are saying 30% on Fri thru Monday. I am hoping to bale Friday or Sat. I was wearing long pants and a light jacket to cut. Didn't get above 70 for the last two days. Today is better though...



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John in IN

07-27-2004 15:19:19




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 Re: Re: Re: Re: When to Rake? in reply to Joe in IN, 07-27-2004 12:25:55  
I am going to start mowing third cuttin this evening. I was tempted to cut Sat. Rained Sun. Wasn't in the forcast until Sat. night. I am using a NH haybine and may ted it to speed things up. I think the rain forcast for north central Indiana is rain after midnight Fri. according to The National Weather Service. I like to rake into a windrow just a ahead of the baler if I have tedded it. I seem to need at least 3 days. Best window for makin hay I have seen in a while so I am going to try it.This fall weather we are having makes it a little tougher to get it cured. Good Luck.

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JDMark

07-27-2004 10:10:54




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 Re: When to Rake? in reply to Joe in IN, 07-27-2004 06:30:03  
I wish I hadn't raked a few weeks ago. Weatherman lied to me & it was supposed to be dry for a few days. Raked it up & then a monsoon set in. Maybe could have gone ahead & baled it if it wasn't raked. I don't have a tedder or swather so I took my brush hog & spread the windrows out so it wouldn't kill the grass underneath. Does anybody else's weatherman ever tell stories or is it just mine?

Mark

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Bob

07-27-2004 15:21:59




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 Re: Re: When to Rake? in reply to JDMark, 07-27-2004 10:10:54  
Here in central N.Y. they are wrong about 50% of the time.



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Hayfarmer

07-27-2004 07:34:57




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 Re: When to Rake? in reply to Joe in IN, 07-27-2004 06:30:03  
Generally you want to rake the hay when it gets dry on top. If there is a wind or breeze it will dry a good deal in the windrow. Sometimes if the ground is at all damp getting it in a windrow will work better. With alfalfa you don't want to rake it too much, especially with a rake that turns fast as it will knock the leaves off. Guys here will rake it or roll it over in the erly morning when there is some dew. It also depends upon how heavy the hay is.

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Mike (WA)

07-27-2004 08:20:39




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 Re: Re: When to Rake? in reply to Hayfarmer, 07-27-2004 07:34:57  
I like to have it pretty well dry in the swath, before raking- then bale later the same day, if possible. The bonus is that if it rains while in the swath (before raking), it will not be damaged as much as it will in the windrow.



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