Planting Winter Wheat / Hay

I have a small field Im going to plant for hay. Its 6.5 acres. Has been a pasture for about 40 years now. Not worked i those years. So 2 years ago I plowed it under, plated corn for deer and I bushogged the corn down and disc it and planted orchard grass and red clover. I just now plowed it again and now Im ready to disc it down and drill it. I was really suprised at how well the organic matter had rotted and built up my ground. Anywho Im just wanted to make a real good hay field out of it for square baling. I plan to disc it down. Let it settle and drill it. Im going to plant wheat but cant decide on what else to plant. I want something that does well in heat and acidic soil. I was thing maybe lespedeza or sericia or maybe a good grass miss? The main question is, Im in middle Tennessee, when is a good time to plant the wheat/hay mix? Is it too early? Id love to go ahead and start but Im afraid it may be a little early

"Sericia" is a noxious weed in my county in the state of Kansas. If the weed department sees you have some, you will get a letter from them telling you to destroy it right now. Hope the deer don't bring it this way. There is a lot of other weeds that ought to be declared noxious instead.

I don't think there's a better hay for baling than alfalfa. Not sure about acidic soil though. Any other legume hay crop seems to be tough to dry out.

Sericia does not do well for hay when mixed with other grasses. I think Broomstraw will take it over if the soil is acidic, so whatever you plant you need to lime the soil and reduce acidity.

I don't know if horses like sericia hay or not, cows here in SC like it. To manage it for hay you first need a solid stand with out other grass to mix in because of the curing process. For cured hay, cut hay for 2 hours during the heat of the day.(this should finish cutting 6 acres) Have rake and baler ready to go. In normally hot dry weather the hay should be ready to bale. Look at the stems of sericia. When the top 2 inches are dry and crisp, which usually takes less than 2 hours, the hay is ready to rake and bale. Bales will be heavy and you think they will heat, but they will cure out. If the hay gets too dry, the leaves will shatter off when raking and baling.

Mosty important part: Cut the hay before it gets over a foot tall, other wise there will be thick stems at the bottom which the cows won't eat.

I understand sericia does not make good hay in Kansas, but it does here. Don't know what the difference is. Yes, it is drouth resistant.

My understanding is that alfalfa has to be baled about the same way, But I've never had alfalfa, dosen't do well here.

KEH

I like to work mine down like this.Takes a little more time but makes for a nice smooth ride.

how acidic? my opinion but in the long run lime will pay for itself many times over. you dont want to go throwing out 10 or 12 tons to the acre all at once though. Again my opinion ,but i would talk to the extension agent for your county,its free and he'll be able to advise you better. wheat can stand a variety of soils most of the time,but for the best hay yield and things over the long haul,it would be best to do what you needed to now. you might look at one of the native grasses in your area,bluestem for instance does pretty well most places but most have them have to be cut at the right time to make really good hay. i have the opposite problem than you as most of my ground is alkaline,my intention is to put in bluestem this fall, mixed with clover,but mine all will be for pasture and not hay.