Haying Pattern (in field)

Anonymous-0 · Jun 23, 2008

I'm new to the haying industry, as I'm sure you can tell from my various posts. I'm wondering if someone could give me clear instructions on the pattern of travel for the mower, rakes and balers. I know there is a certain pattern you should use to be more effiecent. Also, someone pray for some good weather in New England.

Allan in NE · Jun 23, 2008

Up and down or 'round and 'round. Your call.

Allan

MoMike · Jun 23, 2008

I use an older sickle haybine, bar rake and square baler so I start and work clockwise around the field. Finish by cutting anti-clockwise the outer pass. Double rake the 1st 2 outer windrows and bale that windrow last. If you have round bale equipment or a swing-tongue haybine you can do a lot more back and forth work

randallinMo · Jun 23, 2008

Your mower is the only implement that requires a set direction of travel. That would be clockwise (assuming your mower follows to the right of your tractor. You can normally rake in either a clockwise direction or counterclockwise, it usually doesn't matter. Some say to rake in the same direction you cut it, I haven't found that to be of any particular importance. Baling can be done in either direction.......just stay on the windrow. Some of the better mowers can mow on either side (hydro swings). Raking can get interesting at times, trying to figure out how to get out of the field. Just start in and go...you'll figure out what you did wrong at the end. Different sized fields require different methods for mowing and raking. As long as you end up with the hay in the bale, you've basicly done it right.

Pair-a-dice farms · Jun 23, 2008

In odd shaped fields I make 4-5 trips on the outside of the field. Then I start laying out straight strips length wise of the field. It cuts down on corners.I've got one 20 acre field that I shaved 25% off of the cutting time by doing it this way. With $4.50 diesel every little bit helps.

robersw · Jun 23, 2008

I have always started mowing by going counter-clockwise around the field once and then turning around and cutting the rest of the field in the clockwise direction. For tedding, I do the same method for control of the hay that is being slung around. For raking, I go a minimum of 3 rounds around the field before going to straight runs. I will go more rounds in smaller and more difficult fields. Baling just follows the windrows made when raking.

Mike (WA) · Jun 23, 2008

While you can bale in either direction, it's much easier to follow the windrow if you bale clockwise, same as you mowed. You'll have to bale the outermost windrow (called the "backswath") in a counterclockwise direction (because it will be too close to the fence to go clockwise), and you'll find its kind of tricky on the corners, to swing wide enough to keep the windrow coming into the baler pickup.

thurlow · Jun 23, 2008

Other than staying.......as much as possible .......out of the standing hay while mowing, or off the windrows while baling, it doesn't make a bit of difference; every field is different.

Fordfarmer · Jun 23, 2008

How many trips around the outside before going back and forth can depend on how much room you need to turn, too. I usually cut 6 rounds (9' mower/conditioner) all the way around a field and then go back and forth.

Ron in Nebr · Jun 23, 2008

If you're using a self-propelled swather, my rule of thumb there is to make your cuts over the long section of the field(assuming a somewhat rectangular-shaped field) so that you have to turn less. The less time with the cutterbar raised and not doing anything the better. We usually make four rounds around the outside of each land before starting back and forth to give the rake and balers room to turn around without missing any hay.

Joe in IN · Jun 23, 2008

I'm with Robersw... I do the exact same thing...

I have a hydro swing(14 ft), first counterclockwise, then turn around and go clockwise 2 times. then up and down. Depending on field, may drive down center once so I don't have to cut on the ends and yet not travel to far to get to other side of field. Gotta keep the cutter bar down to get done. Driving around, turning around, etc doesn't get the hay cut...

keh · Jun 23, 2008

You probably have irregularly shaped fields up there in NE like I have in Western SC and you just have to adjust to the shape of the field. However, when raking in a more or less rectangular field, I like to rake along one long side and then turn around and rake back along side the first windrow. Continue until you have the field raked in parallel windrows, then go around the field twice to rake up the hay missed at the ends. Then, when baling, go around the field and get the two outside windrows out of the way, being careful not to dump the bales at the end of the unbaled windrows. Then bale the parallel windrows, probably doing every other one first. I'm using a 10 wheel v rake, but this system should work for other types also. If the field is irregular, just do what you gotta do to get it done.

KEH

Haying Pattern (in field)

Anonymous-0

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Allan in NE

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MoMike

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randallinMo

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Pair-a-dice farms

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robersw

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Mike (WA)

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thurlow

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Fordfarmer

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Ron in Nebr

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Joe in IN

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keh

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