Re: when to cut hay...

Posted by txblu on March 27, 2005 at 08:39:47 from (209.151.114.28):

In Reply to: Re: when to cut hay... posted by Tom in TN on March 27, 2005 at 08:02:45:

Same problem in N. Tx., especially in the spring. Hard to get time for it to dry.

I did cut when I could. Now I'm retired, this year, I'll hopefully be able to do a better job of baling dry hay in the spring.

I cut sudan in the morning as soon as the dew is off the dirt so I don't get things all gummed up. On the grass pasture I cut when I get out there, but still it cuts cleaner without dew on the grass.

I only used a tedder behind a sickle mower cause it clumped the grass especially in turns where the sickle would swing back to make the square corner. Got rid of the sickle pest.

The tedder does a great job of stirring things up and for a fast dry you could run the tedder every couple of hours (on grass) the day you cut.and do the same the next day with baleing starting after lunch. If that didn't work, you could at least bale the next day with a tedder job about 10 am (let the dew get off ground and grass) and start baleing at noon.

I use the 3 twist rule of thumb on sudan, which has thick stems (crimped by the conditioner) and requires more drying time to get the moisture out. 3 twists means put both hands around a wad of hay and start trying to twist it apart with circular motions . If you go around less than 3 times and it pops apart (breaks in half) you're ready.

Usually don't start baleing before at least 10 am and the humidity is the governing factor.

Usually stop as the sun is nearing the 2:30 (position on a clock) in the West. If I get too close to dark, the hay immediately picks up that moisture and changes the baleing conditions. Anything after that has dew on it and ruins.

My 2c

Mark

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