Hay Making
- Thread starter m5farm
- Start date
highgrit
Well-known member
It's sure a nice problem to have. I'd like to be cutting hay also but looks to be another week before the weather might cooperates. I'd like to do some baleage and can't find anyone willing to come here and do it. Cutting one day and bailing the next sounds like something I need to try at this point.
HG , I attended a Farm field day 2 yrs ago and Know the guy that custom bales Haylege , It has its place but I don't think you or I can feed that much hay in the winter to justify the cost. and the Nutrient levels are still the same as dry hay if cut and baled on time. 1. you got to have a baler that will handle the wet hay 2.the wrapper machine cost 3. you adding about 3 to 5 dollars a bale just in wrap cost . Its expensive. I would venture to say you need to be able to put up and feed 1000 bales a year for it to be beneficial.
We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.
We used to put up 1200 bales a yr to feed every winter , we tried the balege back in the 90's and it was an issue with spoilage because not enough people had done it in our area to learn the mistakes. The mice and hawks were constantly tearing holes in it.
highgrit
Well-known member
m5farm said:
Cutting hay at 8 - 10 weeks isn't what I want either, but it beats the alternative of having no hay to bale. At one of the hay and pasture classes we attended a speaker said if you use an inoculant you can start bailing hayledge right after you cut with no dry time at all.
highgrit
Well-known member
m5farm said:
This fellow said the inoculant worked both ways, from a high moister of 75% to a low of 14%. The added cost was $2 a bale for the inoculant, sounded to good to be true?
not that im against technology but its always been a challenge to make hay in the south east. so Keeping it as economical as possible is the key, knowing you will have to have some type of supplement thru the winter whether it be winter grazing , Feed or syrup . that's just a fact of life and the price we pay for getting high stocking rates in the summer most years
Pprm , here in Southeast it's rounds . most are 4x5 now if it travels off the farm . dot has cracked down on the 5x6 bales. My baler makes a 4x5 and they are in the 900# range. There are some square balers around for horse folks but the bales are only 70# or so , most buy rounds if they have more than one or 2 horsesPPRM said:
highgrit
Well-known member
I'm sure glad I didn't cut at Cedar Grove, good rain there. I'm planning on cutting it down tomorrow. I only have 7 acres left to cut at the house.
highgrit
Well-known member
Going to bale at the house tomorrow and Cedar Grove on Monday...might have to turn the lights on.
We need lights on to do anything like reading right now, but which is it, eclipse, or just storm clouds??? Can't really tell, but sure could use some more rain. Probably can see the eclipse better on TV or internet from here, cloudy or clear. May be some disappointed 'viewers' if it is this overcast in prime viewing areas.
mrj
mrj
Im in about 86% totality for the eclipse , You can see a slight change in light outside , a little overcast and a few spotty showers popping up so it may obscure it. I just walked out with the welding helmet and its about 25% covered. I got the hay baled yesterday so hopefully we get a shower the next few day after i get fertilizer put out
m5farm said:
We were in a 97% area. I was changing a hose on a hydraulic chute and able to stop occasionally and watch.
I was alive for the one in 1979. I remember nothing of it. So, in a way, I was braced for it not being more than what it was. I read about what to expect though. The cool breeze and drop in temperature was pretty cool. We didn't get dark, more like when my self tinting glasses respond to stepping outside.
I forgot to check out shadows. Some friends posted pictures that were pretty cool in that regard. We have friend that are self proclaimed science nerds. They posted really cool pictures as they had the right camera to do so. They also had the right telescope to watch.
I think the other thing.... It felt like people kind of came together for a moment without tearing each other down. Maybe even like God was saying, "Can I get your attention for just a moment?". I enjoyed it.
My favorite quote, "The eclipse was a raging success. We love can see why the Ancients went to extremes to keep the Asunción God happy...human sacrifices? Why not? It couldn't hurt."..... Ummmm Except those being sacrificed.
We were in a 68% area, I got to see the sun about 20% covered before it clouded over. First clouds we've had in days, then it cleared right up as soon as the eclipse was over lol. But it was way better than the letdown I experience in 1979 as that eclipse was completely cloud obscured.
highgrit
Well-known member
All the Eclipse did here was cause it to rain. The hay was to wet to bale yesterday but the weather is looking good to finally finish up with the baling today.