2015 Hay Season

[foreman Etexas]

So usually would be posting a picture where I had the equipment out and made my first bale but it's just been way to wet. I have RYE grass in one pasture that is over knee high but not getting a tractor in there anytime soon and rain coming back in next week.
I ordered fertilizer for the 30acres at house for Monday,that's only meadow I believe can run a truck in without getting stuck will see. 300lbs of 21-8-17,$489 a ton.
This year I also bought a 2004 New Holland TL100 cab to pull the baler. it's at NH getting new paint on hood,new head liner,new pto clutch and few other things before it comes home...
Anybody else started baling anywhere?

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I dropped 90lbs/acre Nitrogen mixed with Grazon Next today on about 85 acres. The pastures haven't been fertilized in recorded history - lol. My hay production dropped about 10 percent last year, so it was definitely time. I hope to see an improvement in the bale count this spring. I'll repeat the N next spring.

 

[smstonypoint]

I don't do hay, but I did see a fescue field being mowed for hay on Friday -- the first I have seen this year in my area of NC (Iredell County).

Steve

 

[Tx Jim]

I dropped 90lbs/acre Nitrogen mixed with Grazon Next today on about 85 acres. The pastures haven't been fertilized in recorded history - lol. My hay production dropped about 10 percent last year, so it was definitely time. I hope to see an improvement in the bale count this spring. I'll repeat the N next spring.

I think if you expect much improvement on hay production you'll need to perform some soil tests and will end up adding some phosphorus & possibly potassium & maybe some micro nutrients. We had 8'' of rain plus hail last Sunday night and more is forecast for next week. My ryegrass took a beating.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I am guilty of not doing soil samples and I keep saying I am going too. My uneducated guess is get the N out while better rain chances,apply good amount of potash and phosphorus I tend to stay around 6 to 8,why well I figure(guess) that if it needs it at least I am applying some and if it doesn't I am not applying to much. The heifers been on the rye at house but it's still doing good,I worked them yesterday and moved to lease place. I guess I been being cheap cause I been trying to time it at the end of rye and beginning of warm season grass and get two cuttings off one fertilizing and depending on what weather looks like I will go in and fertilize a 2nd time with 21-0-21 or 25-3-9 if getting rain or 16-6-6 if gambling for a rain.

 

[EddieWalker]

I just bought hay for the first time at $7 a square bale 12.5 % protein for my horses. He said it was from his second cutting last year and we loaded it out of a barn that appeared dry and well kept. He said he hasn't done anything to his fields yet this year because of how wet it is, and that he's wanting to spray for weeds.

What do you guys use to spray for weeds?

 

[TomSeller]

Should be starting to put up haylage shortly.

I spot spray weeds. I don't use a boom. I put a 35' recoil hose (like on a shop air compressor) on my sprayer. Stop the tractor, get off and spray anything within 35'. A lot less chemical that way and fewer things to spray every year.

 

[foreman Etexas]

I spray 2pnts an acre Grazon P+D,unless dont have enough days before cut then I will use 2-4d. I rather spend twice the money on Grazon instead making the second trip across pasture with 2-4d. I just about have pastures cleared of weeds and just need spot spray few areas.

 

[KiotiKowboy]

I use Grazon for general application and Remedy for briars. For limited spot control, mostly glyphosate.

 

[farmer2009]

Hoping to get fertilizer on this week. It's been to wet this spring here also. Did see one field of red clover cut this weekend. Going with 100 lbs of urea with Agrotain. I rotate between that and triple 19 and chicken litter. Depends on year and what went on last year.

I spray 2,4d at 2 pints per acre. I use a boomless nozzle that will cover 50 feet. I make a spring pass for thistle and then a sure pass. I only use the 2,4d because everything else is so hard on clovers.