Rookie haying season - done

[Dave5264]

Well, thanks to everyone here for the input and advice earlier on, I've now concluded my first haying season.

I did a very limited cut and bale for my first season.

Available Acres ~ 75
Acres cut ~ 25
Acres baled ~10

I got about 400 Square Bales off. I didnt bale anything that was of questionable quality.

I have several fields that Im just going to cut/bush-hog this year, ie the balance ~50 Acres. Next year I need to look at re seeding a few fields and starting the process of revitalizing some of these older fields.

It will take me a few years to get it all back upto full production - years ago it yielded 6000 small square bales per year.... :confused2:

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations on your success.

I hauled so much hay growing up, I get light headed at the sight of square bale, so I could never have anything else to do with it now.

 

[sweettractors]

Well, thanks to everyone here for the input and advice earlier on, I've now concluded my first haying season.

I did a very limited cut and bale for my first season.

Available Acres ~ 75
Acres cut ~ 25
Acres baled ~10

I got about 400 Square Bales off. I didnt bale anything that was of questionable quality.

I have several fields that Im just going to cut/bush-hog this year, ie the balance ~50 Acres. Next year I need to look at re seeding a few fields and starting the process of revitalizing some of these older fields.

It will take me a few years to get it all back upto full production - years ago it yielded 6000 small square bales per year.... :confused2:

After you get a good soil test, you will know what it needs exactly. The least expensive way to put back nitrogen is through reseeding or over seeding legumes (be sure to inoculate the seed) Ken Sweet

 

[brin]

Congratulations on your success.

I hauled so much hay growing up, I get light headed at the sight of square bale, so I could never have anything else to do with it now.

At least you hauled those bales....I was the one tossing them , stacking them and uloading them...We called it bumping the bales...I don't want to see another one either...:laughing:

 

[Dave5264]

We have horses and a large Bank barn for storage. The small squares work very well for the horses but certainly are more labour intensive.

Re the re-working of the fields, there are a few that need to be plowed, disked, and re seeded for sure. its been a few years since a few of them were done and the weeds, and tag alders etc are coming in big time.

Until I get to that, im trying to keep them cut down.

wish I'd bought a bigger bush hog (mine is 5'), and I cant currently get my 9' haybine over the bridge to get to some of the fields, I need to widen one of the bridges.

more for 2011.

Ill get there eventually

 

[TripleR]

At least you hauled those bales....I was the one tossing them , stacking them and uloading them...We called it bumping the bales...I don't want to see another one either...:laughing:

I probably should of worded it differently as bucking bales stacking and such was what I did and the truck beds were all about shoulder high. We got to use a farmer's hay wagon a couple of times and thought we were in tall cotton so to speak.

You have probably rode a load of bales down too when someone didn't stack them tight enough.

Working in the hills was the hardest, chasing the truck and throwing uphill. Good times.

 

[MMagis]

Re the re-working of the fields, there are a few that need to be plowed, disked, and re seeded for sure. its been a few years since a few of them were done and the weeds, and tag alders etc are coming in big time.

You may be surprised what a difference multiple mowings, lime and fertilizer can do. Plowing, disking, and reseeding would be my absolute last choice for a plain old hay field. The only way I could see that being helpful would be if you were to go to straight alfalfa.

 

[Dave5264]

You may be surprised what a difference multiple mowings, lime and fertilizer can do. Plowing, disking, and reseeding would be my absolute last choice for a plain old hay field. The only way I could see that being helpful would be if you were to go to straight alfalfa.

OK...

Good to hear, thanks for the advice.

I was also wondering about:

getting a manure spreader (horse manure)
overseeding timothy via some sort of braodcast spreader in the fall
what would I use to spread lime ?

 

[MMagis]

OK...

Good to hear, thanks for the advice.

I was also wondering about:

getting a manure spreader (horse manure)
overseeding timothy via some sort of braodcast spreader in the fall
what would I use to spread lime ?

A lime spreader.
The local co-op will usually spread lime for you if enough acreage, and assuming they can get a big truck to the fields. If not, many rent out pull behind spreaders for a reasonable fee. I bought an old lime drop spreader for my use, but it doesn't hold that much. For 75 acres, or even half of that, I'd hire it done or rent a big spreader.

 

[sweettractors]

OK...

Good to hear, thanks for the advice.

I was also wondering about:

getting a manure spreader (horse manure)
overseeding timothy via some sort of braodcast spreader in the fall
what would I use to spread lime ?

More manure the better. Nothing will kick that old stand of grass like a renovation, where you introduce some legumes into existing grass to get the free Nitrogen. Do a soil test first to check the soils pH, Potash and phosphate levels. Ken Sweet