Did a little hay last week ...

blueriver · Apr 30, 2012

Had good weather and put up 90 acres ... cut with 2 tractors and put up 296
4x5.5' round bales net wrapped ... its all sold right out of the field.

Didn't get many pictures ... too busy getting the hay done.

Also took 500 square bales off of 13 acres and 85 rounds off of another field. That stuff went into the barn.

Just as I feared its getting really dry ... the wind and high temps are pulling the moist right out ... I'm planning to start irrigating this week. If we don't get some rain soon ... liable to be right back to drought conditions.

I've got 40 acres that could be cut but I'm hoping that 60% chance of rain next weekend comes thru and that will help it a little more.

ncnurseryman · Apr 30, 2012

Great pics.

flusher · Apr 30, 2012

Nice equipment and hay barn. What balers are you using?

blueriver · Apr 30, 2012

flusher said:
Nice equipment and hay barn. What balers are you using?

John Deere 468 ...

Western · Apr 30, 2012

Nice to see the 1st go-around worked good for you, good looking hay too! nice color.

That hay is Gold in the barn right now, hopefully you'll get a few more cuts on the ground.

Mousefield · Apr 30, 2012

Thanks for sharing your pics. We live in an are with lots of mountains so interesting to see how flat it is in your area. Oklahoma is one of the 13 states I haven't visited yet. Reminds me I have to go buy some hay this week. Still have our two calves in our small pasture, the big one still has lots of puddles, if I put the calves in now they will get it nice and muddy. We have the opposite problem here, cooler, wetter and of course cloudier than normal. Don't think any haying will be done in our area till June at the earliest.

blueriver · Apr 30, 2012

Western said:
Nice to see the 1st go-around worked good for you, good looking hay too! nice color.

That hay is Gold in the barn right now, hopefully you'll get a few more cuts on the ground.

Thanks Dennis ... I started the irrigator this morning on my best coastal field am going to run an inch of water then put out nitrogen and run another inch ... that will make it grow!!!

If I could get some rain on the fields that were just cut they would make a good second cut. But its getting dry.

That Pearl Millet I drilled in is about 4" tall ... wanting to put some nitrogen on it as well ... just need a rain in the forecast!!!

Hay prices are pretty steady right now ... those bales in the field brought $50 .. The squares are running $8

blueriver · Apr 30, 2012

Mousefield said:
Thanks for sharing your pics. We live in an are with lots of mountains so interesting to see how flat it is in your area. Oklahoma is one of the 13 states I haven't visited yet. Reminds me I have to go buy some hay this week. Still have our two calves in our small pasture, the big one still has lots of puddles, if I put the calves in now they will get it nice and muddy. We have the opposite problem here, cooler, wetter and of course cloudier than normal. Don't think any haying will be done in our area till June at the earliest.

Some parts of Oklahoma are pretty flat others got some darn good hills

MotorSeven · Apr 30, 2012

Looks good. Yep, I'm kinda thinking drought this summer too. We will start cutting in 2 weeks and already have over 200 4x4's sold. I put nitrogen out(900 lbs Urea @ $333) for the first time in my 9ac field a couple of weeks ago. It is already a deeper darker shad of green than the un-fertilized field next to it. This all new to me, but a soil test only called for nitrogen...nothing else and this field was the lowest producer last season, so I am curious to see if I get my money back.

Depmandog · May 1, 2012

Blue

Just looked at the radar tonight...not sure what part of OK you are in - but looks like the majority of the state is getting some soaking rains tonight. That ought to help your hay!!

Western · May 1, 2012

$8 ..That would get me to hauling more square bales. I read an add about a month ago from south Texas wanted $145 for a round!!!

Bob Ha · May 1, 2012

blueriver: I'm not far from you and did the same thing. Got about 150 bales and all but 10 are gone. People are traveling long distances to get hay. Had one guy call and wanted around 250 bales. If I recall he said he could get 40 bales per load and needed 6 loads. He was from the Austin area.

I was planning on putting 4 tons of Urea out last weekend with the chances of rain. Glad I didn't since the rain didn't materialize. Been thinking of irrigating my fields but just not sure about the payback. I'm on the edge of an aquifer so I should have plenty of water at about 100' down.

kfvintx · May 1, 2012

Looks good. Can't wait to get up to my place this weekend and see how the coastal is looking. Hopefully start making plans for first cut soon. I need to get some weeds sprayed as well hoping to have additional land start producing more through the year.

The year started good for rain but is during dry. Really hope we don't have repeat of last year.

blueriver · May 1, 2012

Depmandog said:
Blue

Just looked at the radar tonight...not sure what part of OK you are in - but looks like the majority of the state is getting some soaking rains tonight. That ought to help your hay!!

Atoka County ... and I did 3/10ths last evening ... thank full for every drop !!!

blueriver · May 1, 2012

Western said:
$8 ..That would get me to hauling more square bales. I read an add about a month ago from south Texas wanted $145 for a round!!!

I saw one on CL ... might have been the same ad...stop by and I'll let you haul some !!! Its pretty cool using the accumulator and Grapple.

blueriver · May 1, 2012

Bob Ha said:
blueriver: I'm not far from you and did the same thing. Got about 150 bales and all but 10 are gone. People are traveling long distances to get hay. Had one guy call and wanted around 250 bales. If I recall he said he could get 40 bales per load and needed 6 loads. He was from the Austin area.

I was planning on putting 4 tons of Urea out last weekend with the chances of rain. Glad I didn't since the rain didn't materialize. Been thinking of irrigating my fields but just not sure about the payback. I'm on the edge of an aquifer so I should have plenty of water at about 100' down.

Good thing you held off on the urea ... I look at my irrigation like this. Start early and keep the moisture in the ground ... it runs me 1.25 gallons of diesel per hour to run the system and as long as square bales are that $8-10 ... well every 500 bales adds up. I'm planning to keep my best bermuda fertilized and watered.

Western · May 1, 2012

blueriver said:
I saw one on CL ... might have been the same ad...stop by and I'll let you haul some !!! Its pretty cool using the accumulator and Grapple.[/QUOTE

G...Thanks for the "offer":laughing:I'll haul it on the halves!!

Haven't used an accumulator, used one of the chain drive/trailer mounted ones. Accumulator takes almost all of the work out of it it appears. I always like the $ from square bales, but they where a bit more labor intensive.

blueriver · May 2, 2012

Western said:
blueriver said:

I saw one on CL ... might have been the same ad...stop by and I'll let you haul some !!! Its pretty cool using the accumulator and Grapple.[/QUOTE

G...Thanks for the "offer":laughing:I'll haul it on the halves!!

Haven't used an accumulator, used one of the chain drive/trailer mounted ones. Accumulator takes almost all of the work out of it it appears. I always like the $ from square bales, but they where a bit more labor intensive.

Click to expand...

My grandson rakes for me ... he can finish a field before I'm done baling then he calls on the radio and tells me he's done and going after the accumulator. So simple to use ... by the time I'm done baling he is about done accumulating and then I un-hook from the baler put on the grapple and he brings the truck and trailer ... I load while he drives. I also have a 3 point atattchment for the tractor to bring the second gooseneck to the field and a hay wagon ... 4 wheel type that pulls behind the tractor. We can load 500 in the field then come to the barn and off load and do it again until they are gathered up.

Western · May 2, 2012

Cant beat that set up and the helper, great to see a youngster being a contributor. Nothing like the smell of a hay barn full of good hay:thumbsup:

I used to pay to college students I knew to load and stack my squares in the barn. They hauled hay to supplement, one is a vet the other one I think is an anesthesiologist. They'd haul hay all night ,go to school in the day time. Those boys could move some hay!!

blueriver · May 2, 2012

Western said:
Cant beat that set up and the helper, great to see a youngster being a contributor. Nothing like the smell of a hay barn full of good hay:thumbsup:

I used to pay to college students I knew to load and stack my squares in the barn. They hauled hay to supplement, one is a vet the other one I think is an anesthesiologist. They'd haul hay all night ,go to school in the day time. Those boys could move some hay!!

The good old days when young folks appreciated the extra money. My grandson has turned into a real hand ... still some school issues. To think a little over 3 years ago he had never been on a farm ... had never drove a 4 wheeler. In todays world he cuts hay, rakes, loads and unloads. We practice safety every day ... I find him reminding me of things.

He's 15 and a couple weeks ago I was at the other farm 7 miles away sraying weeds ... I needed some tools so I called him at the home farm and told him to bring the dodge dually and carry those supplies to me ... grandma didn't like that !! He made it there and back no problems and I have taught him to drive defensivly ... rural roads and he drives very well.

I had fun that evening at dinner when I told his grandma ... "I looked up and the boy was there" Then I said he told me "It don't take long at 65-70 MPH !!!!!