2015 Hay Season

foreman Etexas · May 18, 2015

So I guess when the tree are falling over it's not time to cut.

Creamer · May 18, 2015

Saw the first hay being cut today. It was alfalfa/grass mix. Mostly timothy and brome grass with some fescue.

AGRIMAN · May 18, 2015

TomSeller said:
Uh oh.

That's pretty close to what I said too. Ended up being around a 1K uh oh, so it wasn't as bad as i was thinking.

On a brighter note, I picked up a nice JD 530 MOCO last week so it's days may be numbered.

KiotiKowboy · May 19, 2015

Great ... The hay is ready
But ... Rain Rain and more Rain

Creamer · May 20, 2015

Lots of hay went down yesterday. Forecast calls for 4 more days of no rain but with overcast skies, high humidity, and 60 degrees on wet ground it I am wondering how much the hay is going to dry.

foreman Etexas · May 20, 2015

Creamer said:
Lots of hay went down yesterday. Forecast calls for 4 more days of no rain but with overcast skies, high humidity, and 60 degrees on wet ground it I am wondering how much the hay is going to dry.

Looks like rain headed that way on Radar now.

Lawnman TX · May 21, 2015

More rain coming down again this morning. Can we get a break, just a pause for a month or so????

Mistyridgefarm · May 21, 2015

My fields were ready weeks ago but I was out of town the only dry spell we had. For weeds, I've tried a few different things. In the hay fields, I've been spraying (100 gallon rig) 2,4-D broadcast at first, now after five years just have to spot spray thistle and a few others weeds. The pastures I have been using 2,4-D but have not been getting any reduction year to year. This year I tried Grazon Next so we will see. Hopefully, it won't kill off all the clovers but put a good dent on buttercup. One of the reclaimed side hills (now fenced for pasture) the briars were 8 feet high. I bush hogged four times a year for three years and now only have a few here and there. I'm going to put some 2,4-D on it soon for broadleafs. The hay fields got about 250 lbs/acre of 70-0-70 with sulfur and the pastures got 70-0-0 with sulfur and micros. Both are looking very good and should get me to the 3-4 tons per acre I'm shooting for. I also added pelletized lime (expensive). I've been building the soils back from severe depletion by the former owner. I think this year I will finally be in the range to take soil samples and balance out.

It looks like we will have four days of dry weather, although the first two will be cooler than I like. I'm going to try a small field, probably have to ted it twice though. Besides, I like the first cut of the season to be small to work out all the machinery glitches that seem to pop up after storage (and I service before putting up at end of year). 400-500 small squares ought to work the machines good as well as these old muscles. Wish you all good hay season!

I've

Creamer · May 21, 2015

We got a sprinkling last evening. Not sure how much drying the hay got yesterday.

EddieWalker · May 21, 2015

When you guys spray 2,4-D do you cut it first and then spray, or do you cut it and let it start to grow a little bit and then spray? Or do you just spray and not cut it?

I'm also curious about buying hay and if it's better to get last years hay that has been stored in a barn and has never been wet, or get first cutting from this year, whenever that is, to feed my horses? Which cutting is going to be the best? 1st, 2nd or 3rd?

Eddie