2018 HAY SEASON Post your results here

[cat fever]

I have not cut yet, but the field looks really good. Rain has been pretty good although the last couple weeks has been dry. Supposed to rain this weekend. My plan is to cut next week based on weather report. I walked the fence line a week ago and the alfalfa was knee high then and very thick.

 

[EddieWalker]

I have completely struck out on buying round bales from anybody in my area except the feed stores. $80 a bale and im hoping for rain!!!

 

[joeu235]

Eddie, it's going to rain next week!!

 

[StuartDK45SE]

Eddie, it's going to rain next week!!

That's what they say. Should I fertilize the end of this week or will it be a flood event?

 

[houser52]

Here in my part of NC we had rain every couple of days for three weeks and nobody could make any hay. The weather finally broke for a few days straight and most farmers were making hay as fast as they could. A lot of the hay was a little past prime but it looks like most made more hay than usual.

My 60 acres has not been cut yet because the guy who bales mine made his first and now it's back to raining every other day. His equipment is sitting on ready for mine if we ever get a stretch of sunny weather. Last year we made over 200 5X5 rolls of good hay on those 60 acres but his year the quality won't be as good but the quantity should be about the same.

 

[japody]

I've gotten 200 4x5 rolls so far. My supplier delivered them a few weeks ago. :laughing:

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

That's what they say. Should I fertilize the end of this week or will it be a flood event?

The weather casters are fairly certain. Do you ever broadcast dry fertilizer? My buddy says it seems to work better in these hot dry conditions once the rain hits it good.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

For years, nobody wanted to pay more for hay, so it is usually a losing proposition. Fertilizer and equipment are expensive.

But I see now that many people are going to 4' wide balers, making a 20% - 25% smaller bale and just charging maybe a little bit less.

 

[joeu235]

Dry ammonium sulfate fertilizer is the only thing I use. 400# / acre of 20-10-0. The N doesn't volatilize like other forms. My father in law puts out liquid, but he tries to spray it when rain is imminent.

 

[BeeferMan]

Very dry here in New England. We had a couple fields which produced some decent quality hay, but with probably 75% of normal yield. But other fields matured so quickly that it's marginal hay. Hoping for some decent rain in late June early July so we can get a decent 2nd crop, but the long range forecast isn't promising.