Winter Field Mowing

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

I don't have to wait for freezing. But, I do typically plan for cutting right at the end of deer gun season...

 

[JohnnyMX]

I am planning on the same, but this foot of show isn't cooperating just yet. I do hope things can at least stay cold this winter. Last winter was tough and we had more 40 degree days and rain than anything.

 

[Hay Dude]

Few more pics from today. Heres a shot from just arriving and starting a few passes to open up the bottom of this 35 acre parcel. Sorry for the crummy windshield.

Cutting mostly goldenrod and blackberry and some milkweed. This used to be a productive hayfield. It was purchased by a local conservancy. They allow me to hay about 50 acres and they keep this part in back out of hay for wildlife habitat. It also has some wet areas better suited for winter/frozen mowing.

Making some progress. I was able to mow about 4MPH.

Now its a “back & forth” mowing pattern with headlands established.



Finishing up its about 3PM. Took about 6-7 hours. You can see the hay lands in the background.

Heading home. Bringing a bale to the barn for the critters….

Even the windshield wiper & washer cant help my windshield much LOL

 

[Thomas]

Anyone mowing brush, large fields in winter with frozen ground?
We have about 150 acres to cut when the ground freezes. Too soft/delicate to cut unless frozen.
We have one property with a few large retention pond basins we can only cut when the ground freezes.
Some areas overrun with blackberry
These were once hay fields, now contract cut Conservancy Lands.

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Will add more with todays mowing. Gonna be low 20’s so great time to mow normally damp ground.

I've mow in weather condition as you and found out much easier when it comes to seeing rocks ditches better traction with out making ruts tractor runs cooler,and no sudden surprise from ground bees,only down side weeds high grass etc. doesn't get chop.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've mow in weather condition as you and found out much easier when it comes to seeing rocks ditches better traction with out making ruts tractor runs cooler,and no sudden surprise from ground bees,only down side weeds high grass etc. doesn't get chop.

Hoping to do some “winter hay” in a few weeks. I have a 35 acre stand that I can possibly get baled if we have dry weather and frozen ground. This particular conservancy will allow, IF conditions are just right. Otherwise it has to be mowed.
It’ll be interesting making hay in February!

 

[workinonit]

What sort of wildlife do they leave the natural habitat for? We have a conservation program here in SC but it calls for dividing the parcel in thirds and mowing a third a year. This allows wildlife to always have a three year old section. I don't know if it works but it sounds good. I remember growing up my granddad about this time of year would go just strike a match to the woods and fields as would all of the farmers in our area. We never had wildfires, ever. Wildlife was abundant. If you struck a match around here now you would burn half the county and get arrested. We have no small game anymore.

 

[Hay Dude]

What sort of wildlife do they leave the natural habitat for? We have a conservation program here in SC but it calls for dividing the parcel in thirds and mowing a third a year. This allows wildlife to always have a three year old section. I don't know if it works but it sounds good. I remember growing up my granddad about this time of year would go just strike a match to the woods and fields as would all of the farmers in our area. We never had wildfires, ever. Wildlife was abundant. If you struck a match around here now you would burn half the county and get arrested. We have no small game anymore.

Mostly Deer, Coyote, Fox, Pheasant, Rabbits, turtles, hawks, eagles, owls… the typical wildlife you and I are both familiar with.
The place I showed in the pictures has 3 open parcels, about 100 acres total and quite a bit of woodlands.
I will hay 2 of them and mow the 3rd one every year. They haven’t “rotated” the parcels at all. They seem to be satisfied leaving the same 2 in hay and the 3rd one as a wildlife habitat.
The Land manager is very keen on ground nesting birds. He doesn’t want them disturbed and they are vulnerable to hay farming, so we come in and hay them late.

 

[workinonit]

Yea, the CPS program here was introduced to save the quail population. Problem is, they waited about 20 years too late to implement it. You could walk your legs down to nubs around here and not see a single bird. Typical DNR problem solving. I'm not in the CPS program but I practice the land rotation. It seems to have helped with the rabbit population.

 

[Hay Dude]

I will be starting a much larger winter mowing project in about a week. About 60 acres.
Will be back to post pictures.

 

[Coboco]

Interesting to hear about the selective mowing for wildlife habitat improvement. I try to manage 30 hilly acres that used to be hay field this way, by establishing several main roads relatively level across the contour of the land to access the property. From there I can mow small parts here and there to promote pasture-like diversity patches among the trees and bushes I'm trying to let re-grow.

It's cool to see the deer, turkey, quail, coyote and fox starting to utilize the paths and different elements of cover throughout the property now.

One thing I've found about frozen ground is that if that top 1-2" layer starts to thaw but remains frozen underneath, it gets very slippery and makes hills pretty dangerous to navigate.