Anyone mow hay yet?

[buckeyefarmer]

CW would be from days of sicklebar mowers.
There was discussion recently regarding rotary mowing direction, and people seems to think CCW gives better cut. I can’t tell any difference and go the direction that seems safer for the hillside I’m on.

 

[Lastkidpicked]

Apparently front mowers are relatively expensive and need to be ordered, BUT a right side mower is the proverbial "dime a dozen" AND they are often in stock at a dealer, so replacing one is fairly quick and they are cheaper than a front mower to replace.

The front mower is a little more expensive, but not all that much because the side mower has a complicated 3 point hitch hydraulic raise/lower suspension apparatus. I do mow counterclockwise to open up the field, then mow in straightest lines I can across it.

CW would be from days of sicklebar mowers.
There was discussion recently regarding rotary mowing direction, and people seems to think CCW gives better cut. I can’t tell any difference and go the direction that seems safer for the hillside I’m on.

It's amazing what a guy learns just reading this thread. Many thanks to you all who take time to share your experience.

And the respect shown between @Hay Dude and others shows what good people we have here. Thank you again for taking the time.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

also, almost all offset mowers are to the right side of the tractor, probably out of habit or custom. Even the lane shark I think only offsets to the right side. Also right side for mowing along roads in direction of traffic flow.

 

[redman135]

Most offset mowers etc are on the right side as most people are right handed so that is the side the controls are on. Also as 2/3 of the world keeps right ,it makes sense to have offset machines on the berm side of the road as opposed to the cetreline in keep left countries. Mowers make a huge blind spot on the centre line of the road in keep left countries. You can easily loose a car.

 

[CH4Ohio]

This is a little off-topic but someone in this "hay group" likely knows the answer . . .

I was looking for baler parts on the JD site. Happened to land on the small square baler overview page and noticed that one of the headline features of the JD 348 baler is "Automatic Lockout". I can't find any explanation or reference to this on the linked pages. Does anyone know what the "Automatic Lockout" feature is??

Thanks in advance!

 

[New property]

Hay taken off my field last week . Western Pa.

 

[Hay Dude]

Im still mowing hay and will be for another 10 days +

 

[oosik]

Down south about 80 miles - June 21. A couple of fields of alfalfa hay had been cut.

 

[cat fever]

I'm a little late here but I've been busy. Around here we had to cut early because it froze 2 nights in a row and the alfalfa just stops growing. Last year first cut I got 91 bales (3x4s) this year I got 45 because of cutting early. 2nd cut is not looking to good probably another 35-40 bales.

 

[Rockbadchild]

I did my small bales for the year... I got a sudden memory of why I was so happy as a kid when we stop making hay...

99 degree F... yes it gets hot in Northern Ontario as well