first cutting of hay

[Texasmark]

You have a MFWD tractor so "get to cutting" He-He:dance1::laughing:

Yes Sir! (Salute) Grin

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

Update.

Finally got her cut yesterday. Really impressed with this seed. I planted April 16 and yesterday was June 27. Note the height and absence of boot or heads. How about those stems and leaves. Phil's little drum cutter (Small Farm Innovations) didn't miss a lick either.

Now as you said Jim, the work is cut out for me. Getting that mess crimped and dried out will be some chore.

I think I will plant a little later next year so that I can get it cut before it gets so tall. Will be a lot easier for me to work if I cut it at about 3'. Course this way I got my hay for the year and don't have to sweat the weather for the second or third cutting.

Mark

 

[Tx Jim]

Looks good!!! Report back after you get your experience operating the pull type conditioner. I wish you the best of luck.
Jim

 

[Texasmark]

Looks good!!! Report back after you get your experience operating the pull type conditioner. I wish you the best of luck.
Jim

Thanks. I am on the learning curve as to what to do with this mess. The first thing I learned is that you have to have it dry to get it to dry (conditioned). As you said, this WILL be an experience. However I still prefer the drum and I'd assume the disc cutter (never ran one) to the sickle bar. And as I said earlier, never again will I let a crop get this tall......my first and last experience.

Mark

 

[Tx Jim]

You should be able to crimp right after cutting as JD had the option of a hitch & pto shaft extension to mount on the old type sickle mower to tow crimper behind mower to crimp while cutting.

 

[Texasmark]

You should be able to crimp right after cutting as JD had the option of a hitch & pto shaft extension to mount on the old type sickle mower to tow crimper behind mower to crimp while cutting.

I assumed this to be the right time as with the MOCO it happens immediately. So I made a couple of rounds with the cutter at first and then went and got the crimper. Even though the ground was pretty dry, the long stems and water content caused the crop to repeatedly wrap around the drum. I tried several variations of ground speed and rpm and finally gave it up.

I did learn that it does a better job of picking up and processing if I run against the way it was cut bringing in the leaf part prior to the stem. Course in thinking about it, at least on the old 1209, the leaves go into the crusher first which makes sense.....easier entry as compared to the blunt end of the stem.

So, the current plan is to just let it dry out for a couple of days and keep testing it to find the niche. I'm going to have to flip it over to get the bottom up out of the dirt and up in the air for drying and crimping. Nice to know that my livelihood doesn't depend on this crop as it is going to be extremely labor intensive. But I'm retired, have plenty of time, so be it.

Thanks for following this.

Mark

 

[Texasmark]

The weather is cooperating; sunny, low humidity, pretty good winds, and this afternoon it appears that things aren't all that bad. As the wads dry out they seem to be more adaptive to crimping without clogging. Things are looking up.

Mark