Has anyone started cutting hay yet?

sweettractors · Jun 10, 2005

<font color="blue"> round mixed grass hay bales are selling for a give away price of $10.00 to $12.00 a bale, </font>

We are in central Ky (Hart County) and we are selling some 1500 Lb round hay bales left from last fall for $10 each to make room for this years crop.--Ken Sweet

Sweet Farm Equipment LLC *Good Prices on New Disc Mowers, Rakes, Hay Tedders, Drum Mowers and Sickle Bar Mowers*
sweet@scrtc.com

HayDR · Jun 10, 2005

Feed last years hay that was stored outside to your cattle this winter and your cows and calves will NOT do as well without other feed supplementation. When 500 LBS calves are bring from $1.15 - 1.45 per pound, that would be very expensive hay when you sell your calves.

Robert_in_NY · Jun 11, 2005

You are lucky, I still can not chance it to cut any hay yet. They are calling for 30-50% chance of rain every day thru next saturday. As it is it only rains every third day or so but one rain will ruin my hay and I know as soon as I cut it I am doomed for some rain. However, I did get my new hay fields planted and finished the corn today so I am looking forward to some rain the next couple days then nice clear weather.

I do know what you mean about learning about equipment. I learned a lot last year and in a hurry. Was lucky that my hay wasn't ruined. Time to go, have fun.

green4710 · Jun 11, 2005

I swathed about 100 acres of grass last week. This was some thick stuff. Then it got rained on about 1.5 inches of rain total.

Oh boy, my rake is gonna have a *hay* day with this..... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

burnetma · Jun 14, 2005

Good weather is coming! Hang in there! Sooner or later you have to take a chance on getting some wet or the fields will go by completely.

I am down waiting on baler parts. I hate working with antiques. Can't wait to get a new/newer baler.

green4710 · Jun 16, 2005

Sorry it took me so long to get a picture up, anyway here is one of the swather. It finally quit raining here, so were cutting like crazy finally. Granted were 2 weeks behind... /forums/images/graemlins/ooo.gif

Robert_in_NY · Jul 18, 2005

Wow, it has been a while. I did finally get to cut some hay and have finished around 100 acres with only 45 more left of first cutting. I have been fortunate this year as I have a new lady friend who has her own TN and enjoys haying also. Her father helped me last year by sending his customers to me as he was giving up haying. So this year has been a lot easier then last year.

So far I have had a few set backs. First was with the baler as the knotters started acting up, fixed it and only lost a few hours. Next the pto went on my TN and I was lucky as it was only a snap ring inside the rear end that broke. Then the discbine had a problem with the mount (that holds the pto) ripping loose from the base.

We have not had much rain at all this year and there is very little hay standing. The yields around here are about half of a normal year which is good and bad. The good side is that I have every bale sold, the bad side is that I wish I had more to sell. Doesn't look like we are going to get much of a second cutting unless we get some rain soon and on a regular basis.

Hope things are going better for everyone else. I will try to get some pics of the TN's working.

Robert_in_NY · Jul 18, 2005

That is a nice machine. I had a chance to look the 4995 over at Empire Farm days and watch it work. It did a great job but was a little small compared to the Krone Big M that it was cutting next to but from what I hear you can buy a couple of the JD's for the price of the Big M /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif Hope things have been going better for you.

green4710 · Jul 21, 2005

This machine is awesome. I cut at 9.6 mph all the time, except in really thick grass that has fallen down, then I need to slow down some, 7.8, haha. What a dream to cut alfalfa with, 17 acres an hour easy. Only downfall is the dang payments!!! /forums/images/graemlins/mad.gif