Hay got rained on. When to rake

   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #1  

whitmerlegacyfarm

Silver Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2011
Messages
195
Location
Central PA
Tractor
2010 Kioti DK50SE HST w/ 401 Loader
Ok guy 1st hay making expeience. I got majority of 4ac. Tuesday with sickle bar. Got a light rain on it today. Should i let it lay for a day. Then,rake n bale next day? Being friday. Not real sure wat to do. Temps r to b mid 80s next 2 days no rain. Thanks guys
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #2  
Ok guy 1st hay making expeience. I got majority of 4ac. Tuesday with sickle bar. Got a light rain on it today. Should i let it lay for a day. Then,rake n bale next day? Being friday. Not real sure wat to do. Temps r to b mid 80s next 2 days no rain. Thanks guys
How wet did it get? If it was just a sprinkle, keep on as normal, otherwise, wait till the top dries off and rake it. Roll it over (top flipped to bottom) or spread it out and let it dry till it crackles and bale.

Aaron Z
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake
  • Thread Starter
#3  
Sprinkled off n on all day. An now its a stedy rain. Its all still layin. I have not raked it yet. Should i rake tomorrow then turn it over friday n bale?
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #4  
Sun, wind and humidity can play a big role in how fast it dries. It needs to feel dry and crispy to the touch then rake it to flip it over, let it dry until that side is dry and bale.
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #5  
Sun, wind and humidity can play a big role in how fast it dries. It needs to feel dry and crispy to the touch then rake it to flip it over, let it dry until that side is dry and bale.

What he said.
It has to dry before you windrow it. The hay will be fine. Just be patient and wait.
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #6  
Here is the stickler and something to keep in mind. If it's cut and laying and it gets rained on and it gets hot and humid the following day, flip it right away or ted it out. Reason is, the forage will heat up with the moisture and will get rank underneath.

If my hay gets rained on, I'm out there as soon as the dew is off, the next say, blowing it out or flipping it, depending on how wet it is and the heat and RH.

I use an IR thermometer to check the temperature of the forage near the ground and if the temperature is more than 5 degrees above ambient, I get with the program right away.

I only bale very high quality alfalfa hay for contract customers and they want prime material and pay for it, so I'm real cognizant of what the forage is doing all the time.

It's babysitting for a fee, sort of.

you mix a little science with some common sense and a healthy respect for Mother Nature and usually you can come out smelling like a rose. I've never had to rake off a field to the ditch or burn rank forage.
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #7  
I wondered when "tedding" was gonna enter into the recommendations...! We had about 10 acres down this summer and it was just on the edge of being ready to bale - sitting in windrows.

And a full day of rain came - likely 1/2"-3/4"! :mur:

Next day blue skies and puffy clouds with a nice breeze..... YEEEEHAAAAA!

I was out there tedding as soon as it was on the 60 degree mark! Tedded it 3-4 times that day until it was as dry as I could get it and the ground surface was also as dry as possible.

Raked it into windrows.

Next day I tedded it once and let it sit for 3-4 hours in the sun. Raked and started baling. Nice green color and good smell! Some of the driest hay I've seen in Alaska!

Don't let your hay lie flat in the field with it being wet. As 5030 mentioned, the lower lying hay will "cook" just like a sauna in a hot-humid microclimate next to the ground. That's when it starts to turn very brown or in the worst case - black!

Up here, many guys will start tedding within an hour of cutting! Don't want to leave the high moisture, green material begin to heat up - especially near the bottom, next to the ground.

Next time you mow your field - use your moisture tester/thermometer - and check the down hay in the upper 1" and then check the lowest 1". You'll be surprised by the differences!

One other note - if I know the forecast is for showers or rain - I'll rake the field into windrows. Light fluffy windrows. Single pass - lot's of light windrows! The hay has a better chance to aerate and the rain will pass thru to the ground easier than building up on the hay.

AKfish
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake
  • Thread Starter
#8  
Now im just as confused. Some say let it dry completly n others say rake it as soon as weather clears. Its just timothy/orchard grass lil clover amongst a lil weeds. I realy would like to rake today when i get home from work then re rake tomorrow n let sit for a few hrs an then my neighbor will round bale it.
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #9  
When its been relatively "grassy hay", i.e. not alfalfa or clover, and it didn't get too wet, we just let it lay until dry and then rake and bale. If it's thicker and got wetter, we still let it dry some (say 'til noon) and then raked it. Haven't had any trouble with mold or rot in the bales.
 
   / Hay got rained on. When to rake #10  
Good topic, I was going to ask this but was beaten to it. 2nd time for me to do my hay. Last time weather good, cut first day, tedder x2 second day-had some heavy clumps here and there. Rake and bale mid to later the third day. Not sure if that was over kill. Second day hay was brown and dry except for several thick clump areas so I waited for the third day. Heard war stories of hay bales caughting fire due to heat so I am cautious and make it a 3 day work think.
 

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