Hay Making on a Different Scale

[LHF2019]

Any guesses on what I’m making and no it’s not hay. Takes week week and half to get it ready and I need rain. View attachment 871750

Precut rye straw progressing nicely.

 

[Tx Jim]

I want to make clear that the the bales I'm wrapping are baleage. Not dry hay. Anywhere from 20-60% moisture depending on lots of different factors. At one time I weighed a bunch of 4x4/4x5's. I don't remember a lot of the weights anymore and need to do this again but 640 comes to mind on a 4x5 dry hay bale and I believe that was mature 1st cutting. Baler is a 459 S.S. running about 3500 psi

Thanks for explanation. Higher moisture in rd bales makes one understand your stated bale weights better.

 

[Coffee drinker]

Any guesses on what I’m making and no it’s not hay. Takes week week and half to get it ready and I need rain. View attachment 871750

I don't, please explain.

 

[LHF2019]

Precut rye straw. Takes 7-10 days to bleach it out. Want some rain but not to much and then nice weather for baling. Talk about a challenge trying to find that perfect window. Don't want to cut rye to early as you lose yield. To late and pollen and anthers plug up tractor filters. Really late and you have seed heads.

Precut Rye Straw

Precut rye straw is a good alternative to conventional small grain straw since it is made in late spring and many crops can be planted after it's harvest.

extension.psu.edu

 

[LHF2019]

11 acres on the ground for baleage. Got rained and hailed on. Expected a little but not the downpours. Luckily had access to shelter. Was not a warm rain.

 

[Hay Dude]

Ohh, geeze. That ain’t good.
We got thunderstorms and really cold wind & rain about 6PM on Wednesday. I’m still on hold down here with a few more things to get done. Might start next Tuesday.

 

[5030]

One thing I never do (if I can help it) is let my hay tools sit out in the rain, especially the bailer. All that chaff that collects inside it and on it, turns to goo and dries and is impossible to remove. It never gets washed either, just blown off with compressed air and greased. I finally got it back yesterday. My dealer spent 3 solid days refitting it with scraper bars and removing the built up hay on the main drive roll and the Kubota regional rep looked at it and approved the modifications. 3 days of labor at 130 bucks an hour will be billed to Kubota. They didn't make any money on it, I'd say.

Perused a Kubota ad for the BV bailers and now I see Kubota is actually stating that ALL bailers, sileage or not will come with sileage scraper bars on the drive rolls and tailgate rolls. Guess they made a mistake on the build....lol

The owner of the dealership I deal with brought it out last night and told me Kubota sent him the wrong parts and the install instructions were useless as well. Kubota had to air freight the correct parts and Dennis had to 'wing it' to install them. Sounds like an expensive 'circle jerk' to me. Glad I'm not out any money for it. Was all under warranty, even though it wasn't, because the issue started back when it was.

Got more rain here last night so I'll be a while before I can do anything, like Hay Dude, maybe next week early.

 

[LHF2019]

Pictures to come. Our first big day of small squares was the rye straw. All stored in the barn on the scaffold no elevator. Started baling at 1215 baling done at 4. Started unloading at 130 done at 430 - 5 guys. Lots of extended breaks waiting for wagons to get to the barn. Probably 2.5 hours of actual unloading. 915 bales. Hasn't been since late 90's with dad have I ran bales that aggressive. Feeling it this morning.

 

[5030]

Pictures to come. Our first big day of small squares was the rye straw. All stored in the barn on the scaffold no elevator. Started baling at 1215 baling done at 4. Started unloading at 130 done at 430 - 5 guys. Lots of extended breaks waiting for wagons to get to the barn. Probably 2.5 hours of actual unloading. 915 bales. Hasn't been since late 90's with dad have I ran bales that aggressive. Feeling it this morning.

Better you than me.... Least those bales aren't as heavy as hay bales. Rained cats and dogs here again last night with more coming today. I'd really like to try out my baler but presently, that is wishful thinking. Not gonna be doing anything for a while.

 

[Hay Dude]

Finally getting underway Sunday after church. I should have some more cut on Monday.
Still can’t upload pics. Says “file is too large to upload” or “sorry, couldn’t find that”
Oh well.