Making Hay

[slowzuki]

Shudder, sorry this touches a nerve as all the good farmland here is getting eaten by housing projects.

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Sure looks like a nice place to build a house on. )</font>

 

[BIGUN]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( What kind of birds are those in pic3? )</font>

Here is a better picture of the birds.

We call them Cowbirds because they usually like being close to or sitting on top of a cow in anticipation of an insect being scared up out of the grass as the cow grazes. They may be called Cattle Egrets also.

That is also why they are here at hay making time, to eat the grasshoppers that are uncovered when the hay is racked and baled. I noticed their bills were usually open and their throats were pulsing in and out. I asked Dad if they were trying to make some sound, he said no, they are panting. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif It was VERY hot that day. He has also observed they prefer the green grasshoppers, Katydids, over the big yellow ones, and if one should be lucky enough to find a field mouse that they will fight over that. Guess they are a rare treat.

They weren’t always in Texas, at least in our area, but showed up 30 or so years ago. Seems like I heard they blew in with a hurricane from somewhere. Maybe someone else knows all the particulars.

 

[Bird]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( Maybe someone else knows all the particulars. )</font>

I wouldn't claim to know a lot, but I've sure seen a lot of them in our area. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif I think this site is about as good for information on them in Texas as any. Another web site indicated that they are now spread world wide. The only bad thing I've heard about them is that they nest in colonies and you really don't want them nesting in your trees because their manure kills the trees.

 

[BIGUN]

Thanks for the link about the birds, Bird. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif That is a lot of info on them.
My mother was just saying how she hoped they didn't start nesting in their trees. Now I know why.

 

[PineRidge]

Thanks for sharing all those great pictures. I really like seeing machinery at work.

 

[Phred]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( There should be a lot of $20 per bale hay for sale this year.
)</font>

Jim,

Yes. That is the problem if your selling. The price will be low this year because of the tons and tons of supply.

Fred

 

[Cliff_Johns]

That's one of the best sequences of photos I've seen on TBN. I did square baling as a kid, but i'd never seen round bailing before. The whole thing made me farm sick (as in home sick). Beautifully done. Thanks you for the effort.

Cliff

 

[jinman]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( The price will be low this year because of the tons and tons of supply. )</font>

The $20 stuff won't be the highest quality, but I already see $25 bales advertised. I know it will come down a little more.

It seems like it's always one of two extremes. Either there is not enough rain and hay or there is a glut. Personally, I think the glut is better. I hate to see ranchers selling off their herds because they can't feed them. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[Robert_in_NY]

That is an area assumption. Come to the North East and sell your hay and you will be able to buy a couple brand new tractors for next spring. We have been rained on every couple days. We have set records for rain fall in almost every month since april. You cut a field and the rain comes in early and ruins it. The farmers are having to buy grain as there is not enough nutrients in the hay this year. Silage corn is going to be low on protein also because of this. The horse farmers are going crazy trying to find good hay. Heck, most farmers are still trying to get their first cutting off if they bale. Only the guys who chop have gotten theirs off as they don't have to wait as long. Maybe we can work out a deal, sell me your hay and I will sell it up here and we can both get a new TS115A w/cab /forums/images/graemlins/laugh.gif

 

[DaveNay]

I hear ya there Robert. We have pretty much come to the conclusion that after being more than a month late on the first cutting this year, we are only going to get two cuttings. I'm still doing the math to see if we will make it through the winter without buying.....I kind of doubt it though. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

Dave