The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[LouNY]

Bet that stopped you in a hurry.


What determines when it's past it's prime?

We look at digestibility and nutrition, coarse stems and coarse weed stacks will prevent animals from gaining weight or producing. I have seen late cut good grasses that have regrowth in the bottom actually make decent hay. It can be surprising when samples get sent in for analysis, after lots of actual analysis a person can start to get close by the hand feel and smell.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Hay analysis is very interesting, for us up north the days are so long our hay protein (under the silage form) surpass grain protein, the guys that did the analysis couldn't believe it, he said to our local farmers your are buying grain for no reason, there is more protein in your hay. You want your hay to have it's seeds in it (pre bloom or early bloomed) once the seed fall off the protein content decrease and the fiber increase once that happen it is pass it's prime.

 

[Rockbadchild]

Timothy grass, the seeds have mostly fell off on this example (the red ish flakes that you see)

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

So here’s what broke. The twine finger on the back of the billhook. Fairly common, but only the 2nd one for me in 15 years.

Here’s a brand new one. As big as a large square baler is, it’s got fragile parts in some places.

So, do you buy 2 so you have a backup when random stuff like that breaks?

 

[Hay Dude]

So, do you buy 2 so you have a backup when random stuff like that breaks?

I can get one shipped in the same day (usually), but I have an extra one on hand.

 

[Rustyiron]

What's the old saying... something about hay and sunshine.
That's pretty new mower you got yourself! Is it basically the same as the front one other than the mounting?

 

[Hay Dude]

What's the old saying... something about hay and sunshine.

That is a 100% tried & true saying!

That's pretty new mower you got yourself! Is it basically the same as the front one other than the mounting?

That’s a rare thing for me to do (buy a NEW piece of hay equipment)
I’m usually on the “well used” buying program.

Yes that is a new Pottinger 302ED disc mower with flail conditioners.

 

[Hay Dude]

Here’s a few pics from today. It was a day of light showers, but I was still able to get something done, so I mowed this 15 acre field. I used to hay it, but it’s too small and access is difficult.

Just getting underway

CX-15 in tow.

A view from the other end.

 

[EddieWalker]

Have you been inside that house? What's the giant black thing on the roof? Is it glass?

 

[Rockbadchild]

Have you been inside that house? What's the giant black thing on the roof? Is it glass?

my guess is, it is glass and it is a sunroom.

 

[FriendwithTractor]

I have a question, apologies if this has been asked before, but how did you get started in this business? did you start with hay or with mowing?

 

[Hay Dude]

Kimberly Cheatwell resigned

 

[Runner]

Kimberly Cheatwell resigned

There is NO WAY it is a coincidence that someone named Cheatle worked for the company that makes Cheetos.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

Have you been inside that house? What's the giant black thing on the roof? Is it glass?

Obviously it has to do with the time travel circuit...

 

[Rustyiron]

Boy that really fits right in achetectually.... not.

 

[Hay Dude]

There is NO WAY it is a coincidence that someone named Cheatle worked for the company that makes Cheetos.

Well, she worked for Pepsi, who makes Cheetos, so maybe she can go back to guarding Cheetos

 

[EddieWalker]

Would you trust her to guard your snacks? I wouldn't!!!

 

[Hay Dude]

Have you been inside that house? What's the giant black thing on the roof? Is it glass?

Yes. It was built by an extremely wealthy Podiatrist. He owned several offices in my area. The giant black thing is a staircase with a glass ceiling.

 

[EddieWalker]

Does it look better on the inside then it does in the picture?

 

[Hay Dude]

I have a question, apologies if this has been asked before, but how did you get started in this business?

I owned a successful construction company and farmed hay on the side. Some of my construction clients had big chunks of land and I asked them if I could farm it. At first I made 10,000+ small squares per year. Then I bought a round baler & did both. Then I switched to all round bales, making over 2,500/year. Then I switched to large squares about 5-6 years ago.

did you start with hay or with mowing?

Both, but more field mowing at first. I had to switch to a faster baling system before I could take on large acreage.