The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[dodge man]

Sounds like a great trip. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

 

[Hay Dude]

Sounds like a great trip. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

Other than the welts from sunburn, yes thanks it was great.
“Luckily” (I guess) it all happened on the 2nd to last day. I didn’t feel the results of the sunburn until after I got home.

 

[dodge man]

When we went to Mexico we went to the beach one day. White sand and very sunny. We all slathered down with sun screen and spent a lot of time under a palm tree. I get a very light sun burn my kids got more. Sunburn on the top of your feet sucks.

 

[Hay Dude]

We left the comfy, oceanfront friendly resort…

…..for this Maui inactive volcano. We are at 10,000 feet. The last civilization we saw was this spooky, high-tech observatory at the top of the peak.

Then we hit the trail. An 11 mile hike through what looked to me like the surface of Mars. The Island of Maui is the most widely varied terrain & surroundings you can imagine. Here’s the trail map.

In just a few hours/miles, I will be down at the bottom of this valley, walking among 600’ high smaller cinder cones. They are 600’ high, but look small from up top.

The easy, downhill part has ended. We are at the bottom of the volcano floor. It is so creepy, but cool as heck looking down here. I thought it was one of the most interesting hikes of my life. I brought a 3 quart water bladder backpack and some snacks for us.
Feels like something out of an outer-space movie.

You can almost envision how the hot magma blew up in the air and landed in jagged blobs on the volcano floor. To the left and ahead are cinder cones.

Very scant vegetation. Clouds are above and below us.

Made it out. The last 3.5 miles are a 1800 foot rise in elevation. Very challenging end to an 11.5 mile day hike. Its really wild how the cloud deck is below you at the top. We were both tired. I thought it was as challenging as the hike we took in many Glacier last summer in Glacier Nat’l Park in Montana.

 

[rontaki]

When my family and I vacationed in Maui eons ago, we drove the Hana Highway. I enjoyed driving it, not scary at all after driving Hwy 1 on the left coast. I remember reading a post by someone who skydives saying that the Hana Highway was almost to scary for him!
Maybe I should take up skydiving.

 

[Hay Dude]

When my family and I vacationed in Maui eons ago, we drove the Hana Highway. I enjoyed driving it, not scary at all after driving Hwy 1 on the left coast. I remember reading a post by someone who skydives saying that the Hana Highway was almost to scary for him!
Maybe I should take up skydiving.

We also drove the “Road to Hana”.
I drove about 50 miles of switch back roads to get there.
When we arrived at the town, it was just a small village, some nice homes and a small lagoon/harbor with a canoe club.

It was pretty scary. Some single lane, lots of pulling over to let oncoming cars go by.

 

[ning]

We also drove the “Road to Hana”.
I drove about 50 miles of switch back roads to get there.
When we arrived at the town, it was just a small village, some nice homes and a small lagoon/harbor with a canoe club.

It was pretty scary. Some single lane, lots of pulling over to let oncoming cars go by.

We took that route once when we were there. It was my wife and I and another couple; we had rented if I recall a mustang convertible? For me it was a nice drive, but nobody else enjoyed the road itself, though the many stops were gorgeous. You *definitely* need many stops for the passengers to reset.

 

[FriendwithTractor]

*snipped for space*


I never knew the bow of the Arizona (signaling the beginning of mass casualties of WW2) was facing the tip of the Missouri (signaling the end of WW2 since the peace treaty with Japan was signed aboard her).

Allegedly, the guns of the Missouri are laid in the direction the attack wave came, to signify that the Missouri is watching over the Arizona so that the men within her can rest in peace. "Fair winds and following seas shipmates, we have the watch."

An incredible experience to see it, like going to Arlington cemetery. An awe inspiring trip that all Americans should take at least once in their lifetime. I hope I can see it some day. Makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up just thinking about it.

 

[dodge man]

It’s no small irony that the Arizona is where symbolically the war started and the Missouri is where it ended. They have a little display where the surrender took place. Both Wainwright and Percival were present and badly underweight after being prisoners for years. McArthur made sure he gave each a pen from the signing.

 

[Hay Dude]

Both Wainwright & Percival still weighed at or under 100lbs at the signing.

I don’t have a picture, but one of the signers of the treaty signed on the wrong line and many subsequent signings had a line drawn through and had to be initialed.

It was really incredible to see where the Kamikaze struck her starboard side and how they found the dead Japanese pilot in the wreckage and gave him a burial at sea.
Apparently that was a controversial ceremony by the Captain. Many of the crew did not agree.

 

[workinonit]

We also drove the “Road to Hana”.
I drove about 50 miles of switch back roads to get there.
When we arrived at the town, it was just a small village, some nice homes and a small lagoon/harbor with a canoe club.

It was pretty scary. Some single lane, lots of pulling over to let oncoming cars go by.

Pretty drive. I wouldn't do it again. We went through the rain forest and returned on the southern route through the desert. That was an adventure. We like Maui. Have been 3 times but I like Kauai more. Nort Kauai is more of my kind of relaxation. I love the wild chickens.

 

[workinonit]

HD, I have a question. I went to NC last week and saw someone cutting hay with a 15' rotary cutter. What's the downside to that vs a standard mower/conditioner?

 

[Hay Dude]

HD, I have a question. I went to NC last week and saw someone cutting hay with a 15' rotary cutter. What's the downside to that vs a standard mower/conditioner?

Biggest would be, as you know, the rotary mower shreds the grass into small bits & pieces which are nearly impossible for the baler to pick up and build into flakes in the baler’s chamber.
A hay mower cuts the grass off about 5” high, leaving those nice long strands the baler can easily pick up and put into a nicely shaped bale.

 

[Gregster613]

Biggest would be, as you know, the rotary mower shreds the grass into small bits & pieces which are nearly impossible for the baler to pick up and build into flakes in the baler’s chamber.
A hay mower cuts the grass off about 5” high, leaving those nice long strands the baler can easily pick up and put into a nicely shaped bale.

Hay Dude, Isn't that batwing that you use a rotary cutter? And you bale after cutting with that? Or am I mistaken and you have other cutters for your use with the large square baler? Just curious, as that's what it looked like to me. Thanks Greg

 

[workinonit]

I think he uses that for the tracts he mows that don't or can't get baled. He has quite a setup for baling/conditioning.

 

[Hay Dude]

Hay Dude, Isn't that batwing that you use a rotary cutter?

Yes, the John Deere CX-15 I have is a 15’ rotary cutter.

And you bale after cutting with that?

No, it’s not used to cut hay fields. It’s used to cut non-hay fields.

Or am I mistaken and you have other cutters for your use with the large square baler? Just curious, as that's what it looked like to me. Thanks Greg

The John Deere CX-15 Batwing rotary mower is used to mow fields that are not hayed.
Like this:

When we cut/bale hay, I use the Massey Ferguson 7495 with the (2) Pottinger hay mowers. They have a completely different mowing process than the John Deere CX-15.
These mowers have several smaller “disc” mowers and the conditioning tines you see underneath the mower.

Here’s the mowers lowered into cutting position. Cuts a 21 foot swath.

 

[Gregster613]

Yes, the John Deere CX-15 I have is a 15’ rotary cutter.

No, it’s not used to cut hay fields. It’s used to cut non-hay fields.


The John Deere CX-15 Batwing rotary mower is used to mow fields that are not hayed.
Like this:

View attachment 3961421


When we cut/bale hay, I use the Massey Ferguson 7495 with the (2) Pottinger hay mowers. They have a completely different mowing process than the John Deere CX-15.
These mowers have several smaller “disc” mowers and the conditioning tines you see underneath the mower.
View attachment 3961420

Here’s the mowers lowered into cutting position. Cuts a 21 foot swath.

View attachment 3961422

Thanks for clarifying that - now that you did, I do remember seeing the other mower on the Massey. You've got so much equipment it's kind of difficult to keep each piece on track at times! Thanks!!

 

[Hay Dude]

Got the green light to start trucking hay to 2 of my mushroom hay buyers.
Here’s 16 biscuits I delivered this morning.
13.5 tons.
Scale said 47,500lbs. Can’t do that with a Ford.

Started mowing 2nd cutting yesterday. This field already overrun with foxtail. The deer decided to wait until the last second before I mowed right by him. I swear these deer are semi-domesticated round here…

 

[Molalla1]

Got the green light to start trucking hay to 2 of my mushroom hay buyers.
Here’s 16 biscuits I delivered this morning.
13.5 tons.

View attachment 3973511


Started mowing 2nd cutting yesterday. This field already overrun with foxtail. The deer decided to wait until the last second before I mowed right by him. I swear these deer are semi-domesticated round here…

View attachment 3973512

Sure they are HD, but cock a rifle and their meaning to life comes to the forefront . . . , nice load btw .

 

[Hay Dude]

Thanks!
I trucked 4 loads like that in this week.