Bill in VA

Northvale PA · Oct 12, 2021

Bill, did you mow any grass hay in September? Been very dry. There is plenty of demand for the later cut grass hay. It dries fast but the heavier dew or overcast mornings are a challenge. Takes tedding it maybe 2x a day as soon as the dew is gone which could not even be until 12 noon. I notice the barn needs some rebuilding and roof repair. Well worth it. And I suggest tackle it before your work force grows up and leaves. I have some major repairs to do on the barn stone retaining wall along the front. It has buckled in and I installed the galvanized tube steel braces 2 years ago but it needs about 20 feet of underpinning. Ive been procrastinating. Jacking up the door jambs was a 2 hour baby repair. The stone wall will be about 2 months. Water and gravity never stop.

showcrop · Oct 12, 2021

Up here in NH when making hay in Sept we rake it up after the first day of drying in order to reduce the exposure to the dew. Next day after dew burns off we ted it out again. I had piers under some of the posts that support my barn kept sinking into wet ground. I finally installed deeper drainage. My "workforce" left twenty years ago.

Bill VA · Oct 12, 2021

We did not take a second cut this year due to drought. However recent rains, warm temperatures and sun have got the grass growing a lot. If we get a couple of killing frosts and the weather works, we will cut again.

The old barn is probably going to come down. I built a new barn to replace it a few years ago. My kids have grown up, I have one still in college one more year - I think. All of them will help if they are in the neighborhood, but otherwise have other fish to fry. This year I was pretty much a one man army - which is OK.

Thanks for asking!

Bill

tomstractorsandtoys · Oct 12, 2021

When we farmed in MD one year I mowed second cut grass at Thanksgiving and baled it dry the first week in Jan. It had been snowed on once but the quality was great. Told my dad not sure if we are ahead of everyone else or behind. Tom

Bill VA · Oct 12, 2021

We have gone as late as the week leading up to Thanksgiving.

Northvale PA · Oct 12, 2021

10-4. You get a lot of your weather from Tennessee. We get a lot of our weather from you. And talk yourself into saving the barn. I basically saved every building on our place, every roof falling in, including a ceiling in the house. The chicken house only had 3 walls standing. All the lumber I used was salvaged free. Only the roofing and siding metal new. A sound roof will let these buildings lasts t forever. Good luck.

SHALER · Oct 12, 2021

Interesting approach Showcrop, my October is your September. I may try your mow-rake-ted method if we get a shot of good weather as I have some ground that could be mowed.

Bill in VA

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Bill VA

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