(800) 853-2651
SHOP NOW

Well Fer Darnit!

A

Allan in NE

Well-known Member
Got 46 of the dudes wrapped up before I started getting into the stuff that was too darned green. Will try again tomorrow morning, I guess.

Hey! Sure seems to take the sun a long time to come up these days. :>(

Allan

21.JPG


4.JPG


6.JPG
 
I understand and appreciate the climatic differences but it still blows my mind that anyone would attempt to bale hay at 0330. When I was a little kid I would hop on the old WC at the crack of dawn and start cultivating corn. No work in the hayfields until the dew was off the hay which, because of daylight saving, would be around 1030. Then I would back out of the cultivator and start haying until evening and then go out and cultivate again until sundown. No tractor lights.
 
Yes Sir, I know.

I raise alfalfa.

Has to be dry as a bone to bale or it will spoil. However, just looking at dry alfalfa out the corner of yer eye will knock the leaves off.

After it has cured, ya wait 12 more hours until the dew is on to make 'er "tough" enough to bale. This keeps the leaves on the stems.

Allan

10.JPG
 
when I went west in 1990 I had to relearn a lot about hay Had a hard time with storing prime alalfa outside no cover. Used to custom bale in midwest same thing start about 10:30 bale till started getting tough. In west start at dark bale till gets dry in moring
 
For one thing, I'd rather work all the way up through midnight than bake and burn in the hot sun in the heat of the day.
 
Allan I sur enjoy posts. Son is trying to do the same thing only on small acerage. Wants good alfalfa for is Guernsey milk cows. His equpment does not equal your line. A rebuilt NH 68 baler pulled witha JD model 50 and JD1209 swater-conditioner. Makes beautiful hay to feed in a tie stall barn, Each of those old gals will eat a bale a day,

gitrib
 
Dear Allan'
Even though I may not agree with you politically, I certainly admire your farming and mechanical skills. I especially like the meticulous way you treat your equipment. You are a REAL farmer in the best sense of the word.
 
Nice looking hay even if it's a little bit green.

How long do you normally let it cure?

With our temps at 100<sup>o</sup>+ it doesn't take long to cure here in Texas.

Not able to bale at night around here; might wrap up a possum, skunk, or armadillo.

Always enjoy the photos; thanks for sharing.
 
How much dew is to much dew. Does that work for small square to? Im slowly getting rid of my alf..planting into grass..have 6 acres left to transfer. I get along with grass better. Alf is to tempermental for me.
 
In Nebraska the best hay is baled after it is dry through the stem and then the dew sets on so the leaves don't turn to dust. I have baled all night on alfalfa that was ready. The guy buying it from me brought me an eggs sandwich and orange juice at 6:00 am.
 
It's eerie to drive through the Columbia Basin at 2 in the AM, during hot summer weather- lots of alfalfa under circle irrigation, land gently slopes so you can see for miles- and everywhere you look, tractor lights of the guys baling, crawling around the fields. They sleep during the heat of the day (while the "other shift" mows or picks up), then back out at midnight for more baling.
 
got my big field up today everyone was laghing at me baling at 1130 am but i was sitting in the house at 530 pm when the sky let loose and everyone else was just starting to bale mine was dry could have cured a bit longer but i knew the rain was coming i figured id lose more if it got rained on so now i gotta go pick up bales while the rest start rolling hay over for the next couple of days
 
M is on the hay sled this year hauling bales into the hay yard.

Need to get a picture of that. Talk about the tail waggin' the dog. :>)

Allan
 
Way down south of Allan we have to wait for a night or early am with enough moisture to bale or it grinds it all up to powder. Sometimes the humidity gets down to 5-10 % or even negative so if that dew doesn't come when you need it you are really in trouble waiting. We have even had it so dry had to put water in a sprayer to wet the windrows to help out some and I'm not joking on that.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

C
Minneapolis ZTU help required
Replies
1
Views
256
T.R.K.
T
jon f mn
A major life milestone for me
Replies
15
Views
927
chris142
C
F
Deere 4020 New Owner Questions
2
Replies
29
Views
1K
FFFAM
F
T
well that was not to bad.
Replies
4
Views
234
KL in Wi
K
T
YM SA424 SHUTS OFF
Replies
0
Views
781
winston-HT
W
Tractor Parts Tractor Manuals

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Copyright © 1997-2024 Yesterday's Tractor Co.

All Rights Reserved. Reproduction of any part of this website, including design and content, without written permission is strictly prohibited. Trade Marks and Trade Names contained and used in this Website are those of others, and are used in this Website in a descriptive sense to refer to the products of others. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy TRADEMARK DISCLAIMER: Tradenames and Trademarks referred to within Yesterday's Tractor Co. products and within the Yesterday's Tractor Co. websites are the property of their respective trademark holders. None of these trademark holders are affiliated with Yesterday's Tractor Co., our products, or our website nor are we sponsored by them. John Deere and its logos are the registered trademarks of the John Deere Corporation. Agco, Agco Allis, White, Massey Ferguson and their logos are the registered trademarks of AGCO Corporation. Case, Case-IH, Farmall, International Harvester, New Holland and their logos are registered trademarks of CNH Global N.V.

Yesterday's Tractors - Antique Tractor Headquarters
Website Accessibility Policy

Back
Top