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2023 Hay Season

2810 Views 110 Replies 18 Participants Last post by  Treefarmer
It’s that time of year again. Anyone already started making hay for the year?
Our 10 day forecast looks perfect. It rained last night so we will probably start cutting tomorrow and try to get first cutting in the barn by next weekend.
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This year is looking as bad if not worse than last year if we don’t get rain soon. Last year at least our first cutting was good but this year even first isn’t looking good.
What I’ve cut so far looks like a second cut once it’s on the ground. There just isn’t much mass down low on the plants. It’s been two weeks without rain and no rain forecasted until end of next week, which is just a total guess at this point.
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The hay production season has begun and is in full swing in north central Illinois.

Began cutting hay on May 19th, which seems early but the growth dictates the start date.

One customer's five acre field finished baling last night. Squeezed in getting two of my own fields cut May 24th with my 2038R and Frontier SB3108. The evening granted a gorgeous sunset to appreciate while gettin' 'er done! Having the additional lighting made it easy to work well past dark.

Eleven acres down and nine more to go on the first cutting of hay crop which was seeded last year. (Yes, it is tall and there is a lot of tonnage here.)

This holiday weekend will be a busy baling bonanza. Will post more pictures as it happens.

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Rain was forecast for tomorrow so no hay on the ground today. By acreage, we're around 1/3rd done with the first cutting but with carryover bales we are close to 70% of what we should need. The hay is there and we'll start again next week. No word on the replacement chain tightener coming in but the bolt and sleeve is working so far.
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I started 2 days ago with a 6 acre field. Looks like I will beat the weather coming in.
Nothing like fresh cut hay or fresh poured concrete to make a guy weather obsessed lol
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The hay production season has begun and is in full swing in north central Illinois.

Began cutting hay on May 19th, which seems early but the growth dictates the start date.

One customer's five acre field finished baling last night. Squeezed in getting two of my own fields cut May 24th with my 2038R and Frontier SB3108. The evening granted a gorgeous sunset to appreciate while gettin' 'er done! Having the additional lighting made it easy to work well past dark.

Eleven acres down and nine more to go on the first cutting of hay crop which was seeded last year. (Yes, it is tall and there is a lot of tonnage here.)

This holiday weekend will be a busy baling bonanza. Will post more pictures as it happens.

View attachment 903398
Curious how many acres per hr you get cut with that setup?
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Saw what I think was hay stacked on a trailer while I was driving yesterday. Reminded me of cigars - maybe 12" diam, 20 ft long. Is this special?
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Saw what I think was hay stacked on a trailer while I was driving yesterday. Reminded me of cigars - maybe 12" diam, 20 ft long. Is this special?
It would be special to me. I've never seen that type of a bale. Round bales of 12" diameter, yes but they were 4-5' long.

Hopefully someone on here can recognize the description. I'd be curious how they were made.
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Saw what I think was hay stacked on a trailer while I was driving yesterday. Reminded me of cigars - maybe 12" diam, 20 ft long. Is this special?
I’m thinking of those straw mats they roll out over freshly seeded ground.
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We gave the baler a good servicing and baled the small test run area yesterday. Everything worked fine, yield was a little lower than usual. We have the big field all raked ready for baling this afternoon. Still no rain in the 10 day forecast. That would be pushing 4 weeks without rain if it doesn’t change.
I didn’t get any pics, Junior was having me run his GoPro and take some video.
Here’s a pic of the old Ford running the tedder the day before.
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First two fields of first cutting going down as we speak, no pics. FIL is mowing while I got the Tedder hooked up and greased.
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Pretty sad, first cutting should make this tractor work with a 4 rotor. I never ran more than 40% engine load all day.
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12 out of 180 acres dry done. Going to be a LOT of unhappy customers. Yield is a 3rd of normal and 1/4 of past several years. 35.5 bales/acre as compared to 90-120. we sell 100% of normal yield. Going to be interesting this year.
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Weather is putting hay on hold this week. I probably should have foregone taking the weekend off but both daughters, sil and grand-daughter came home so I don't regret spending time with them. Oh well, some hay will be a bit over ripe but the cows will get over it.
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Baled our biggest (but not best producing) field today, only 150 total rather than 315+ historical average. Cut a little bit at another neighbors just to get some extra hay, he just bush hogs it down usually. It is difficult to bale due to size and shape but I’ll make it work. This isn’t a good start at all.
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Mine is cut. This is one of the earliest ever. As previously stated, I rent my property to a cattle operation and I’m often last on the list for baling. But its been one of the driest months I can remember so that’s most likely the reason. There is still no rain in the 10 day forecast and it’s starting to make me a little nervous. Not a good start for summer.

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23 acres @ 32 bales/acre. Last 2 years average was 114 bales/acre. Yesterday we closed our books to any customer that had not placed an order. We have always said, we have posted it every year, and it is on the customers yearly postcard and our 1st news letter that we sent out late winter this year. Have 2-3 good hay suppliers to make sure your hay needs are met. For those that don't take it seriously they are in for a rude awakening.
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23 acres @ 32 bales/acre. Last 2 years average was 114 bales/acre. Yesterday we closed our books to any customer that had not placed an order. We have always said, we have posted it every year, and it is on the customers yearly postcard and our 1st news letter that we sent out late winter this year. Have 2-3 good hay suppliers to make sure your hay needs are met. For those that don't take it seriously they are in for a rude awakening.
I don't know if it applies for y'all but the past few years we've bought a few bales from a supplier even when we didn't need it. We wanted to keep our name active, so to speak.
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23 acres @ 32 bales/acre. Last 2 years average was 114 bales/acre.
I'll let you all know, but our yields are going to be way down from normal. I tripled up the outside windrow and after drying down yesterday it's not even comparable to a normal single windrow, the rest of the field was doubled up and looking very bleak. Our best field is yet to come, it's thick, just not very tall.
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Our best field is yet to come, it's thick, just not very tall.
Sounds about right.:ROFLMAO:
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I'll let you all know, but our yields are going to be way down from normal. I tripled up the outside windrow and after drying down yesterday it's not even comparable to a normal single windrow, the rest of the field was doubled up and looking very bleak. Our best field is yet to come, it's thick, just not very tall.
What I’ve baled so far looks and feels like second cut hay. It’s very fine and soft. I doubled the windrows too and they were still thin.
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