For Folk who Wonder How Hay is made.

[theoldchick]

Takes quite a bit of organization. Got to get the equipment at the right place at the right time. Grass has got to be ready, too!

The Cutter is brought for inspection and blade sharpening.

Tractors arrive for work.

The Cutter is attached to our biggest work horse.

And off we go!

Once all is cut the hay is allowed to set and is 'fluffed' as many times needed to make sure the grass is properly cured.

The rake is attached to yet another tractor and the grass is raked into rows in preparation of baling.

And the baling begins!

And here is the finished product!

Meanwhile the red tractor is hooked up to the Cutter and is starting to cut grass in the next pasture. And the process starts all over again!

 

[booker81]

I love the smell of hay time.

I don't love the scratchy arms and heat of being in a hay mow stacking square bales. Don't miss that at all.

 

[gritsar]

Nice pics.

I've been watching it out my window all day. They are tethering. Soon they will be able to move all the cows back to the big pasture and keep em there!

 

[Cowgirl71]

Yep, we're getting ready for haying too! Supposed to get good and hot this weekend, so we'll likely be cutting our first field.

 

[gryeyes]

Wow. I wondered in the past, but hadn't recently. Now I know. Thanks!

 

[Katy]

We should be haying, but with the drought the alfalfa hasn't grown. We're just now planting the cane that we'll hopefully get some rain on and will bale later in the summer.

 

[theoldchick]

Good thing we got this pasture completed! Thunderstorms blasted through an hour after we finished. Will have to watch the weather to see when to start cutting again! Supposed to rain today so we'll wait and see. Timing is crucial as the grass is maturing to the point where the hay will have to be sold as 'cattle quality' if cut too late.

On the other hand, as soon as the fescue is cut, we can start on our bermuda pastures which should be ready for the first cutting in July-if we get enough rain. We have horse owner's chewing their fingernails over our bermuda hay. And my horses are waiting too!

 

[EweSheep]

Some hay are pale green while others are dark green.....is it because it was "sun bleached" or type of hay. I love the smell of alfalfa hay!

 

[Katy]

Quote:
It's both. Alfalfa is a darker green than prairie hay while brome is pretty dark green when it's first cut, but as its dried it lightens up. The cane we'll cut and bale later this summer is dark green when we swath it, but dries to a light greenish tan.

 

[Dunkopf]

We have a lot of hay cutting here. I've never seen that thing with the round disc in use though. Now I finally know what it is.

First cutting of alfalfa is still a couple weeks away here. No rain till last week.