Hay Tedding

theaceofspies

Lads,
Knocked a meadow on Friday and it has got one tedding. Assuming it gets no rain and a few days of sunshine would this do before rowing it in and baling? It is a medium density crop without any fertiziler.Thanks!!!

Reggie.

theaceofspies wrote: »

Lads,
Knocked a meadow on Friday and it has got one tedding. Assuming it gets no rain and a few days of sunshine would this do before rowing it in and baling? It is a medium density crop without any fertiziler.Thanks!!!

Usually the hay would have to be turned everyday to make sure that every piece is well dried.

Jb1989

theaceofspies wrote: »

Lads,
Knocked a meadow on Friday and it has got one tedding. Assuming it gets no rain and a few days of sunshine would this do before rowing it in and baling? It is a medium density crop without any fertiziler.Thanks!!!

You'd need at least one more ted to cope it upside down and get the bottom half drying on top up in the air, then judge after that. Non fertilised grass cut 3 days ago might have an ok hope of been saved with the second ted.

High bike

If it got 3 good days and ur making round bales I'd say fire away tomorrow,if it's square bales I'd give it another twist before baling

Reggie.

High bike wrote: »

If it got 3 good days and ur making round bales I'd say fire away tomorrow,if it's square bales I'd give it another twist before baling

Whys that. I'd say the opposite in regard to round bales. If it ain't bone dry going into round bales and it heats your in bother. Small squares will air out alot better than rounds in the field.

onyerbikepat

And remember the Golden Rule of making hay - It always rains in Ireland.

mahoney_j

Reading the different threads re hay here has just proved what I've always said about hay in Ireland,lads just don't know how to make the stuff ,bale early it heats and you might as well put a match to it .a few of ye obviously know what it takes but it's a fairly rare skill to know when hay is fit to bale.much prefer the black bags ,quicker turnaround better feed and not such an art form !!!!

White Clover

mahoney_j wrote: »

Reading the different threads re hay here has just proved what I've always said about hay in Ireland,lads just don't know how to make the stuff ,bale early it heats and you might as well put a match to it .a few of ye obviously know what it takes but it's a fairly rare skill to know when hay is fit to bale.much prefer the black bags ,quicker turnaround better feed and not such an art form !!!!

In all fairness mahoney, you wouldn't have to be a genius to figure out if hay was fit or not fit to bale.

mahoney_j

White Clover wrote: »

In all fairness mahoney, you wouldn't have to be a genius to figure out if hay was fit or not fit to bale.

I've seen a lot more sh1te hay than good stuff over the years .biggest mistake I see been made is baling too early .never made thei stuff tbh and don't feed it but help out the fil when he makes his 12 acres every July ,one of the few I've seen to always get good hay

Sacrolyte

Runs for cover*

White Clover

mahoney_j wrote: »

I've seen a lot more sh1te hay than good stuff over the years .biggest mistake I see been made is baling too early .never made thei stuff tbh and don't feed it but help out the fil when he makes his 12 acres every July ,one of the few I've seen to always get good hay

I'd call them lads excitable !
I don't make hay either now but baled a lot of it when I worked for contractor while in school & college. It's either fit or not. If fit, bale it. If not don't bale. No good chancing it.

Bullocks

White Clover wrote: »

I'd call them lads excitable !
I don't make hay either now but baled a lot of it when I worked for contractor while in school & college. It's either fit or not. If fit, bale it. If not don't bale. No good chancing it.

And no tedding the ****e out of it either . If the weather is good for long enough let it off to dry without thrashing it around the place

Sam Kade

White Clover wrote: »

In all fairness mahoney, you wouldn't have to be a genius to figure out if hay was fit or not fit to bale.

Really, there's a bit of skill involved in it and judging from posters on here and the amount of hay baled before it's fit it's a dying skill. Out of interest how would you check to see if hay is fit to be round baled?

Bullocks

Sam Kade wrote: »

Really, there's a bit of skill involved in it and judging from posters on here and the amount of hay baled before it's fit it's a dying skill. Out of interest how would you check to see if hay is fit to be round baled?

I know it's well fit here when the old lad turns it 3 more times and eventually rows it in after I thought it was fit in the first place !

Sam Kade

Bullocks wrote: »

I know it's well fit here when the old lad turns it 3 more times and eventually rows it in after I thought it was fit in the first place !

And white clover thinks anyone will know when it's fit, he's probably googling right now to find the answer

Bullocks

Sam Kade wrote: »

And white clover thinks anyone will know when it's fit, he's probably googling right now to find the answer

I wouldn't be too worried about how dry it is , obviously not stuff that's going to heat but I see loads of stuff that has the life thrashed and roasted out of it that couldn't be great proof after

onyerbikepat

Ah lads, making hay in Ireland ain't easy. You're dancing between the clouds most of the time. There's always rain on the way. Saw the forecast tonight and tomorrow will be wet.:mad:
I have enough memories from when I was young, and whole crops of hay lost and rotting in the field.

The last time hay was made here. Two 'experts' made it for me, I was working in Dublin at the time. These guys are always telling me what I am doing wrong. The whole lot heated and had to be dumped.

White Clover

Sam Kade wrote: »

Really, there's a bit of skill involved in it and judging from posters on here and the amount of hay baled before it's fit it's a dying skill. Out of interest how would you check to see if hay is fit to be round baled?

Well Sam it starts well before u pull in with the baler. The crop needs to be suitable first. No point trying to make hay out of heavy soily grass, as bullocks said 'tedding the site out of it' won't make good hay. A bit of weather and a few days will do the trick. No need to go all scientific on it !

Miname

IGot 12 acres baled today. It got four turns over a week and rowed up this morning. I have to say it's lovely to make a bit but that's about it. Not great feed quality wise and when your finished wasting diesel going round in circles and breaking tines and your own time is put in you'd want to get silly money for it. Just get the plastic and wrap it up if your not sure on when hays fit. The only reason I do it is to keep the old man happy.

Kovu

White Clover wrote: »

Well Sam it starts well before u pull in with the baler. The crop needs to be suitable first. No point trying to make hay out of heavy soily grass, as bullocks said 'tedding the site out of it' won't make good hay. A bit of weather and a few days will do the trick. No need to go all scientific on it !

The field it's in will make a great difference too. A meadow at the back of a hill surrounded by trees won't be much good for your hay.
We always use one hill that's open air from it to Masonite. And that's a long distance!

Genghis Cant

An awful help making hay is wrapping the headlands. A headland is always a bit behind the main body of the field. Wrap the headlands up and kick the field out wide where there's plenty of room for it.

Dozer1

Cut a few acres here Saturday evening, one field is nearly ready, was well dry yesterday evening, the second field won't be ready till Thursday at least.

Like the rest of ye the old lad would be turning the shyte out of it if he got his way but luckily he's busy bagging the turf.

turned it once a day and that's all hope to make round and square bales if I have time.

Only reason I'm making hay is to try sell it, I've enough good silage without it so reckoned it might be easier sell the hay. Around here you couldn't give away silage every yard is full already.

max12

is it possible to make hay without sunshine.

weather has not come as sunny as forecast said for this week. I cut on Monday but its been overcast since then and it is forecast much the same for the weekend. if I leave it down long enonogh without the sun, will it turn to hay? its not a heavy crop.

smokey-fitz

max12 wrote: »

is it possible to make hay without sunshine.

weather has not come as sunny as forecast said for this week. I cut on Monday but its been overcast since then and it is forecast much the same for the weekend. if I leave it down long enonogh without the sun, will it turn to hay? its not a heavy crop.

Yea I have some down since monday. Really not hay weather, no wind or much sun the last few days, then the odd spit and drizzle. Dont think its going to change much for the rest of the week. Going to bale and wrap tomorrow instead.

Reggie.

max12 wrote: »

is it possible to make hay without sunshine.

weather has not come as sunny as forecast said for this week. I cut on Monday but its been overcast since then and it is forecast much the same for the weekend. if I leave it down long enonogh without the sun, will it turn to hay? its not a heavy crop.

If ya had strong wind you might have a chance

trabpc

I honestly think Met Eireann underplayed the potential for wet damp weather this week. A lot around me got caught out. They said on sunday it was to be sunny all week with potential for drizzle in west and north on Wednesday. Midlands had rain Tues evening and raining in Kildare/Dublin now. Not enough sun yesterday either worth talking about. Maybe it's better down south. I wouldn't panic cutting any yet.

Dunedin

trabpc wrote: »

I honestly think Met Eireann underplayed the potential for wet damp weather this week. A lot around me got caught out. They said on sunday it was to be sunny all week with potential for drizzle in west and north on Wednesday. Midlands had rain Tues evening and raining in Kildare/Dublin now. Not enough sun yesterday either worth talking about. Maybe it's better down south. I wouldn't panic cutting any yet.

forecast caught me anyways. I cut a bit on Sunday evening having listened to a 'mainly dry and sunny' farming forecast.

not going to panic wrapping just yet. we had a bit of drizzle earlier but mighty drying again. it will still be grand for wrapping on saturday albeit haylage if the sunny weather doesn't come.

trabpc

Dunedin wrote: »

forecast caught me anyways. I cut a bit on Sunday evening having listened to a 'mainly dry and sunny' farming forecast.

not going to panic wrapping just yet. we had a bit of drizzle earlier but mighty drying again. it will still be grand for wrapping on saturday albeit haylage if the sunny weather doesn't come.

I think it will clear up later and fine till sat so u should be OK.

Dunedin

trabpc wrote: »

I think it will clear up later and fine till sat so u should be OK.

would still like a bit of sun even if it does stay dry. Hay needs sunshine.

Dozer1

I'd the contractor booked to bale mine today, like the rest of ye the forecast was for no rain, ground was wet this morning and after another drizzle there now, going to leave it and bale tomorrow instead if we get no more rain.

sea12

smokey-fitz wrote: »

Yea I have some down since monday. Really not hay weather, no wind or much sun the last few days, then the odd spit and drizzle. Dont think its going to change much for the rest of the week. Going to bale and wrap tomorrow instead.

Yep seeing a few lads around here doing the same. The good week never materialed after. Dry but not hay weather. Ure better off with something wrapped at this stage rather than pure ****e in a weeks time

smokey-fitz

sea12 wrote: »

Yep seeing a few lads around here doing the same. The good week never materialed after. Dry but not hay weather. Ure better off with something wrapped at this stage rather than pure ****e in a weeks time

Was just looking at it this evening. Next to no wilt and pretty green so will bale and wrap tomorrow afternoon after it dries off a bit from this mornings rain.

sea12

smokey-fitz wrote: »

Was just looking at it this evening. Next to no wilt and pretty green so will bale and wrap tomorrow afternoon after it dries off a bit from this mornings rain.

I see a few lads panicked baled here yesterday evening. Couldn't have been fit. More more still have it on the ground. Not really hay weather and the start of next week is not great either.

You did the right thing wrapping it up.

theaceofspies

We ended up wrapping as well in the end - weather is too unpredictable at the moment in South West