Hay

_Brian

Tileman wrote: »

I think all here got the hay or wrapped it up. Anyone get caught out completely with it on the ground still.

Seems not.
Cavan countryside was full of stuff down yesterday but empty fields is all I’ve seen today. Mammoth work done. Few tired souls today I’d say.

Reggie.

_Brian wrote: »

Seems not.
Cavan countryside was full of stuff down yesterday but empty fields is all I’ve seen today. Mammoth work done. Few tired souls today I’d say.

Last 5 days were torture

2smiggy

Stayed dry here all day, and turned out to be a nice day. Managed to get all the hay baled over the last 2 days. A relief. The weather forecast was badly wrong (thankfully) here

Sami23

2smiggy wrote: »

Stayed dry here all day, and turned out to be a nice day. Managed to get all the hay baled over the last 2 days. A relief. The weather forecast was badly wrong (thankfully) here

By god you were lucky. Well done

Tileman

2smiggy wrote: »

Stayed dry here all day, and turned out to be a nice day. Managed to get all the hay baled over the last 2 days. A relief. The weather forecast was badly wrong (thankfully) here

You must be well south are u. I heard the rain bouncing of the roof around 6 this morn and it was a lovely feeling knowing all the hay was baled.

2smiggy

Tileman wrote: »

You must be well south are u. I heard the rain bouncing of the roof around 6 this morn and it was a lovely feeling knowing all the hay was baled.

Northish Cork. Was waiting for rain all day, and nothing!! And yesterday was a smashing day here too. Done for another year!

Sami23

CloughCasey1 wrote: »

Hay will heat a bit anyway. Heating on its own sap is no problem. Heating while. wet from the elements or baling to late or early in day with dew on it is the problem. You burn it to a yellow crisp and it has no feeding value.

Just wondering how you'd know the difference between the two types of heating mentioned above ?

Anyone any bother with bales heating since baling

Gods Gift

If hay doesn’t heat a little its shyte.
Matchsticks.

Sami23

Gods Gift wrote: »

If hay doesn’t heat a little its shyte.
Matchsticks.

Why is that - I always thought any heating was bad news

davidk1394

A small bit of heat is a good sign of hay. If you feel heat from the bale without putting your hand into the bale your in trouble.

Gods Gift

Sami23 wrote: »

Why is that - I always thought any heating was bad news

It should heat from its own sap. Not water. Dry but with green still in it.

Sami23

davidk1394 wrote: »

A small bit of heat is a good sign of hay. If you feel heat from the bale without putting your hand into the bale your in trouble.

Is it the same principle for round and small square bales

Sami23

Gods Gift wrote: »

It should heat from its own sap. Not water. Dry but with green still in it.

So my point is if it is heating how would you know whether it was from its own sap or water?

Water John

Your nose will know. Pull out a bit of it and sniff.

Gods Gift

Sami23 wrote: »

So my point is if it is heating how would you know whether it was from its own sap or water?

Experience young grasshopper.
Experience.

CloughCasey1

Sami23 wrote: »

So my point is if it is heating how would you know whether it was from its own sap or water?

Hay that heats on it's own sap often smells sweet. Hay that's heating due to ****e weather (like this year) during saving will have have a very fine dust, more like smoke than dust really to the eye, come out if you pull out a section of the bale. Neighbour bought hay off me couple of years ago that I round baled a day earlier than I had planned but got zero rain and was nice dry green hay. He also bought hay cut the same time that was left 4 more days on the ground from another fella. He put out a bale of each for the ewes during the winter. They licked the bale saved without rain that 100% heated. I had them in the shed and was a bit anxious about them at the time.

bogman_bass

Can’t wait to see all the hay that got baled and now will be left out for the next month

minerleague

Sami23 wrote: »

Just wondering how you'd know the difference between the two types of heating mentioned above ?

Anyone any bother with bales heating since baling

With 40 years "at hay" 15 of which it was only winter fodder made ( father here hated silage with a passion) hay shouldn't heat at all if properly made. Now with the irish weather you might have to bale it up a day sooner but if it got no rain after starting tedding it should be good.

Water John

Baled hay requires longer if you're going back that far. The bigger round bales longer again. Loose hay could generally be made, except in very poor weather.

davidk1394

Baling hay in South Tipp today. Great weather.

Tileman

davidk1394 wrote: »

Baling hay in South Tipp today. Great weather.

A neighbour here at it too. Powerful last 2 days. Very heavy dew this morning though

Donald Trump

Water John wrote: »

Baled hay requires longer if you're going back that far. The bigger round bales longer again. Loose hay could generally be made, except in very poor weather.

At least with the round bales you would leave them out for a bit longer if you thought they might heat.

Bleating Lamb

Was caught over a barrel yday evening.....had a sick hoggett.....touch of pinkeye and needed hay or her as will keep her in till she’s ok....I hadn’t a scrag of hay left in shed.....had to buy 2 bales off a distant neighbour....very good hay,saved in the early good weather but he charged me a tenner.....thought it was a bit saucy for them!

Did the good spell end too soon before hay crops were ready for baling or did fellas who bale hay to sell up in midlands etc and down in good parts of the North get their hay made?

If they managed to I would be hoping to buy it for around €3 delivered .....I do buy around 100 small squares every year and a few neighbours make up a full load for the lorry man.

Robson99

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Was caught over a barrel yday evening.....had a sick hoggett.....touch of pinkeye and needed hay or her as will keep her in till she’s ok....I hadn’t a scrag of hay left in shed.....had to buy 2 bales off a distant neighbour....very good hay,saved in the early good weather but he charged me a tenner.....thought it was a bit saucy for them!

Did the good spell end too soon before hay crops were ready for baling or did fellas who bale hay to sell up in midlands etc and down in good parts of the North get their hay made?

If they managed to I would be hoping to buy it for around €3 delivered .....I do buy around 100 small squares every year and a few neighbours make up a full load for the lorry man.

We're you going to give him 6 or 7 euros?. He got you out of a hole

Sami23

Robson99 wrote: »

We're you going to give him 6 or 7 euros?. He got you out of a hole

Agree

Markcheese

Donald Trump wrote: »

At least with the round bales you would leave them out for a bit longer if you thought they might heat.

Is that more or less the same as stacking small bales into tents or wigwams in the field ? Used to see that all the time when I was a kid , never see it now ..

mr.stonewall

Majority of the hay for in late may was cracking stuff, best ever got. Won't sell it as it will hold for a few years and so handy. Had numerous people ask would I sell a half dozen or so. And the answer is no, but I can sell last year's. Can't blame him, if it's good good stuff and doesn't want the hassle of selling more of it. Some work in small squares. Has been already handled 5 times to get to your wagon

Dunedin

Robson99 wrote: »

We're you going to give him 6 or 7 euros?. He got you out of a hole

Ah jayus, a lad calls for a couple of bales and he’s charged a tenner. Many a neighbour got a bale or two off me and there’d be no charge. Tis a long road.

Western Pomise

Pretty sure I know your helpful neighbour.....there’s one in every parish.

J.O. Farmer

Western Pomise wrote: »

/
As in 6 or 7 euro for each bale?;)

Should have put some context on it....this fella would be known to buy good big round bales...on avg bales like that would have 10 or 11 well made small square bales in them when rolled out.

This man manages to do a trick like Jesus with the loaves and the fishes....lets just say he has being known to get 15 small squares out of a big bale when he rolls it out to rebale it....so you wouldn't need a lot of strength to carry the two bales I got off him the other day....

PS- Anyone any thoughts on if a fair bit of good hay was saved during the good spell or were crops not ready to cut before the weather broke?

Did you get bales off the same lad? Seems he's doing a good trade.

Bleating Lamb wrote: »

Was caught over a barrel yday evening.....had a sick hoggett.....touch of pinkeye and needed hay or her as will keep her in till she’s ok....I hadn’t a scrag of hay left in shed.....had to buy 2 bales off a distant neighbour....very good hay,saved in the early good weather but he charged me a tenner.....thought it was a bit saucy for them!

Did the good spell end too soon before hay crops were ready for baling or did fellas who bale hay to sell up in midlands etc and down in good parts of the North get their hay made?

If they managed to I would be hoping to buy it for around €3 delivered .....I do buy around 100 small squares every year and a few neighbours make up a full load for the lorry man.