Silage, not as exciting as years ago

20silkcut · 23-06-2016 9:31pm #1

Just finished up baling the first cut silage and by god it is underwhelming in regard to the annual circus that went on in these very same fields 25-30 years ago. There was always something. Harvesters getting blocked, head gaskets blown ,trailers over turning ,hydraulics seizing up clutches going, ****e tractors stoppages that lasted hours, the crew coming in for Dinner and Tay. Johny the uncle who never worked a day in his life was even put up on a tractor. Chasing lads out of the pub, lads actually going to the pub after a day in the fields.there seemed to be a lot more head cases from non farming backgrounds working with silage crews back then. It was a massive event and it went on for days . It's not the same nowadays or is it just me?

visatorro · 23-06-2016 9:40pm

And only bringing in twenty acres a day.

Timmaay · 23-06-2016 9:41pm

20silkcut wrote: »

Just finished up baling the first cut silage and by god it is underwhelming in regard to the annual circus that went on in these very same fields 25-30 years ago. There was always something. Harvesters getting blocked, head gaskets blown ,trailers over turning ,hydraulics seizing up clutches going, stoppages that lasted hours, the crew coming in for Dinner and Tay. Chasing lads out of the pub, lads actually going to the pub after a day in the fields.there seemed to be a lot more head cases from non farming backgrounds working with silage crews back then. It was a massive event and it went on for days . It's not the same nowadays or is it just me?

Go take up something like banger stock car racing if you want exciting hardship like that ha.

Parishlad · 23-06-2016 9:41pm

20silkcut wrote: »

Just finished up baling the first cut silage and by god it is underwhelming in regard to the annual circus that went on in these very same fields 25-30 years ago. There was always something. Harvesters getting blocked, head gaskets blown ,trailers over turning ,hydraulics seizing up clutches going, stoppages that lasted hours, the crew coming in for Dinner and Tay. Chasing lads out of the pub, lads actually going to the pub after a day in the fields.there seemed to be a lot more head cases from non farming backgrounds working with silage crews back then. It was a massive event and it went on for days . It's not the same nowadays or is it just me?

Nope, not just you. It was exactly like that here too. It was nearly as much work for my poor mother trying to feed the gang. I miss the bottles of tea and sandwiches in the meadow though!
Always guaranteed a breakdown as u say but it always got done. Definitely pints were drank after!

The Cuban · 23-06-2016 9:47pm

Yep all changed now, I remember it was a more a neighborly event, lads helping each other out with the pit etc. Nowadays its just a hungry baling contractor who wants to put his arms around the world, in and out as fast as he can without time to stop.
I guess I miss the old ways too.

patsy_mccabe · 23-06-2016 9:48pm

Not just silage, even the annual herd test was a communal event. 5 or six people running cattle along the road trying to keep them out of gardens.
My silage contractor is in and out know in a few hours.

20silkcut · 23-06-2016 10:03pm

Some contrast between a 165 yoked up to a trailer that doubled up as a bog trailer and the trailers you see these days.

Was there a department support to encourage neighbouring farmers to join up for silage in those days?

If there was its a pity it was lost.

Life is so much more serious these days.
Rain or a breakdown during the silage meant down to the local for a few tractor parked outside and back out again when it stopped.
Can't do that nowadays.
Tractors were handy sized back then anyone could be seen up on them during silage. Contractors nowadays would be a lot more careful about hiring.

Parishlad · 23-06-2016 10:06pm

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Not just silage, even the annual herd test was a communal event. 5 or six people running cattle along the road trying to keep them out of gardens.
My silage contractor is in and out know in a few hours.

Ah the herd test. Nightmare! Myself and my sisters doing a kind of relay/tag team from house to house. Timing was vital. If u left your post too early the last of the cattle could go in. But if u left it too late you might not get to the next house before the front runners!

20silkcut · 23-06-2016 10:07pm

When you look at the advice the guy got in the Agri contracting setup thread it starkly illustrates what a serious business it has become.

orm0nd · 23-06-2016 10:07pm

we were joined with 2 neighbours, start after morning milking & work till midnight, a 53" side mounted tarrup

one year we were going so well we decided to do some hire work

1 of the lads was going out with a daughter of a large (at the time) dairy farmer a fair bit up country, & managed to get in for the second cut, poor man thought he never see the end of us & eventually we were on the road home got pulled by the guards, about 30 summons between us, & when they were served the wrong address was noted, got a solicitor and some maps & all dismissed in court,

they're was a air amount of guinness comsumed in those years as well

these guys are a different generation but they have much the same approach we had

caseman · 23-06-2016 10:16pm

20silkcut wrote: »

Just finished up baling the first cut silage and by god it is underwhelming in regard to the annual circus that went on in these very same fields 25-30 years ago. There was always something. Harvesters getting blocked, head gaskets blown ,trailers over turning ,hydraulics seizing up clutches going, ****e tractors stoppages that lasted hours, the crew coming in for Dinner and Tay. Johny the uncle who never worked a day in his life was even put up on a tractor. Chasing lads out of the pub, lads actually going to the pub after a day in the fields.there seemed to be a lot more head cases from non farming backgrounds working with silage crews back then. It was a massive event and it went on for days . It's not the same nowadays or is it just me?

It's still like that here, lots of 20 and 30 year old machinery here doing our own silage.
Nearly always fixing something the day before it starts. And nearly always guaranteed a breakdown.Pure toucher but i love it.

darragh_haven · 23-06-2016 10:19pm

orm0nd wrote: »

we were joined with 2 neighbours, start after morning milking & work till midnight, a 53" side mounted tarrup

one year we were going so well we decided to do some hire work

1 of the lads was going out with a daughter of a large (at the time) dairy farmer a fair bit up country, & managed to get in for the second cut, poor man thought he never see the end of us & eventually we were on the road home got pulled by the guards, about 30 summons between us, & when they were served the wrong address was noted, got a solicitor and some maps & all dismissed in court,

they're was a air amount of guinness comsumed in those years as well

these guys are a different generation but they have much the same approach we had

That video ..... such a circus

f140 · 23-06-2016 10:38pm

I do my own silage here with a trailed harvester. The first cut takes 3 days. one day to mow it, a day to pick it up and a day to doctor the pit and cover it. Now mowing it and covering it, I can do myself but the problems I have is trying to get lads to drive my machines for the day picking it up. All lads nowadays are all with big contractors, its very hard to get a lad to drive a tractor for one day for ya.

I remember the yokes that would be pulled out years ago to do the silage. Tractors were always under pressure and over-heating. Every tractor now a days has at least nearly 50hp to spare and nearly too big for the item. I have the f140 on the harvester but a lot would think that is tiny nowadays and think you should have 200 hp +.

f140 · 23-06-2016 10:44pm

also remember lads throwing buckets of water up on the pit trying to compact it and to make it easier to roll. I suppose on hindsight it was more hay style silage they were putting into the pits rather than this green leafy grass that's here nowadays.

stop animal cruelty · 23-06-2016 10:45pm

I notice nowadays its the young boyos, with the hoods up, speeding round the bends, looking round them instead of in front, that only know that grass is green....have taken over!!

stanflt · 23-06-2016 10:57pm

No hassle just take it your stride- 2nd cut today

O.A.P · 23-06-2016 11:30pm

I remember my father making silage with a fordson major and a dexta.

He got a contractor the following year, who cut with a 178 with a lorry engine mounted on the lift powering the single chop harvester ,an old red David Brown( 990) I think drawing in and a 1410 David Brown 4WD with a front loader and a buck rake on the pit.
I loved them days, I wasn't paying for it though.

kevthegaff · 23-06-2016 11:41pm

Finished covering just there, trailer overturned, It's all in tho!

kevthegaff · 23-06-2016 11:42pm

Used to push up with a cat 910 myself no duels. bros picking and drawing. Yed miss those days!

Bullocks · 23-06-2016 11:42pm

O.A.P wrote: »

I remember my father making silage with a fordson major and a dexta.

He got a contractor the following year, who cut with a 178 with a lorry engine mounted on the lift powering the single chop harvester ,an old red David Brown( 990) I think drawing in and a 1410 David Brown 4WD with a front loader and a buck rake on the pit.
I loved them days, I wasn't paying for it though.

Would the 178 have needed an extra engine for a single chop ? The father had a UG on an international 434 here (it was under pressure )
I used to see a few lads using the donkey engine for a percission chop alright
The big thing with all the breakdowns that was alot tougher than nowadays was getting parts - no internet or magazines or mobiles , years ago we had no land-line either so he would have to use the neighbours phone to ring a lad .
You wouldn't throw out the journal for a few months at a time in case there was a number he might need in the future !
It was great craic when I was a young lad but I wouldn't like it now

Timmaay · 23-06-2016 11:52pm

When I think about it, it was only 4yrs ago when we use to ram the best part of 70acres of a huge early June 1st cut into 3pits. And then a solid 3days spent between rolling and covering. Once I have this 20acres baled early next week that will be a total of 65 acres of silage cut between proper silage ground and excess paddocks, but 4 different cuts, and no drama or hassle at all with any of them so far!

topper_harley2 · 24-06-2016 12:10am

Machinery is way better now I think. I was in my teens driving for 6 summers back in late 90s and we had two 1982 Deutz Fahrs 120hp drawing in, 150hp pulling side filling pottinger, and one piece of crap Ursus 2wd in reserve if the draw was very long. Something always going wrong. I preferred wrapping though. That was handy job after one baler, killer after two! The 120hp used to fly the wrapper as well though. Best craic was definitely going to the pub if you ran outta plastic or during heavy rain. Ah memories!

kay 9 · 24-06-2016 12:12am

The biggest stress the last few years is the way the weather is coming. Very hard work around it

O.A.P · 24-06-2016 12:13am

Bullocks wrote: »

Would the 178 have needed an extra engine for a single chop ? The father had a UG on an international 434 here (it was under pressure )
I used to see a few lads using the donkey engine for a percission chop alright
The big thing with all the breakdowns that was alot tougher than nowadays was getting parts - no internet or magazines or mobiles , years ago we had no land-line either so he would have to use the neighbours phone to ring a lad .
You wouldn't throw out the journal for a few months at a time in case there was a number he might need in the future !
It was great craic when I was a young lad but I wouldn't like it now

No probably not if your only cutting for yourself and a few neighbors but these lads loved to innovate and were the first silage contractors around here that's just what they did.
They knew what they were at all right good mechanics .

The Sidewards Man · 24-06-2016 12:13am

Op wake up, look at the gear now and advancement in technology. Grass has been the same ever.

O.A.P · 24-06-2016 12:28am

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

Op wake up, look at the gear now and advancement in technology. Grass has been the same ever.

We all know that, people are not the same though and the work has changed too.
Old fellas telling young lads to listen sometimes and then been completely ruled out will probably never change.

The Sidewards Man · 24-06-2016 12:32am

The cranky o.a.p will die it's a cycle of life. I am still struggling with the point of ops tread.

O.A.P · 24-06-2016 12:35am

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

The cranky o.a.p will die it's a cycle of life. I am still struggling with the point of ops tread.

The CRACK has gone from it .
I'm not cranky.

The Sidewards Man · 24-06-2016 12:37am

Where did I say you are? I'm an o.a.p myself.

O.A.P · 24-06-2016 12:42am

The Sidewards Man wrote: »

Where did I say you are? I'm an o.a.p myself.

I'm not it just my name here , Point of op I think was the crack is gone from silage making day or days.

Nekarsulm · 24-06-2016 1:02am

Started drawing with a Dexta when I was twelve. Home made trailer, comprising of the chassis of an old Commer lorry.
Cutting with a Taarup single chop on a 10/60.
The year before that, my job was to wait in the yard for trailer and hook up the tipping pipe and open the tail board, then close if after tipping, and remove the pipe.

There were close calls, looking back. Like when the eye of the trailer came off the shyte hitch Leyland fitted, and the emptying grass caused the drawbar to join me in the cab......

Silage, not as exciting as years ago

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