SEAT TIME - Last Hay Cutting Baled

[Ed S. (IL)]

The last cutting of hay is baled and in the barn, and it looks like it's sold already, too. I didn't have a picture of the raked field when I made my last post, so here that is:



I cut on Monday (17th), raked on Saturday (22nd), and on a whim, walked out to check the windrows Monday (24th) when I got home from work - it had been cool, but with a 15-20mph wind blowing all day; the hay felt crispy all the way through, so I lubed up the baler and started baling around 5:00pm.

I kept checking the hay as the sun went down, and things continued to stay dry and crispy (almost no dew settling), so I kept at it and finished drop-baling around 9:00pm. First time I've ever been able to bale at night.



My sons are both working now, so their availability to help is thin (one reason I drop-baled, the other is that I still have my second cut on the racks!).

As I was picking up bales with the truck last night, a couple stopped by and asked if I wanted to sell any of the hay—he does a good bit of hay himself, and didn't have enough to fill his own customer's orders. So it looks like he's going to buy both my second cut as well as most of this third cut (we only needed another 100 or so to cover our animal needs for the winter).

If you've followed my haying posts this summer, you'll remember I reseeded in the spring and have battled bad weeds all year. I had the field sprayed to kill off the foxtail after the second cut, and with the good rains we had the past month, the alfalfa finally woke up, so this third cutting turned out much better than the previous two.

Finally, here's a photo of all the equipment I'm using. The Hesston really makes the cutting a snap, and the 8N gets lighter duty these days with the rake and moving racks around. The AC 190 runs the baler great, and I can operate a bit faster with it, too.



Appreciate everyone's input on the various questions I throw out here from time-to-time - There's always more than one way to skin a cat, and it helps to hear how others have tackled the various issues that pop up.

es
 

[Dave8N in Pa]

Ed, I am just starting in the hay buisness. Next year I will have maybe 25 acres. I just talked to a freind who is paying $4 per bale for timithy. How does that match ILL. prices?
 

[Ed S. (IL)]

I've been out of hay for a couple years, so I'm not really up on current prices. I know they vary a bit based on who you're selling to and where (horse people in Peoria vs. cow people out in the rural farm area where we live). This year's drought has driven prices up, too.

I'll probably get $4/bale for the third cut since it's at least 50-60% alfalfa. $3/bale is more typical in my area. My second cut is pretty poor quality, and I sold one rack already for $1/bale - will be happy to sell the other two racks for the same.

Good alfalfa/grass hay will go for $5-6/bale or more down closer to Peoria...

es
 

[Dell (WA)]

Ed.......I paid $460 fer 20-bale Ton of eastern Washington irrigated alfalfa, 4th of July. That's $23/bale fer those mathematically challenged. Thats a 200-mile haul to the foot of 14K Mt Rainier. Hay dealer was predicting $400/T in the field later this summer. Good thing I only have 3-sheepies to feed this winter. ........hayless Dell
 

[Ed S. (IL)]

Zounds, Dell. The wife and I took holiday out west a few weeks ago, and I saw a lot of hay (mostly large squares) in the fields, but it sounds like hay is scarce for a lot of folks this year.

If you want to come pick it up, I'll sell you mine for only $10/bale!



es
 

[Colin King]

Great photos and I'm glad to hear that you got in your third cutting. My neighbor, who's fields are in the lowest portion of the river bottom (he floods every normal spring) could only make 2 cuttings this year because of the drought. Not a good hay year here.

Colin, MN
 

[Fins/413]

nice photos Ed
 

[don t-9n180179]

I paid $5.00/bale for 50 bales of timothy.
Location = far NW corner of McHenry county. Il.

...don t. ....