The Farm. Haying and Cattle Thread

[deere4040]

Thought I would start a thread about what we do here. Will be mostly pictures from past and present. Been selling hay off from 200 acres acres for over 10 years now at this scale. Have a herd of Dexters, Jerseys, and Dexter/Jersey crosses for beef sales. current herd is 40+. Also help my cousin from time to time on his 1400 cow dairy in 2 states and work Preload at UPS.


Yesterday knocked down our rye for precut rye straw. Takes a week plus before it is ready and we do want it to get a little rain but not to much. First batch of 1st cutting off on May 30. Can't remember when we have done that before and not in 2.5 days. Wish all summer we could bale in 50 degree weather.

 

[Little Fred]

@deere4040 is the hope for a little bit of rain to get more of a "straw" color?

 

[deere4040]

@deere4040 is the hope for a little bit of rain to get more of a "straw" color?

lol. I looked today and the ECM has us for 5 inches Sat-Tues. GFS has the perfect amount of about quarter inch. Even if we don't get rain the sun will bleach it out. Dew helps. Just takes longer. It is a tough crop for this area. Trying to predict best time to mow so not to mature with trying to get a little rain then couple good days for a baling window. I would say we have made perfect straw twice in the last 5 -6 years we have done it. But we have never lost a crop just not pretty. And have never made black straw but its been close. One batch did get close to 5 inches and on ground I think 2 weeks. At least this year no mud.

This was our start to straw 2025

Not all of the field was that bad though. Notice the mower. Just past perfect for the flowering stage. This year it is perfect. In fact Saturday when we baled hay as I drove along the field I was looking for flowering and found 2. Sunday after checking cattle went and looked and 70% was in flower. A difference of 12 hours. I was originally planning on mowing Tuesday didn't want to deal with that much pollen.