Baling Soybeans?

[Deere Scotty]

Its been a long time ago. Mid - late 70's I think; but I remember my dad baling Soybeans. I cant remember the circumstances, dont remember if it was cut with a NH 489 haybine, or a NH sicklebar mower. I do however remember the dust when it was baled, & it was awful!!! Oh, & we used a NH 270 square baler which means man handling those awful bales, & when the first wagon was emptied everyone envolved was an unrecognizable filthy dark color.

Well I am thinking of planting a few acres this year for a small demonstration to the younger relatives. Anyone have suggestions from cutting through baling? (besides dont be a fool, & do it) is welcomed!!!

Scotty

 

[IHMANKY]

Back when we did it, we broadcast them instead of row planting, and cut just prior to pods getting developed. We tried to ensure a good stretch of drying weather as you only wanted to rake them once, the less handling the better or the bulk of the leaves will go flying when having to run a tedder or do a second raking.. Just my two cents worth. We rolled most of ours, then did maybe a couple hundred squares at best.

 

[paul]

I've baled soybean straw behind the combine, that gets a little dusty too.

I hear it is real tough to get the stems to dry, and save any leaves as they turn to poewder by the time the stems dry down.

That's your challenge - the leaves are the good part, how to save them....

--->Paul

 

[Deere Scotty]

How many Bales per acre can I expect on say 50bshl/acre?

& Do You think a haybine would preserve the leaves long enough to let the stems dry? I cant imagine a sicklebar mower working well at all. I can still remember the difference between hay bales that were cut using both methods. It was a vastly different feel, & appearance!


Scotty

 

[usetob]

depends on a lot of things,normaly we get about 3 to 4 bales to the acre.

hard to believe that soybeans first come to this country for hay. Then they found out it had oil/food value
good luck

 

[usetob]

forgot to say round bales 4x6's

 

[Charles Santhuff]

Sow some millet with the beans and it will help hold the beans up and make cutting them easier. Also will help the hay dry. We usually produced about a 100 square bales per acre. Not good horse feed, cows love it.

 

[Sam#3]

The only job I ever saw my Dad quit was barning bean hay. I think it was the rotary rake that really broke up the ground.
In my later years we raked with a sulky rake and put up loose. It was dirty but not unbearable.

 

[IHMANKY]

5 tp 6 4x6 bales would be a good number to expect I would think. Not sure on the haybine, I'm assuming that since you commented on the sickle not cutting well that you are using a discbine? We used a sickle type haybine (NH) back when we did bean hay, seemed like it did fair. A few stalks here and there that didn't cut well, but seemed it didn't destroy the leaf too much. I'd say a disc mower would cut much cleaner and wouldn't eat the leaves, but we've not done bean hay since getting into disc mowers several years back.