Yesterday I worked short hours at work and helped Dad finish chopping 1st crop. About a month late by the calender, but only about 7-10 days by the growing season. We had around 37 acres or so, and we managed to pull off 36 loads (2 18' wagons, 1 16' wagon) from it. We filled a 9'x200' bag w/ 29 loads and then had to put the last 7 in another bag.
We've got 15 acres of oats & peas I'm going to lay down tomorrow, and Dad layed down the last of 1st crop today with our 9' haybine that we plan to bale. Said it was very thick stuff. It's a 6 acre peice we're getting for the price of our seed, fuel, and time to keep the property taxes at ag rates vs. commercial property rates until it sells. We seeded it down last year w/ oats & peas, but we could never get it off because it got really wet. Lots of trees to go around, as it's what's left of a tree farm. Also have to watch out for missing trees, because there's a good chance there's a deep hole from the spade truck.
Definately not a place I want to go with a chopper....
I never took any pictures because we were too busy going hard to get it done. I have to say though, the 892 chopper prooved itself in hay quite well... All of our hay was right on the farm this year (as oppossed to our fields up the road 2 miles) so it was a short haul, and in the better hay Dad still had a hard time keeping up with me. In the hay we seeded down last year, there were spots where 3 windrows (14' cut, 900-1000' long) would fill the 18' wagons to the roof and over the beaters. Never seen it quite that thick. One very good thing about the moisture.
Our corn is a little yellow though. Gotta get the sprayer's tank cradle repaired (new steel bent up, just need to weld it to the mounts) so Dad can spray before I need the tractor to cut more horse hay that my brother found. We're keeping 2/3's and plan to sell it in Feb/March when the price goes up. Gonna be a little travel time though, it's ab out 13 miles away and lots of traffic lights & other things to make me stop. Also have to go through 2 towns. Gonna drive the 285 out there and leave it until we're done. Gotta replace the light switch 1st and make sure everything checks out.
I also managed to cut & bale some 1st crop for another gentleman, about 2 1/4 acres worth. Very grassy with some alfalfa, and he got 165 bales from it. Not too bad in my eyes. I got $70 to cut ($70/hr, min. 1 hr), and another $1/bale to drop it on the ground. He was happy and I'll be looking at his 2nd crop in about 5-6 weeks, after we get ours all done.
That's about what I've been up to the last few weeks. Gonna do some farm work tomorrow, and then go to a parade on the 4th with the family and then the fireman's picnic after. About 30 departments participate in the local parade...
Donovan from Wisconsin
We've got 15 acres of oats & peas I'm going to lay down tomorrow, and Dad layed down the last of 1st crop today with our 9' haybine that we plan to bale. Said it was very thick stuff. It's a 6 acre peice we're getting for the price of our seed, fuel, and time to keep the property taxes at ag rates vs. commercial property rates until it sells. We seeded it down last year w/ oats & peas, but we could never get it off because it got really wet. Lots of trees to go around, as it's what's left of a tree farm. Also have to watch out for missing trees, because there's a good chance there's a deep hole from the spade truck.
Definately not a place I want to go with a chopper....
I never took any pictures because we were too busy going hard to get it done. I have to say though, the 892 chopper prooved itself in hay quite well... All of our hay was right on the farm this year (as oppossed to our fields up the road 2 miles) so it was a short haul, and in the better hay Dad still had a hard time keeping up with me. In the hay we seeded down last year, there were spots where 3 windrows (14' cut, 900-1000' long) would fill the 18' wagons to the roof and over the beaters. Never seen it quite that thick. One very good thing about the moisture.
Our corn is a little yellow though. Gotta get the sprayer's tank cradle repaired (new steel bent up, just need to weld it to the mounts) so Dad can spray before I need the tractor to cut more horse hay that my brother found. We're keeping 2/3's and plan to sell it in Feb/March when the price goes up. Gonna be a little travel time though, it's ab out 13 miles away and lots of traffic lights & other things to make me stop. Also have to go through 2 towns. Gonna drive the 285 out there and leave it until we're done. Gotta replace the light switch 1st and make sure everything checks out.
I also managed to cut & bale some 1st crop for another gentleman, about 2 1/4 acres worth. Very grassy with some alfalfa, and he got 165 bales from it. Not too bad in my eyes. I got $70 to cut ($70/hr, min. 1 hr), and another $1/bale to drop it on the ground. He was happy and I'll be looking at his 2nd crop in about 5-6 weeks, after we get ours all done.
That's about what I've been up to the last few weeks. Gonna do some farm work tomorrow, and then go to a parade on the 4th with the family and then the fireman's picnic after. About 30 departments participate in the local parade...
Donovan from Wisconsin
