Haybine mowing pattern

[Anonymous-0]

When mowing a square or rectangular field with a side pull haybine, what is the recommended mowing pattern once the filed is opened up? Cut rectangles out (such that you can go back and forth on the long sides of the rectangle and just 'deadhead' around the short sides of the rectangle? Or turn the corners sharp and keep your haybine in the standing hay the whole way around?

 

[old]

The way I do it is take a square or rectangle and start on the out side of it and just go around and around till done. Shape and as square a corner as you can make till you get small then lift and swing out to make a good shape turn

 

[JNP]

Personally I think it depends on what you are baling with. When using a small square baler I feel it is best to cut on all sides until you get close to the center. Rake it the same and you will end up with a continuous windrow. This eliminates driving empty on the end with the baler. Using this method we can load hayracks of 120 bales in 30min +or- depending on the hay. When using a round baler I prefer to cut the hay in long lands much like how you would plow. This eliminates all the corners which I feel are more difficult to pick up with a round baler.

 

[Anonymous-0]

we always go 6 times around out side then split it in to a smaller area and then go around that with mower raised on head lands. remember you have to rake and bale it after you get it on ground. we double all our windrows for baling. you to you how you cut. going round and round might be quicker cutting but a mess to bale if you are always turning to get back on windrow.

 

[jiminct]

(quoted from post at 17:44:05 04/25/11) The way I do it is take a square or rectangle and start on the out side of it and just go around and around till done. Shape and as square a corner as you can make till you get small then lift and swing out to make a good shape turn

i pretty much do it the same as old does keep making rounds until its too tight to turn then swing out and make the corner or sometimes i'll lift and make a backwards p shape then drop the mower and go across. i will finish the field by mowing counterclockwise on the outside swath that i drove on during my 1st pass.

 

[showcrop]

I round my corners off a bit so that I can go around five times without lifting or coming out. Then I'll start doing the long sides coming out at the short ends. Then when I'm headed for the edge I'll go to it and do the back swath around the outside taking an extra pass at each corner to get deep into them. If the end is very long I'll go down the middle cutting the field in two. Then work on one side 'till it starts to get to be a tight turn at the end, then I'll swing left onto the other half for the trip back down working one half then the other. Probably sounds complicated but it enables me to keep moving along fairly quickly.

 

[JMS/.MN]

Might depend on how you harvest- baling, you want to follow the direction of cut, so continuously around the field works best. Chopping haylage, I made 3 rounds around, then split the field occasionally so the result was like when I swathed it. On a square 40, I"d have about 7 acres in each land. Half-mile long, same width as on the 40. But, haylage is chopped wetter than baling, and the chopper is not so fussy about picking up a windrow if I don"t always follow the cut pattern. For efficiency, I liked changing wagons on the near end of the field, even if I hAD TO CUT ACROSS THE MIDDLE ON A HALF-MILE FIELD. nEXT LOAD, i"D CHOP OUT THE SHORT HALF ROUND when I got to the other end, AND FINISH UP ON THE NEAR END AGAIN. Much easier on the unloading crew, not having to drive the full length of a field to switch wagons. otherwise I"d be half full before they got home.

 

[willie in mn]

What we did a LONG time ago. We left the farm when my Dad died in 59. Small farm, so brother & I worked for all the neighbors.
No deadheading with the mower, cut all four sides, making the patch smaller as we went. Cut perfect square corners with semi-mount & trailing mowers with wheels forward of the cutter bar.
Raking went against the cut direction, always turn left, so the rake swung away from the windrow. Then clean up the corners making an X.
Baling & chopping went clockwise again. Pick up that X first, leaving a short space in corners for a clean turn.
Chopping was another project. Pulled wagons beside chopper. When we came out with an empty had to make a quick estimate on whether or not the one ahead had enough room to make another round. If enough room, wait , otherwise follow.
The chopper was the most expensive machine, so our job was to keep him busy, he never stopped. When your load was full, guy on chopper would pull feeder clutch, wait about 5 or 10 seconds, then throw clutch again. That was the clue to get out of the way so guy with empty could get under the chute. He didn't care if that big slug went in the wagon or down the back of your neck.
Willie

 

[rrlund]

I cut 6 rounds around the outside,then punch a hole up the middle,or two or three,edpending on the width of the field,then cut counterclockwise from the center for a while,then clockwise from the outside in on the outer strips. Raise it up at the ends while traveling.

 

[Ken Macfarlane]

I go roundy round until the 2 short sides are about 100 feet long, then in strips with the "headland" on previously cut hay.

 

[kyhayman]

I make 6 rounds around each hayfield, the tedder, rake, and roll. Get the rolls out ASAP and come back cutting in straight lines, tedder, rake, and round or square bale. Its a lot bigger deal for me with squares than rounds. I almost never have an issue with the NH bale wagon on the straight runs but try turning much at all and stuff happens on the loader chute. Plus that gives open headlands to move in and out with equipment, trucks, etc without running in cut hay; a sure way to get hay on a drive shaft.

 

[rankrank1]

I picked up an old haybine late last fall and tried it out on my last cutting. The tractor that I used to run the haybine does not have hydraulics so I simply went round and round the field and finished in the center of the field. This method of cutting was really my only option since I do not have an easy way raise the haybine when needed to clear already cut hay for laying out in lands. Regardless, going around and around worked very well. You can turn these haybines pretty sharp and the PTO driveline does not chatter at all. Most haybine owners manuals even show you how to make the 90 degree turn.

Assuming you eventually rake your field, then you can still use the rake to lay it out in lands if needed.