Planting hay in Spring

[picassomcp]

I picked up a 20 acre field that I would like to plant to hay. It is currently worked up ground that was prevent plant last year. I am thinking about just going over it with my field cultivator and then planting it with the a Brillion Sure Stand seeder that I can rent from my local co-op. I'll probably plant a grass mix and maybe blend in a bit of clover. I sell all my hay to horsey people and some to beef cattle people.

Does this sound like a plan that could work? Anything else that I should consider? Should I consider a cover crop?

How soon is too soon to plant? We are still pretty cold here in Central MN, but have ditched alot of rain and things are drying up. Many are spreading manure right now. I was thinking about planting toward the end of the week?

 

[P I Pete]

Don't plant clover it takes forever to dry, and horsey people don't want moldy hay.

Pete

 

[tomstractorsandtoys]

Does your field cultivator have any kind of harrow on the back to help level? How much trash is on the field now? In my area we would run a cultimulcher (Roller harrow) after the cultivator to level it and firm it up before the Brillion. They (roller harrows) do not take trash very well. I would leave the clover out if you want to make horse hay and go with just grass. If you want to do several cuttings you can alfalfa but it is harder to dry than grass. Tom

 

[moresmoke]

I would definitely use a cover crop. Oats, annual rye, or most any small grain. Even if you can broadcast it ahead of the Brillion, it should give a decent
stand.

 

[jon f mn]

It's not too early for small grains and hay if your fields are dry.
I'm planning on planting some grass hay with oats as a cover
next weekend if it's dried enough. I'm in east central Mn.

 

[sourgum]

Soon as it is dry enough to get the seed in the ground. I would second the motion to use oats or small grain as cover crop. You will have less weeds in the hay. Around here a straight grass hay like orchard, timothy or bromegrass is in high demand from horse people. We are considerable south of you (IN).

 

[JDIH]

You've been given good advise by the others. I would also add that a soil sample would be a good idea. Get the field as smooth as you can. Rough hay fields are no fun and are usually there to stay for years. My experience with a nurse crop, such as oats seeded with alfalfa, is that in a normal year it's good. In a dry year it takes needed moisture away from the alfalfa. So if you can predict the weather you'll know what to do lol

 

[showcrop]

I really like my orchard grass, but even though timothy gets like lumber if it gets late it is still good to have a few of those timothy heads poking out of your bale. That is all that most horse people know about hay.

 

[picassomcp]

Hi Jon,

I see your looking to do the same thing as I am in planting grass hay with a cover crop of oats. My question to you is, what are you going to do with the oats? Will you let them mature and combine them? or will you cut them early as oat hay? I don't have a combine, but a neighbor just a mile away does grow some oats, so maybe I could have him harvest the oats then I could bale the straw. If the oats are left to grow to maturity, will that stunt the hay growth? Will the hay cause issues with the oats harvest or the straw?

If the oats are cut early and baled as oat hay, is there a market for that stuff? Does it drydown and bale well?

Just trying to learn a bit so I can have a plan in place. Thanks

 

[jacksun65]

Rye as a cover orchard and timothy maybe a little alfalfa for horsey hay. NOOO!! Clover, Clover makes
horses slobber.

 

[K Effective]

We used to allow oats to mature and combine them off, bale the straw, and then the alfalfa was well rooted for the next season. My neighbor says oats have gotten hard to harvest well with the newer combines, especially if green at all. Not my personal opinion, but I trust him.

Lately, I have been planting a pasture mix, less alfalfa dries so much easier. I have a small no-till drill with small seed boxes and either drill into pastures or soybean stubble.

Yes, make the field as smooth as possible now, or regret it every time over it for years to come!

Old Farmers' guide said only plant hay in months with an "R", so, get on it!

 

[fixerupper]

If you dont plan on harvesting the oats for grain you only need to seed about 1 1/2 bushels of oats for the nurse crop to control weeds. If the oats are harvested for grain we used to seed three bushels of oats if broadcast, two bushels to two and a half if drilled.