Who's got their hay in (or working on it) in the NE?

[Southtowns27]

Well, here in Western NY state we just had the 4th wettest June ever. Not ideal for haying, it rained every other day, literally. We finally got a weather break starting last Wednesday. No rain forecasted until maybe this coming Wednesday. I cut most of the field this past Tuesday afternoon and put 677 bales up this afternoon. The ground was/is still pretty wet so it took a bit longer to dry than usual, but I got a real nice crop in. I cut more yesterday in an even wetter section (I didn't think that was possible) of the field, hope to put that up on Monday. Should be a couple hundred more then I'm all done for the year! How's everyone else in the NE making out??? EVERYONE around here has hay down right now...

 

[Ill John]

I'm between Chicago and Milwaukee, I've had DRY weather starting on Monday and supposed to last until Sunday nite, Maybe you'll get the same thing again. That was my 1st cutting, been WET.

 

[olgentdc]

Between 20 and 60 Percentchance of rain nearly every day of JUNE ... delivered lots of rain here in S- IND until a week ago... , we cut in the AM and Bale in the Afternoon leap frogging across the Countyline ... everday we do about 10 acres ... No rain in site ,... LAST WEEKS 5 days of 95 degee HEAT Sure Roasted down a beautiful feild of Mixed Clover and grass ..

 

[larry@stinescorner]

my neighbor in lehigh county pa got all the first cutting baled, He sells alot of small bales to horse people. He was baling as fast as he could but a lot of the hay was more mature than he likes it to be It grew fast this year He farms our land , his land and 4 other farms in the area He is penn. dutch his grandfather farmed the same land.

 

[kyhayman]

We've had 21 days with measurable precip. Not enough to help but enough to ruin hay in the windrow. Its been a battle since the end of May to get anything done. Same situation here, weather finally broke Monday. In spite of the rain, it hasnt been enough to really help stuff grow, just enough to mess things up.

I hit it hard the last 3 days of June, finished baling all my first cutting grass and about half of my second cutting alfalfa. Less than 200 squares done, of all things I had to buy a load of square bales today to fill out an order. We're moving rolled hay now, trying to get it all stacked in the barn. 1370 rolls and only 14 of them got rained on before there were baled, but oh did they get it. Teddered out the windrows 3 times before I got them baled.

 

[c.w n.y]

here on long island we have had 1 inch of rain in the last two months , the last week we have had a buetiful dry air mass come in made some excellent hay which is usually hard to do here because of the humidity, i finished baling for myself yesterday 6,000 small squares off 31 acres. over the last month.

 

[Anonymous-0]

Oh, the advantages of only having 30 acres to cut and bale! MIne is in the barn. Managed to get about 8 acres washed in mid june. The rest didn't get rain but we had oppressive humidity and wet ground, which was almost as bad as rain. Then once I got done, the weather breaks. Go figure. So the wife and I take a day trip down through middle Kentucky on friday. We went to Harrodsburg, the Shaker Village, all all around Mercer and Boyle Counties, then back home. All I can say is, I wish I was a baling twine dealer this week! If you could wrap a string around it, someone was. We went west yesterday, down to Cecilia Ky and saw pretty much the same thing.

 

[larry@stinescorner]

I just saw him today 4th of july., his meter on the baler says he baled 10,000 bales of first cutting

 

[Tx Jim]

(quoted from post at 21:43:36 07/03/10) i finished baling for myself yesterday 6,000 small squares off 31 acres. over the last month.

With making 6000 sq bales on 31 acres I think you need to acquire some more of that record hay producing land.

 

[Larry NE IL]

I'm close to you, between Elgin and Schaumburg.
Same here...1st cutting of 1257 sm squares timothy/alfalfa went in the barn the 3rd.
I've seen too many years when there was no reason to cut because there wasn't any product to cut due to NO RAIN! Yep, mine was about three weeks "over due" but it sure made a bunch....I'll take the rain!

Larry NE IL

 

[Matt from CT]

Southern New England is in one of the greatest stretches of haymaking weather I have seen in my life.

It is getting hot and humid now, but that's OK.

Looks we'll have gone a stretch of nearly two weeks with no rain, few clouds, and temps over 80º by the time it breaks.

Saw someone out with a haybine cutting alfafa hay at 8pm on July 3rd. Don't usually see folks out mowing that late, never mind a heavy, premium hay...give it the first afternoon to start drying. But given this weather, they probably are done baling already!

 

[Matt from CT]

I don't think that's unusually high up here.

Assuming 40# bales, especially since Long Island market will be mostly horses and no commercial dairies, little bit under 4 tons/acre.

200 bales / acre @ 80# bales, that would be impressive but not unprecedented.

New Jersey, Long Island, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts...pretty much figure if it's still actively farmed it's some of the most productive farm soils in the nation. Otherwise it's been left to go back to woods or sold off to developers.

Not eye raising to see farmland selling for about $10,000/acre for arable land, for use as farmland. If it's developable, add $10-30,000/acre.

 

[hayray]

Here in Southern Michigan rain has been heavy up until last week. Baled 5 days straight. I am about 1/3rd way through first cut, some second has been ready for a couple of weeks now. Took a break from baling on this last heat wave inorder to get some equipment maintenance done, hate to not have some down but I am too fried right now. Start laying acreage down on Thursday after this front passes.

 

[c.w n.y]

like matt said my bales are 35-40 pounds a piece, their would be quite a few less if i had 60 pounders. it is not uncommon to get 200 bales a acre on well fertelized good ground here if you cut it later in the season when its past its nutritional prime but 4 + foot tall.

 

[DAVISFARMS]

we normally make 100 plus first cut and 80 plus second cut we try our best to cut at proper maturity no irrigation i live in middle tn.