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Got a good start on 2nd crop hay today.
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Campfire Kahuna
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What percent moister is the alfalfa, or is it something else?
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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We had a little rain and the irrigation is going well. Areas that don't get as much water (high spots and steep areas) are already blooming but the part that got a lot of water looks better than the 1st cut.
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Campfire Ranger
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Has that hay been raked together into bigger windrows? How wide is your cutting machine?
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Campfire Oracle
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If you take the time it takes, it takes less time. --Pat Parelli
American by birth; Alaskan by choice. --ironbender
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What percent moister is the alfalfa, or is it something else? Alfalfa is between 50-60%.
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Has that hay been raked together into bigger windrows? How wide is your cutting machine? Pickup header is 10 feet. Two swaths raked in.
Last edited by roundoak; 07/07/17.
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Campfire Kahuna
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When I use to try haylage it turned sour, and our cattle would not eat it. What ever works for you.
You must not have much rock if you can rake windrows, and run through a chopper.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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1st crop haylage, no, second crop 0k. Goes into pit silo with plastic cover and have good success.
Certain fields have some rocks, but knock on wood, been real lucky,
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Campfire Kahuna
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To answer the first question, we just brought in the last big squares the hoop building will hold. The rest will get rolled in big round bales. Great quality hay, but it is dry here, we need a good rain.
Last edited by wabigoon; 07/07/17.
These premises insured by a Sheltie in Training ,--- and Cooey.o "May the Good Lord take a likin' to you"
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Roundoak, that is nice lookin' country and quite the operation!
We just got done with first cutting and are now wrapping up flood irrigating those fields for the second time.
Generally only get 2 cuttings a year but it's been so hot lately with no end in sight so I'm guessing we'll get 3 this year. Stuff is growing like crazy.
Dry land alfalfa/grass 'burned up' a month ago and wasn't even worth cutting.
$200/ton here which is almost double from what it usually is.
Gonna try to bale up 70 acres of dry land hay barley tomorrow morning but the windrows are so thin that I'm afraid the balers might not even pick it up.
We basically cut it just to try and cut down the fire hazard.
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Interesting comment about a fire hazard, Sam. We worry about mature corn fields catching on fire. Two years ago a neighbors combine caught on fire and destroyed about 100 acres of corn.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Roundoak, I am jealous of all that green in your pics.
Truly beautiful country.
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Nice looking stuff, when did you take the first cutting off?
Real wet spring here, we just did our first mowing of dry hay the other day. We probably have a good two weeks or so before we can think about some second. It's coming back pretty good on spots we took off for silage/ baleage
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Sam, this country has a lot of beautiful country, we just happen to have some of it.
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Ben, first cutting was 3rd week of May. We had a lot of moisture this spring and a lot of corn and beans got planted late, but most of my hay ground is on the ridges and we got a week of great drying days late May.
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Campfire 'Bwana
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Sam, this country has a lot of beautiful country, we just happen to have some of it. You are taking good care of it....
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Campfire 'Bwana
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That's a chopper! How do those trailers unload, dump, apron chain, live floor?
If you put Taco Bell sauce in your ramen noodles it tastes just like poverty
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Kingston, live floor unload.
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