hay

Anonymous-0 · Oct 5, 2012

neighbor says that if you cut hay down this time of year it takes six to seven days to dry down before it is ready to bale in small bales. True or False?

David G · Oct 5, 2012

It could, all depends on temperature, humidity and winds. There is not as much heat in the sun. I would plan on at least 4 days.

Leroy · Oct 5, 2012

Might also take 10 days depending on type of hay and if conditioned or not.

doubleN · Oct 5, 2012

Here in the north east, true. The daylight decreases, the dew increases and takes longer to go off in the morning. Drying times are decreased. Around here, way too late to make hay.

James Howell · Oct 5, 2012

Depends on your location.

Cut hay last Tuesday and baled on Thursday.

Doesn't take long to cure in the Texas heat.

Hay season is over for us here on the farm in NE Texas.

rrlund · Oct 5, 2012

If you're lucky. I never had any luck getting hay dry in October at all.

old harv · Oct 5, 2012

In my area it takes 3 or 4 good days to dry down enough to make silage this time of year. It will rot before it dries.

RayP(MI) · Oct 5, 2012

Saw a nice field cut Wednesday here in central Michigan. Rained on it yesterday. Don't know if they were going to chop it for silage, or feeding directly.

retired farmer · Oct 5, 2012

True. We are cutting now in northern Co. May be two weeks before it gets baled. Weather cooled off and looks like snow on lower elevation of the mountains this morning. Probably have to rake it a couple of times.

Ken Macfarlane · Oct 5, 2012

We can't make hay here now except we had a very dry and cold november a few years back. Things had been frozen a few weeks and I saw someone cut the frozen hay and leave it out a week or more. Baled it up. I'm guessing you'd want to make sure it stayed frozen until you feed it!

DeltaRed · Oct 5, 2012

Folks all around here are busy makeing their last cutting.Yes it takes 4 to 7 days to dry.If it doesnt get wet,it will be the 'prettiest' hay of the year.I still have over 60 acres to go....

MSS3020 · Oct 5, 2012

Agree to the depends where your at... Neighbor just cut some hay that hasnt been cut in a few years. Thick to...Mowed on tuesday was round baled on wednesday.. here in Nebraska has been bone dry.. so ....Alot of hay being cut here this year that in past years was never touched..I do squares from what Ive been told big rounds you can bale sooner and get away with it???? guessing again depends on where your at and weather conditions, etc.

JRSutton · Oct 5, 2012

problem here (MA) is the dew in the morning.

It'll dry all day - the next morning it might as well have had an inch of rain dumped on it, so it has to dry again all day.

Good thing is that the air is usually much drier this time of year and with a good wind, it'll all dry up quickly.

But you really NEED a good wind to keep dry air moving across it.

So yes - with that constant soaking, it definitely takes longer overall to be ready.

If it's a third cutting - and pretty much icing on the cake kind of hay - it might be worth the effort - but I certainly wouldn't wait this long to get second cutting.

W_B · Oct 5, 2012

In our part of the world, yes, could take that long. Humidity is high this time of year. My supplier is hoping to get a stretch of dry weather to get a 4th cutting off for me.

wolfman · Oct 5, 2012

Got lucky weather-wise here in s.w. Pa. Cut 5 acres of third cut
wed, raked & baled today (Fri). .It got up to high seventies both Thur & today. Granted the days are too short.

parisspringstom · Oct 5, 2012

In Missouri 3-4 day. Just put up 260 bales

hay

Anonymous-0

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David G

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Leroy

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doubleN

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rrlund

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old harv

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