Making backyard hay the old way

chuckinnc · Apr 8, 2013

I mow a 6 acre plot to keep it from growing up.I thought of saving the cutting as hay to feed my goats in the winter.
I don't have any hay making equipment but have read
you could cut the side out of a old bushog and mow
hay like that, I have a 3pt rake but thats it. I
don't have a place to store hay in the dry. I was
trying to figure out why they piled hay around a
pole in the field? I only need to keep hay a few
months. Any ideas on a cheap way to do this?

farmallboy15 · Apr 8, 2013

I reccommend not even trying it. If there is any mold you risk Lysteriosis. Which is a slow horrible death. Look it up. We used to feed round bales outside and had it happen. Not even counting that, if your goats are anything like mine they won't even touch crappy grass hay.

showcrop · Apr 8, 2013

You don't tell where you live but that Is how I started out in haying, taking run out fields and bringing them back up to good fertility and at the same time allowing the landowner to avoid paying someone to shred them. Here in NH in many areas six acres is plenty to be attractive. Then you can work out a deal to get a share of what the cropper gets from the field.

Ken Macfarlane · Apr 8, 2013

Our goats want the brush baled from around the edges of fields. Sticks, weeds, leaves etc. Not interested in horse hay.

Nebraska Cowman · Apr 8, 2013

I'm not sure why the pole was used. maybe as a guide to keep the stack straight? It's not needed. You can build a nice stack with a pitchfork but it's hard work if you are not used to it. The pile has to be kept firm and enough hay in the center so the water runs off. Any soft spots will settle and then you have a hole to catch rain water. You could cover stacks with tarpaulins too if you get a lot of rain. One thing sure, it would not cost much to try as you are cutting the grass anyway.

BAnNC · Apr 8, 2013

Maybe you need to call that girl on the post a few days ago. She could clean up a row, pile it on the wagon and still have time to cook supper.

ohiojim · Apr 8, 2013

we used to have a woods brushhog that had a door on the side for that purpose.....

Richard G. · Apr 8, 2013

I talked to an older man a few years ago and he described how to stack hay around a pole to make it shed water. You need to study up on it if you have never done it.
Richard

Ellis Kinney · Apr 8, 2013

I have an old 1974 Woods Cadet 60 bush hog that has a bolt on side panel to remove for cutting hay.

JK-NY · Apr 8, 2013

Maybe you could hire some one to bale for you, or do the haying on shares.

Making backyard hay the old way

chuckinnc

Member

farmallboy15

Member

showcrop

Well-known Member

Ken Macfarlane

Well-known Member

Nebraska Cowman

Well-known Member

BAnNC

Well-known Member

ohiojim

Well-known Member

Richard G.

Well-known Member

Ellis Kinney

Well-known Member

JK-NY

Well-known Member

Similar threads