Rained on hay

showcrop · Jun 29, 2017

This has been a tough year for making hay here in NH. I am way behind, though yields are way up, due to all the rain. I mowed mid-day Sunday going into a four day stretch. It was not far from ready by late Monday, but we got two short light showers Monday night. I got it close to ready on Tuesday, but not yet made, so I raked it. Tuesday night it rained fairly hard for twenty minutes. I tedded it out after three hours of sun on Wednesday, turned it later on, then raked mid afternoon, and it was ready. The rain had not completely penetrated the windrows, and it was still surprisingly green when baled. I gave the customers a break on it and they were happy. Even this late in the season, rain doesn't necessarily ruin hay. Once in mid June we had a field get rained on, and after baling it, and the next one three days later, We sampled from both lots and got them tested. The loss was no more than 10%.

JD Farmer · Jun 29, 2017

You are correct. I had the same deal a week ago.....hay was ready to rake up so I got it all raked, baled six round bales and the down pour came. Next day the sun came out well with low humidity, I ran the tedder over it around 11am. Spread it back out. Waited a few hours and raked it back up and had it baled and hauled in before dark. Stacked them on pallets 2 bales high with a good dose of salt between the bales and also on the top....I believe they will be fine, and as you said, the color was still looking good. Then the rains moved in over night and when they stopped we had 2.55" in the gauge.

old · Jun 29, 2017

In my area yields are way down by 1/3 to 1/2 of a normal year. Got to warm in Feb so things started to grow and then in March we had a cold snap that set every thing behind. I have about half my hay done but still have half to do but the weather guessers keep calling for rain so I do not cut it down. Last weather report has us getting rain off and on for the next 7 days

Bill VA · Jun 29, 2017

Dry here. We top dressed for a second cut and of the rain doesn't come, the Timothy will go dormant. Temps are surprisingly cool, but that
won't last much longer.

My analogy for haying and rain is - I think of hay like tea leaves. When they are green, you can rinse them and not much tea. Let them dry and
rinse and the tea (nutrients) have washed out of the leaves (hay) and you've got nothing. I've considered a flail conditioner vs crimping rollers
(Hesston 1110 steel on rubber), but have concerns that the flails striping the waxy coating might accelerate drying, but also remove a margin of
protection if a shower comes via the removed stem waxy surface vs a simple crimp every 1-1/2 or 2 inches.

Texasmark1 · Jun 30, 2017

I agree with a short rain and the tedder saving a crop. We have a lot of "squalls" here in the summer: Short duration, isolated heavy down
pours for just a few minutes then clears right back up. Nice thing is the clay is usually cracked and the water goes right into the soil. The
sun comes out and you let it bake (steam) for awhile and tedd it and when the hay is ready again hit it.

I really like the new Intellicast weather reports whereby they list the relative humidity over the course of the day along with other things like
temps, wind vel., sun/clouds and all. If you get a shower and the RH is low, that hay will turn right around for you. I can tell you, in the
afternoon when the RH starts coming back up, rolling Sorghum-Sudan cross product notices it as does the PTO load on the tractor. I like
to bale in the 2PM to 4 PM window when I'm fighting moisture (as conditions permit). Short duration but quality product....a trade off.

howdy1960 · Jun 30, 2017

Yesterdays weatherguesser stated Wednesday was the only day with out rain since June 12th and that was the 'only' other day with out rain this month.

9njunkie · Jun 30, 2017

Rain about every other day here for a long time now in CT, everyone is WAAYYY behind.

We just did first cut bailed yesterday on one tiny field and got 100 small squares.

The neighbor to the right fertilized earlier in the spring but has not been able to cut it. It's all 3-4 feet tall and gone to seed.

Neighbor to the left said to heck with all this and just gave up and bush hogged his whole hay lot.

Hoping to get another field done next week, but only have the bigger ones left.

Rained on hay

showcrop

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JD Farmer

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old

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Bill VA

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Texasmark1

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howdy1960

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9njunkie

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