Chasin' The Dew

Allan in NE · Jul 2, 2008

Don't know if the resolution will show this or not: the green trail behind the baler.

It was getting too dry to bale before I quit yesterday.

Alfalfa gets so darned dry and brittle out here during the heat of the day that the pickup on the baler just shatters the hay. Even the stems will snap and the hay ends up on the ground in the form of that green powder.

Same way with the rake. Works way, way better to run when the dew is down on alfalfa out in this arid region.

Allan

Anonymous-0 · Jul 2, 2008

That's a new one on me- too dry to bale. I know knocking off leaves was a concern back when I was growing up on the farm in Indiana. You need to invent a vacuum along with the regular pickup.

Allan in NE · Jul 2, 2008

Oh yeah,

Very seldom ya see a baler running past 10am out here unless they are in grass.

Darned alfalfa, can't even pick the stuff up with a pitchfork without it shatterin'.

Same way with beans. Can't handle 'em unless the dew is down or they will "combine themselves" all over the ground. :>(

Allan

Paul from MI · Jul 2, 2008

Here in Southern Michigan the opposite problem is common. Even in good drying weather hay is seldom dry enough for small squares until 2-3 p.m. Usually you have to turn the windrow a little before noon to get the bottom to dry where it's been on the ground. Then it starts getting tough around 7-8 p.m. No happy medium I guess.
Love pics-good to see how the other half farms.
Paul

rotten robert · Jul 2, 2008

Talked to my brother in SE Montana last night and he says the same thing. He has been baling from about 3:00 am on. He has a one year old JD baler behind his 50888. They bought a new bigazz AGCO Hesston swather this year and he is humpin to stay up with it.

Allan in NE · Jul 2, 2008

Just got a little 4-5 minute shower.

Hopin' beyond hope that it is just enough to let me get another 30 acres picked up off the ground without it being either too wet or too dry.

Yeah, no happy medium. :>(

Allan

Allan in NE · Jul 2, 2008

Been watchin' my neighbor across the fence.

Has two new NH swathers (huge things), a big V-wheel rake and following 'em with one of those big AGCO Hesston balers. I swear he's balin' 40' of cut in road gear and the gizmo seems to tie in about 15 seconds.

Have never seen a baler move so darned fast before! He can put up 30 acres of hay faster than I can fuel one of my old tractors. :>(

Allan

Anonymous-0 · Jul 2, 2008

The cows don't like it much like that either. All stems and powder. They push the stems aside to try to hoover up the powder at the bottom.

Walt Davies · Jul 2, 2008

We have to bale when its wet on some days and not on others it real hard to know which those Idiots that give the weather are more interested in how they look on TV than they do about predicting yesterdays weather.
We have a field on the ground right now and we have to bale half of it in the cold morning and the other later on in the day to get the moisture correct.
Walt
PS the guy who wouldn't pay us for the tractor and baler just talked his poor old Granny into buying him one I feel sorry for her right now.

Anonymous-0 · Jul 2, 2008

Yea some game isn't it? Here in western Wa we can hardly get it dry enough to bale and in Eastern Wa they usually have to wait for dew to bale. We don't raise much alfalfa here on the west side cause it freezes out or drowns out in the winter. They use timothy, orchard and several mixes of fescue and makes great dairy hay. Could you raise that there or is it too shallow rooted to stay alive during the dry season? Just wondering if there is an alternative legume that you could use to feed the stockers/ Migraine

cj in wisconsin · Jul 2, 2008

Here in NW Wisconsin we have to chase the dew away, most days you cant do a thing till 10 or 11 AM and at night the dew sets so heavy and fast you are all done.

DoubleR · Jul 2, 2008

A couple a days ago I read your post on how you had to get going on your baling in the early am. Being freom Mi. like Paul, I thought "who in the heck bales hay in the morning". Guess I learned something today. I always enjoy looking at the nice pictures you post too.

jose bagge · Jul 2, 2008

I'll loan you a couple of horses to follow you around and "hoover" that good stuff right up for ya!

RickL · Jul 2, 2008

you never go in te morninghere its always usually rakein the morning them bale at least after 1pm or so to start. I used toleave those green strips also when i used to own a 650 chain baler. The newer belt units do away with alot of the streaks you showed. you talked about the neighbor with his big unit didit leave the streaks, I bet it didn't. the belt units really do make field alot cleaner

LenND · Jul 2, 2008

Yea, my brother does all his alfalfa baling early in the mornig or right after light shower. Sometimes he even does the grass type depending on dry it was. This with a big round baler.

Coffee Helps · Jul 2, 2008

Thanks for the "education" in NE agriculture you've been providing. Enjoy all the photos, too. Mark SW Wis.

GordoSD · Jul 3, 2008

You rarely see a baler going up here in SD between 10:30 am and 10:30 pm.
Allen, you might be interested in a NH BR780, net wrap outfit neighbor has. It caught on fire last summer, ins co. totaled it out. He bought it back for 200 dollars. It didn't even burn all the belts off. Warped the top tin, a couple of bearings, one tire were toast. The rest is in great shape. It was a new unit with about 800 bales through it.

Gordo

Chasin' The Dew

Allan in NE

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