Making Hay on July 4th Weekend

Nancy and I cut, raked, and baled one of our fields we call "The Corner" over the holiday weekend.

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Started cutting on Friday with the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJNe6cd183k">52A and 39N</a> sickle mower.

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We decided to start cutting around 11am before it got too hot; the temperature was 102 in the shade with 105-110 heat index.

Bahia grass was a little too thick for the 52A; put it in 2nd gear and it decided to lock up.

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Pulled it out of the way with "#15" and fired up <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR_NgoGSv4Q">"Vernon"</a> with the JD 350 sickle mower.

Clipped a T-post and broke a section and replaced it, the end section-and-half came off and replaced it, and finally clipped a small tree and broke another section and replaced it.

Decided to avoid all trees and fences for the rest of the day.

On Saturday, July 4th fired up <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bb9YsZ0eHZo">"Uncle Earl"</a> and went on a one tractor parade up to the Hunt Place.

Fired up "Uncle Earl" our 39B and hooked up the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LH-QroJV9Y">JD 640 hay rake</a> and started raking on Sunday around 7:30am; quit at 7:40am because of rain.

You never want your cut hay to get wet, but anytime you can get rain during July in Texas you take it!

Checked the hay Monday morning and decided to use the tedder to aid the drying process; bad idea.

Gave up on making hay and decided to finish the wiring project on "Sam" our 51MT.

Replaced all wiring, ignition switch, cutout relay, battery cables, and spark plug wires.

Tractor fired right up and ran great, hooked up <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tQFU_ZLe75c">"Sam"</a> to the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xS_3yQRIOOw">JD 640 hay rake</a>, and headed back to the field around 3:30pm.

The temperature was 103 in the shade with 105-115 heat index so the cut hay was cured out enough to rake and bale.

Fired up "#15" our 53 model 70 and hooked up the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7X1TPAUgf38">Krone 125</a> baler.

Started baling about 6pm making the smaller 4x4 bales; finished baling around 9pm.

Had a few problems tying the last couple of bales; need to sharpen the knives first thing next Saturday.

I have a lot of appreciation and respect for you folks that do custom hay baling.

As I've said in the past, if I had to do this for a living I'd starve to death.

THANKS for Sharing ... the vidio's make it seem like your right there with you ...

Mark

looks exactly like my sickle on my 41a . didn't think there were many left.

We bought the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLND2DifdD0">39N</a> out of a fence row; but in fair shape.

Replaced the guards, knife hold down clips, wear plates, knife, and pitman.

Runs good as a back-up mower; just not enough HP with the 52A to cut the thick Bahia grass.

It will do just fine in the Coastal Bermuda.

I got to do the same thing last week, only I cut Wednesday, tedded it on Friday and raked and baled on Saturday..... didn't get any rain. James, where do you and Nancy live? I only ask because I live in Canton.

Always enjoy sharing the photos and videos with everyone on the forum.

I'm getting a little better at filming from the tractor; just have to watch out for <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WjbQ54j8HuY">pine trees</a>.

Filming the raking is easy; <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UbN0uwMBeZU">filming the mowing</a> is tricky; filming the baling may be a while.

Being from NE Texas, I answer the question by saying "We stay in Dallas, but our home is between Mt. Pleasant and Daingerfield."

Easiest way is 37 North to Sulphur Springs, then I30 East to Mt. Pleasant.

Our farm is about 10=12 miles East of Mt. Pleasant.

Lots of farm area around Canton.

We bought both of our JD 350 mowers from a fellow from Ben Wheeler just East of Canton off I20.

That Bahia grass is tough to cut with anything. If I had a thick stand like that I would have to drop back a gear using a disc mower and a 65 hp tractor.

KEH

Ran "Vernon" in 3rd gear and the JD 350 had no problems with the Bahia grass; even though I managed to brake two sections.

Will be cutting another Bahia grass field we call the Hunt Place this coming Saturday.

No experimenting this time; "Vernon" will get the call once again.

We have been mowing the Bahia grass fields for at least the last 5 or 6 years with 6 foot finishing mowers.

This year we sprayed them once for weeds and cut them twice with the finishing mowers.

Thanks for the pictures and video. Got our second cutting of Alfalfa baled and on the trucks before it rained. Ready to start on Prarie hay. It will be interuped by third cutting Alfafa. We keep pumping water and it keep growing.
gitrib

Be careful on the bailing part, especially around pine trees, Up here we do bail them , but a little different style bailer.___LOL

Knock on wood, no pun intended, so far have not hit any trees with the baler.

Did hit one tree with the rake; but no harm done.

Will probably film videos in the open field from now on.

I know what you mean about the open field thing,

Like to hear those green ones puttin.

Hate to see silent films and I know it was hard not to speak as you were thinking at the moment.

Gotta hand it to you , definitely a test of your ability of control.

The camera should have been drivin It looked right at the tree.~~~LOL

Glad you liked the photos and videos.

We have a small area on the hay meadow that <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9EeIKqBZWI">Nancy is watering</a> every weekend.

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We had approximately 27 loads of dirt hauled in to fill in a wash on our top terrace.

Seeded the area with <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRxHGvnJKUM">Cheyenne Bermuda</a> and have been nursing it along for the past couple of months.

Good to hear from you; hope you had a good birthday last Friday.

cool videos keep em coming, could do with out the names of the tractors, only you will ever remember those

Glad you liked the videos; we like to share them with folks on this forum.

Several forum members enjoy watching the antique tractors and equipment at work.

We name all our tractors for us to help identify and keep up with them.

I use the tractor names in the post/reply to remember which video/photo to link with the text.

Glad you enjoyed the videos.

We use the 720 ATH and 720 FTH Bush Hogs to make the first cut of dead grass from winter.

We then spray for weed control once the grass comes back.

We use the 720 ATH and 720 FTH Bush Hogs to make the second cut to mulch the new grass and dead weeds.

Once the Bahia grass starts going to seed, we bale it.

Nancy mentioned the other night how "#15" our 53 Model 70 got stronger and louder under a load.

Since the bale density indicators are not extremely accurate on either baler, I listen to the tractor to determine when to stop.

I really like the hand clutch on the old tractors.

Allows me to use my left foot on the brake while "inching" the tractor either forward or backward.

Have to re-think things when using the 51M or 51MT.

Really liked the way the 51MT made left-hand turns with the JD 640 hay rake.

I like the tractor names, although I've only named one of mine. Had an Oliver 1550 for a long time, it was the largest tractor I had owned, up to that time- so named it "Bodacious".

When we only had one tractor, "Old John" Nancy's 48A, names were not necessary.

When we got the second tractor, "Big John" the 55 70 Diesel, well . . .

And now 11 tractors later . . .