First Cutting Bahia Grass

The Bahia grass finally went to seed last week.

Decided to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI5RrYQoGa8">cut one of the larger fields</a> last Saturday before it got too hot ( 104^o ) and unbearable.

Everything went well with only one minor breakdown (broke a guard on a utility pole).

Getting much better at <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lmvPOGCvIKM">mowing around pine trees</a>.

It's supposed to be cooler ( 103^o ) this Wednesday, so we're taking a day off to rake and bale.

We'll cut two other small fields if time permits.

Doing an awfly good job cutting, James. My experience with volunteer patches of Bahia is that it's hard to cut even when cutting with a disc mower, in fact I think I would have to drop back a gear if I had a field that thick. Maybe you have a better variety. Could you give an opinion sometime on the yield compared with that Bermuda you sowed, forget the name.

KEH

Doing an awfly good job cutting, James. My experience with volunteer patches of Bahia is that it's hard to cut even when cutting with a disc mower, in fact I think I would have to drop back a gear if I had a field that thick. Maybe you have a better variety. Could you give an opinion sometime on the yield compared with that Bermuda you sowed, forget the name.

KEH

Fantastic shots, James. I really enjoyed them. I mowed a lot of pasture in the early '50s with a JD #5 mower behind a JD D on steel. I couldn't make square corners though. Those shots brought back a lot of memories.

The Bahia grass is about 12in. tall with longer stems/heads.

Many years ago when the grass was not so thick, I was able to mow this area with "John B" our 43B and JD #5 mower.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/John%20Deere%20Equipment/43B/?action=view&current=IMG_0326.jpg" target="_blank"> </a>



The first time I tried to cut this field with "Easy" our JD 46A and JD #5 mower, it was some tough, slow work.

Mowing with "Vernon" our 56 Model 70 and JD 350 sickle mower is much easier.

Usually run "Vernon" in 3rd gear, as shown in the videos, unless mowing circles around trees and underneath cut grass.

The Bahia grass yield will be much lower than the Cheyenne/Coastal Bermuda that we have in the hay field.

Primarily because we don't fertilize the Bahia grass at this time.

However, we are preparing another field we call the "bottom" for Bahia grass next year.

Yesterday I was mowing with "1011" another one of our Model 70's and the Corsicana rotary cutter down in the "bottom".

Some of what appeared to be Bahia grass was hip deep; felt bad about shredding it, but it may have been a challenge even for the JD 350 sickle mower.

Shredding the grass so the Nancy can spray the broadleaf and other types of weeds.

Sure will make some good hay next year.

Making the turns with a "D" on steel was probably at a lower speed and with a lot of "power" steering.

The more power you've got, the more steering you have.

One of the main reasons "Vernon" our 56 Model 70 is the mowing tractor is because of the factory power steering.

Adjusted the power steering on "Vernon" just a bit last week; sure did make a difference.

I've also started to slow down a bit on my right turns; decided there was no reason to hurry anymore.

As always James Great Vids!
Gotta give some credit to the camera lady too !

Bahia in August is actually green steel cable in disguise...nearly everybody around 'chere has Bahia in their yards...always bring mowers in to be sharpened and cant understand why it doesnt cut any better...2 passes is what it takes in my yard...pastures are a whole nuther ball of wax

James...you plantin Bahia or just spreading native...i was gonna buy some seed to cover ground where oil co had dug pit for well...i couldnt believe how high seed has gotten.

Enjoyed the video. Sure would like to have some of those flat fields here. Kinda get tired of going round the hill to get anything done LOL. Keith

Glad you enjoyed the videos; have a lot more tractor videos on my YouTube channel.

We call the field that was being cut the "long hill".

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/Haymaking%202010/Bahia%20Fields/?action=view&current=013.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Used a Farmall Super C and Bush Hog rotary cutter to keep this mowed back in the day as a teenager.

All of our Bahia grass is "native" grass.

My dad called it "poor man's hay" and ran cattle on it for decades.

The long stems have heads covered with the black seeds.

For many years we would let it "go to seed", then mow it with 6ft finishing mowers.

The native seed will eventually take over any bare spots.

Glad you enjoyed the videos; we enjoy sharing them with folks on the YT forums.

Nancy does a really good job with the video camera; she gets a little closer to the action.

We use a "small" JD riding mower to mow the yard.

<a href="http://s200.photobucket.com/albums/aa5/jameslloydhowell/John%20Deere%20Equipment/Sparky/?action=view&current=IMG_0122.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Only takes one pass to cut the Bahia grass in the yard by mowing every two weeks.

Good vidios James,
Kinda scared you were going to clip Nancy though!

Daughter kinda liked some of the Deeres Sunday BUT then I told her about the hand clutch vs foot clutch she's "just" learning about!

Still time for her to learn tho.

James2