The Official Farming Thread...

[amberg]

The weather guessers said localized flooding, 100% chance of rain.

Well.....I ain't one to wait on the rain, so we went to the field.

View attachment 241631

Told you that you would like that rake.

 

[Mastermind]

Glad you got some of your hay up @Mastermind i got 140 bales of wheat. My Baker didn’t want to form a nice core. Ok girl struggles with wheat or straw when it gets too dry. I got some really pretty bales up good color to them this year.

Did you have any grain in those heads?

Some of them. A lot are still juicy. Lol

Told you that you would like that rake.

Yes you did. You were right

 

[jakethesnake]

Some of them. A lot are still juicy. Lol



Yes you did. You were right

Our growing seasons sound pretty close. My wheat was about the same way. I have some down the road I might cut. It has some vetch growing with it. It would make nice feed too after running out of hay last year and baking green hay every few days I’m trying to have extra laying around.

Here’s some green bales I fed earlier this year

 

[Mastermind]

View attachment 241786
Our growing seasons sound pretty close. My wheat was about the same way. I have some down the road I might cut. It has some vetch growing with it. It would make nice feed too after running out of hay last year and baking green hay every few days I’m trying to have extra laying around.

Here’s some green bales I fed earlier this year

So....I need some advice. This wheat I have down that was rained on. Will it be ok to get it dry and bale it? Is there anything I need to look out for? I figure as cool as it is right now, it won't mold or anything, but I'm no expert on any of this stuff.

 

[Mastermind]

Told you that you would like that rake.

Oh.....we used those pulling chains you gave me a couple of days ago Charlie.

One of the lightweight heifers we bought back in the fall was pregnant. She was too small to have the calf. We lost the calf, but the heifer is doing well.

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

So....I need some advice. This wheat I have down that was rained on. Will it be ok to get it dry and bale it? Is there anything I need to look out for? I figure as cool as it is right now, it won't mold or anything, but I'm no expert on any of this stuff.

Let the top dry out, then ted it and get the middle/bottom dried out as well. Rake it up and bale.

You'll lose some leaves, and the sun will bleach out some vitamins and protein. Assuming it was cured before it got rained on, you shouldn't have too much trouble with mold, if you don't let it sit too long.

It will be downgraded in nutrition, but it's still fiber and carbohydrates, so all isn't lost. I would mix it with some good second cutting this winter to fill their bellies and make the good hay last longer.

 

[Mastermind]

Let the top dry out, then ted it and get the middle/bottom dried out as well. Rake it up and bale.

You'll lose some leaves, and the sun will bleach out some vitamins and protein. Assuming it was cured before it got rained on, you shouldn't have too much trouble with mold, if you don't let it sit too long.

It will be downgraded in nutrition, but it's still fiber and carbohydrates, so all isn't lost. I would mix it with some good second cutting this winter to fill their bellies and make the good hay last longer.

In some of the thicker spots it wasn't well cured, but the majority of it was. This ain't the first time I've had some get rained on of course, but I've never had this much down to get washed....and never wheat.

 

[exSW]

Out of curiosity, why that size? Is it a fixed chamber size or variable?
This will be my first year round baling. I’ve got a New Holland BR7060 to use. I’ve had a contractor do 3x4 big squares the past few years besides what I bale with the small square baler.
I know windrow width will be vital. Any other good tips on making a good bale?

I have the same baler. In fact Randy talked me into buying it. I was surprised the quality of the hay this winter considering the crap I baled. They do make a 5x4 bale which isn't to good for resale because two wide on a trailer is 10'. And they are a pain if your bale sprear is a little short. But you can buy nice ones cheap.

 

[jakethesnake]

So....I need some advice. This wheat I have down that was rained on. Will it be ok to get it dry and bale it? Is there anything I need to look out for? I figure as cool as it is right now, it won't mold or anything, but I'm no expert on any of this stuff.

It’ll be fine. Even if it molds a touch won’t hurt a cow

 

[jakethesnake]

Honestly as long as you get it moved around shouldn’t mold much anyhow
Wheat will usually dry faster than regular grass from my experience

 

[kingOFgEEEks]

It’ll be fine. Even if it molds a touch won’t hurt a cow

This. A little mold will bother you more than the cattle. Just keep it away from horses.

 

[CLEARCUT]

This is the baler I’ll be using. It should do a good job. The rest will be small square baled with a JD 337.

 

[CLEARCUT]

 

[mdavlee]

View attachment 241850 View attachment 241851 This is the baler I’ll be using. It should do a good job. The rest will be small square baled with a JD 337.

It should swallow a big windrow with the extra wide pickup. There’s a huge difference on the 847 my grandpa has to the one my buddy uses with the different pickups. He could bale 2-3 mph faster than me in the same fields with the wide pickup.

 

[Mastermind]

View attachment 241850 View attachment 241851 This is the baler I’ll be using. It should do a good job. The rest will be small square baled with a JD 337.

Very nice.

 

[Only the Tony]

Done better and worse. Not too bad considering all that is going on.

 

[Mastermind]

Still raining here.

 

[CLEARCUT]

Very nice.

It makes up for my mowers which I hope to get one more season out of.

 

[Only the Tony]

Trailer brakes would randomly come on he last two trips hauling. Thought it was my brake controller so I unplugged it. Guess at sometime the middle connector came loose and since it is not used there was nothing to hold it halfway in place.

 

[amberg]

Still raining here.

Also here now. many days now!!