[AT] OT Hay question

[Cecil Bearden]

There is a bacterial treatment you can spray on the windrow as you bale that 
is supposed to stop spoilage.  I have used it.  My Dad said he thought the 
cosw did not like the hay as well.  I bale only round bales now and I bale 
it as green as possible.  Prairie hay is baled the same day as it is cut.  I 
bale wheat hay so wet that the sap is running off the rollers.  People 
around here think I am crazy, but my horses, sheep and cattle eat have to be 
fenced away from the hay to keep them from eating it at all times of the 
year.  Round bales allow the hay to sweat and ferment a little.  We just 
keep it in the field for a couple of weeks to make sure it does not get too 
hot.
You can put a small spike on the center of the small baler plunger that will 
create a hole thru the entire bale when you get done.  This will allow the 
center of the bale to dry also.  It works well for green hay.
As you can see I am not one for putting up dry hay.  If I want dry straw, I 
will bale behind the combine!!!!

Cecil in OKla
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "charlie hill" <chill8 at cox.net>
To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 6:12 AM
Subject: Re: [AT] OT Hay question


>
> I don't know much about hay farming but I do know that if you bale it too 
> wet it will take heat and catch fire.  There is a family farm right down 
> the road from me run by two brothers who know what they are doing.  The 
> put some hay up too wet  about 10 years ago and it cost them the hay, a 
> big shed, a nearly new Gleaner combine, an Allis B with a belly mower,  a 
> JD tractor about 50 HP (don't remember the model) and about $20,000 worth 
> of tillage equipment.
>
> Charlie
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "toma" <toma at risingnet.net>
> To: "Antique tractor email discussion group" 
> <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
> Sent: Friday, July 07, 2006 4:33 AM
> Subject: [AT] OT Hay question
>
>
>> My son and I are putting up a crop of hay for the first time in many 
>> years. It is oat hay and we are in a cool area near the coast. We are 
>> watching the neighbors and trying to do it the same way. We let it lay 
>> for 5 days before we raked. It looks like everybody waits about a week to 
>> bale except one guy has let his set over 2 weeks, maybe he is having 
>> trouble with his press. We are going to start to bale Monday. We only 
>> have 6 acres so we won't have enough to feed the cows all winter.
>>
>> If the baling goes ok I got a notion to ask a neighbor if we can cut this 
>> pasture grass he's got. It is harding grass and its about 4-5' tall. It 
>> would make a lot of bales. I know a guy who cuts this grass for hay for 
>> his cows and I will ask him if I see him. I know he cuts his real early. 
>> This grass I am thinking about is still good and green , its quite coarse 
>> and has some of last years straw in it. What I am thinking is if we rake 
>> it kind of green maybe we could get it to sweat and make it a little more 
>> palatable. I know some of you guys grow hay and I know our conditions are 
>> different than hot dry country. I am thinking we could rake it kind of 
>> green and maybe turn it once. Years ago I used to put up oat hay kind of 
>> green and shock it and I never had a mildew problem. I would welcome any 
>> discussion.
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> AT mailing list
>> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
>> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at
>>
>>
>> -- 
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG Free Edition.
>> Version: 7.1.394 / Virus Database: 268.9.9/382 - Release Date: 7/4/2006
>>
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> AT mailing list
> Remembering Our Friend Cecil Monson 11-4-2005
> http://www.antique-tractor.com/mailman/listinfo/at