[AT] Corn Binding/Hay

[bukowski at uiuc.edu]

Thanks all for the comments and helpful hints on building shocks.  I see my mistake in the past was not using the stalk roots to hold the shock upright.  I thought maybe by not tying bundles it was unstable which was my logic for going that way this year.  If I can just cut and stack in the field, it should be a lot quicker.  I have a small herd of Irish Dexter cattle that I need to feed over the winter. My hay crop was short this year, and prices are crazy currently (and will probably be out of sight by late winter).  I am hoping that I have enough fodder in the stalks plus the ear corn and hay to carry them through to spring.  

Thanks again!

John Bukowski
Potomac, IL

---- Original message ----
>Date: Thu, 11 Oct 2007 10:52:55 -0400
>From: "George Willer" <gwill at gwill.net>  
>Subject: Re: [AT] Corn Binding/Hay  
>To: "'Antique tractor email discussion group'" <at at lists.antique-tractor.com>
>
>John,
>
>When we cut corn by hand many years ago we began the shock by tying
>(twisting) 4 stalks together, two from each row, to provide the anchor and
>each arm load was just stacked against them without tying into bundles.
>
>George Willer
>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: at-bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com [mailto:at-
>> bounces at lists.antique-tractor.com] On Behalf Of bukowski at uiuc.edu
>> Sent: Thursday, October 11, 2007 9:55 AM
>> To: Antique tractor email discussion group
>> Subject: [AT] Corn Binding/Hay
>> 
>> Hello,
>> 
>> Hay here in east central Illinois is a little tight this year.  I have
>> about half of what I normally would put up in the barn, and probably won't
>> get another cutting this year.  To make up the short fall, I thought I
>> might cut a couple of acres of corn to feed.  I don't have a binder (which
>> would be nice) but plan on bundling and tying by hand.  Does anyone know
>> how many stalk typically went into a bundle tied by a binder.  I'll
>> probably haul some of the bundles to the barn, and try my hand at shocking
>> the rest.  There is probably  a trick to keep the shocks from blowing over
>> as previous attempts didn't work quite as nicely as I had hoped.  A corn
>> knife instead of a tractor and binder limits how much I can do, but
>> probably good exercise!!
>> 
>> Thanks
>> 
>> John Bukowski
>> Potomac, IL
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