Hay equipment and Haying 2024

[cjet69]

Been prepping the hay equipment for the upcoming hay season. Pulled the loader off of the Case IH 485 and hooked up the New Holland 477 Haybine. Installed the sickle and lifting cylinder and greased it all up. Then today I mowed a pasture that the grass got ahead of the cows. Its still really wet here but they say we should get 5-6 days of sun so I hope to make a few bales out of this grass.

 

[cjet69]

Installed a new gasket and screen in the sediment bowl on the Ford 851. Then replaced the muffler. We mounted up the rake last weekend.

 

[cjet69]

My brother and his grandson hook up the tedder to the Farmall A and got everything greased up.

 

[cjet69]

Ran the tedder over the light hay in the pasture a couple times and then raked and baled it today. I have 6 1/2 bales in the barn and still have 2 in the baler that I need to pull out since it will probably be 3 weeks to a month before we start on the hay fields. The grass is ready now but with soaked ground it would be tough to dry the thick heavy hay. Fed out all of the hay last year so I don't need to clean out the barn this year.

 

[cjet69]

Used the John Deere 40 to mow the weeds and tall grass that the cows don't eat in another pasture.

 

[4getgto]

A tractor for every piece of equipment.
I like it cjet.....

 

[Sawdust]

A lot of nice equipment CJ. It’s always fun to follow your posts and just drool a little. Farmers are cutting a lot of hay here too. I buy ten or more square bales a year of Alphalpha for the chicken bedding in their run. Last year it was $12. a bale but this year it’s holding around $7.-$9. a bale. Jumping from one seat to another is far better than changing implements.

Over ten years ago on GTtalk a guy told me a couple of things I should do once I got deep into the hobby. One was have enough GT’s for each implement that I use most. The other buy several right angle grinders so you don’t have to keep changing attachments. I’ve done both and it has been very handy over the years.

 

[cjet69]

It saves a lot of time not having to switch implements and you can be doing many jobs at once as long as you have the drivers.

The bales from this pasture are a bonus. Funny how you can take the grass the cows aren't eating, put it in a bale, feed it to them, and they chow it down. Luckily I didn't end up with baling a bunch of cow pies with this hay. We tried this several years ago and when I picked up the bales I was "Mr. Green Jeans".

 

[Sawdust]

I had something happen this year I’ve never seen before. We put Alphalpha hay in the chicken run because the chickens love to snack on it. Once it goes in the compost pile then into the garden it’s weed free unlike grass hay I’ve tried in the past. I had a pile about 18” high in the compost for this Fall out near the edge of some woods near the garden I plant corn and potatoes in. I went to get some of last years compost for this year and seen the deer have ate most all of the newer Alphalpha pile. I wouldn’t have thought they would eat that with chicken manure in it but they did.

 

[4getgto]

I had something happen this year I’ve never seen before. We put Alphalpha hay in the chicken run because the chickens love to snack on it. Once it goes in the compost pile then into the garden it’s weed free unlike grass hay I’ve tried in the past. I had a pile about 18” high in the compost for this Fall out near the edge of some woods near the garden I plant corn and potatoes in. I went to get some of last years compost for this year and seen the deer have ate most all of the newer Alphalpha pile. I wouldn’t have thought they would eat that with chicken manure in it but they did. View attachment 82411

Probably tastes like chicken .

 

[cjet69]

Hope the weather breaks soon. The hay is starting to lodge with the rain and wind. This weekend they are calling for rain with high temps in the upper 50's. Can't cure hay in those conditions.

 

[cjet69]

Weather reports are saying about 5 days of sun so I mowed a small 1 acre field. Had rain and then misty showers this morning but started to brighten up some around 3:00 pm. Still cloudy but should start clearing tomorrow. I don't want to knock much down yet until I see the temps pick up. We'll see how it goes. Having trouble loading pics so I will try to upload more later.

Finally got all of the pics loaded.

 

[cjet69]

Hooked the Super C to the tedder and stirred the hay good. The windrows were really wet but with the sun now out with a good breeze blowing its drying nicely. I plan on tedding every day until its ready to rake and bale.

 

[MFDAC]

Glad that the weather is finally going your way, CJet! Hope it stays good for you.

I gotta ask about that car on the left in this pic. Almost looks kinda GMish? You normally have Fords around there except an AMC Pacer I spotted before---LOL!


DAC

 

[cjet69]

Glad that the weather is finally going your way, CJet! Hope it stays good for you.

I gotta ask about that car on the left in this pic. Almost looks kinda GMish? You normally have Fords around there except an AMC Pacer I spotted before---LOL!
View attachment 82684

DAC

Its a 1969 Olds Delta 88. Had a 455 in it. Me and 3 other friends bought it for $50 bucks back in the mid to late 1980's, $12.50 a piece. It was a beater and we took it to the local gravel pit and had a bunch of fun. Engine is gone so its just scrap now.

 

[chieffan]

Neighbor is chopping all his hay this year. Making a pit next to the corn silage that will come in Sept or so. Eliminate handling all those big bales twice a season.

 

[4getgto]

Its a 1969 Olds Delta 88. Had a 455 in it. Me and 3 other friends bought it for $50 bucks back in the mid to late 1980's, $12.50 a piece. It was a beater and we took it to the local gravel pit and had a bunch of fun. Engine is gone so its just scrap now.

This car is almost sitting at the right too.
Does look like it from the back.


BTW. If I were Doug's neighbors I'd be keeping my shades shut..He don't miss much...

 

[chieffan]

Folks had a couple Olds cars. Had a 55 Delta 88 in sandstone and coral. Later got 57 super 88m only because I wrecked the 55. Big dog chased a rabbit out of a field drive at night on a gravel road. Missed the rabbit but got the dog, and the ditch. Tried to dodge the dog but caught the dog and the grader ridge. Dad bought me a 1950 Ford after that. Said I wasn't going to wreck another one of his cars. He was right.

 

[cjet69]

This car is almost sitting at the right too.
Does look like it from the back.
View attachment 82686

BTW. If I were Doug's neighbors I'd be keeping my shades shut..He don't miss much...

It never looked like that one.