The Smallest For Last

Last year’s hay crop was overwhelming both in the time that was needed to to actually get each section mowed, fluffed, raked, baled and picked up between nearly daily showers but in the volume. This year was exactly the opposite with very, very low volume (from the early heat wave in the spring), the extra dry ground and now the heat bubble that is hampering our ability to get the hay into the barns.

We are down to the very last field that needs to be harvested, it is the smallest, the one with the most shade from tall trees that line the horseshoe shaped area of the meandering river, and also the one with the most volume. Last year this field was so wet under the tall grass it was a slug haven. Millions of them crawled about as we were trying to get the hay dry. This year we have not seen a single one, just loads of mice that have taken their place.

Last year the bales were firmly packed and running about 65 to 75 lbs each, this year the bales are very dry and are more like marshmallows. The do not stack well because the lower ones mooosh out at the bottom thereby tipping the whole stack. Our hay stacker that runs on the back of the tractor is working best with two people as spotters during loading and unloading while using baling twine to tie rows together. Still we are seeing a lot of tippage once the bales are stacked in the barn. We are finding that using The Big Red Beast and hand stacking the bales in the barn help keep the load from falling over.

With all the other fields harvested we only have a total of 1545 bales down by about a third of last year’s harvest. We are hoping that this small field can produce another 500 but it is doubtful.