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Post by harveydales on Aug 12, 2015 5:04:19 GMT -1
I've got to make a decision re the hay today. For the last 3 weeks I've been trying to get the local farmer to cut our hay field but he didn't come until this Monday! Now the forecast is for torrential rain Friday although, it now looks like we might miss the heaviest but that could change.
Do I try and see if we can bale it for haylage instead on Thursday? Or, if it's fit (which it might be as it is a thin crop) bale for normal hay Thursday and spend the evening getting it in before the rain? Or tell him to leave it lying without turning and hope it dries out and the weather is OK next week? Long range forecast not great.
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Post by jap on Aug 12, 2015 7:15:20 GMT -1
we are struggling as well, none in the barns yet. The trouble is the longer we wait the less nutrients will be in the hay so we will have to feed more hard feed.
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Post by harveydales on Aug 12, 2015 8:02:42 GMT -1
It's frustrating, isn't it? Do you do hay or haylage?
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Post by jap on Aug 12, 2015 9:25:20 GMT -1
hay in round bales so even harder to dry. Heavy rain is forecast tomorrow.
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Post by harveydales on Aug 12, 2015 10:01:13 GMT -1
Farmer is coming to assess the situation at lunch time - do we go for haylage tomorrow or leave it unturned and hope we get fine weather next week.
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Post by dalesnfellfan on Aug 12, 2015 11:12:54 GMT -1
Oh what a decision, hope whatever you choose turns out OK, I suppose that's the problem with relying on local farmer to do a small quantity for horses, when the weather's right for the hay they are busy with their own stuff.
When I couldn't cart hay off the field last year I found a lovely man who cuts hay locally who delivers and stacks for me for £3 a bale, just got 200 bales in.
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Post by harveydales on Aug 12, 2015 11:23:34 GMT -1
Yes, it's so much easier buying hay in than making your own. Trouble is we have too much grass not to make hay.
Farmer has been and we've decided against haylage. It may not be quite ready for haylage even tomorrow plus the logistics of handling such large bales and the high cost helped make the decision.
The current forecast is that we will miss the very worst of the rain so the plan is to leave it and hope we can make hay next week. I'm feeling a lot happier now the decision has been made, what ever the outcome.
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Post by Debbie on Aug 12, 2015 11:51:25 GMT -1
I hate the yearly stress of haying. I'm so glad your farmer could help you assess the weather and your hay and help you make a decision. I've just had my own 200 bales delivered and stacked in the barn for winter. We've had an unusually dry summer for the coast (my hay man had no second cuttings), but the very next day we had a rainy misty day. It made me so relieved to have my hay up in the barn! I hate all the angsting and watching the weather until it's safely sorted  |
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Post by zeldalithgow on Aug 13, 2015 11:51:28 GMT -1
We can't get anyone to cut and bale our own hay, very few farmers have the machinery, and have switched to haylage/silage making we have too much grass and the field is getting ruined by the grass getting too long. The chap that we get hay from hasn't made any this year we have managed to reserve some of last years hay
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Post by Debbie on Aug 13, 2015 19:15:16 GMT -1
We have the same problems here. My dad was moaning weeks ago that he has fields full of hay that he needs cut and made into hay for his cows, but no one to bale it for him!  |
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Post by harveydales on Aug 14, 2015 4:51:13 GMT -1
Well, as it turned out, I think the hay would have been dry enough to bale yesterday but me and Andy would have been working hard until dark to get a few bales in before the rain. We didn't get the heavy, torrential rain in the end, just persistent light rain. So if we get a few dry days over the weekend, we should still be OK.
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Post by tinkerdorisalison on Aug 14, 2015 6:05:31 GMT -1
hope it goes okay, I think the weather is better over your side (less rain) We've just sold the tractor and all the haymaking equipment, just don't have the time, manpower and inclination to make hay anymore  Luckily our neighbour farms and will bring a large bale up weekly. |
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Post by colmworthdales on Aug 14, 2015 10:40:54 GMT -1
Such different weather this summer between the north and east of England - you would think the two areas were a lot further apart. We (in North Beds) have had a real dry year and some places just north of Peterborough are in a real drought. We had an inch plus of rain in last 24 hours but this is more than had fallen in total in March, April or June!
I have got loads of hay in stock now from local farmers who make it every year, and one chap who cut a field I normally graze with bullocks and so that was an extra 150 bales. Just as well as I am already feeding the cows and calves as although still very green, my home fields are just not putting on the growth they normally do at this time of year.
Good luck to all you northern and Scottish people in getting some useable fodder into your barns soon.
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Post by jap on Aug 14, 2015 11:21:57 GMT -1
I have just secured 30 bales.......its a start
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Post by valerie n scout on Aug 14, 2015 17:49:17 GMT -1
I just pray for good hay...been unlucky last 2 years  |
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