Hay Making?!

[Saffy]

So.... has anyone, anywhere been able to make hay in June this year? We have been waiting for a chance but no luck and by the look of the 10 day forecast http://uk.weather.com/weather/10day-Abe ... y-UKXX1491 no chance for a while, once we make our hay we have a much bigger area for the cattle to graze, so we are keeping them hard at the moment.

I just wondered out of interest has it been this wet everywhere across the country and has anyone been able to make June hay?

Stephanie

[Broomcroft]

We've done silage but no hay. Now 33 acres of grass that's way overdue for cutting. 20 acres of it must be 40" high. Weather forecast does look appalling. Just one good week is all we need.

[Colin]

Same here in the south. We've not cut anything yet, the ground is still quite soft in places and in one spot, at the bottom of a slope, still under water. We just need a dry spell for about a week. Forecast not promising though

Regards,

Colin

[John999]

Yeh Cornwall is just the same, forcast is not very encouraging.
John

[Broomcroft]

After last year, I was seriously considering reseeding some leys with Cocksfoot so they would be drought-resistant Luckily I didn't do it.

[Saffy]

Are you considering rice now Clive?

Stephanie

[carole]

Took a chance in Late May and cut a 12 acre field and took off 68 round bales of haylage.

But it was one of those moments. I am sure we have all had them when your out there cutting or turning the grass and you cannot see another famer out there doing what your up to. You then wonder if your right, but we took a chance and now have some lovely stuff stacked by the barn and I am pleased we went when we did.

I should add I did not cut all of our ground and there is another 20 odd acres which is need of cutting asap.

I look at weatherweb and they seem to be suggesting a good spell from about the 8th July, till then we need to be paitent I suppose.

Good luck to us all

[Broomcroft]

Good idea Stephanie .

I just read another weather report that says this patchy rain will go on through July, surely not possible . I remember 1994, I think it was, when it rained every day except one in June, but not July as well !!! The tractor will get lost in my Westerwold by then.

[littleacre]

HERE IN ESSEX HAS BEEN VERY WET TOO but i cut a small 4 .5 acre field last sunday and baled it yesterday 411 bales ,it did get a downpoor on sat morn but the sun came out sat mid day and after turning it i decided it would go yesterday afternoon thank god. i did intend selling some hay to the horsey crowd but the gentleman who put his name to this bit said no in the end he wants hay that dosnt get any rain at all on it. i think he will be hard pressed to find that this year lol

[Colin]

I just read another weather report that says this patchy rain will go on through July, surely not possible . I remember 1994, I think it was, when it rained every day except one in June, but not July as well !!!

Grief I hope this doesn't go on until then. We've had the wettest April, the wettest second quarter and now wettest June on record. I think we'll just be going for it, as soon as we get a reasonable break. But its been raining all day today, and will be tomorrow too. I'm sure even Noah didn't have this much.

Regards,

Colin

[littleacre]

yes ive heard the same report that july will continue to be unsettled. we are still on a hosepipe ban aswell here in essex lol it is all to do with the jetstream it hasnt moved north so is not allowing warm settled weather to get to the yk. problem is the weeks are flying past , we are about a month behind with it all at the moment

[Broomcroft]

Just reading on a farmers forum that when the grass is late being cut due to weather and has gone stalky, that they will mow and bale/wrap immediately, i.e. no wilting, obviously as long as the ground will take it, not muddy etc and not for hay! Not heard of that one but a lot saying that's what they do. Forecast still rain every day and the highest temperature 19C......amazing .

[domsmith]

One of my neighbours is just doing this. cut in the drissel and baled in the drissel. i thinkhe is mad. but you will get gut filler!
it will be stinking stuff to use.

We buy in from a neighbour and we are watching with baited breath. people keep saying to me its alright for you, you have nothing to cut. BUT i still need someone to cut something for me!

One neighbour keeps droning on about 1985 they didnt get there silage in until october. it never stopped raining.

we must surely get a gap in the next few months.

dom

[Saffy]

Well we have had a few days with very little rain and now a few with no rain BUT it seems we still can't make hay!!! Having phoned around on the weekend although it may with some difficulty be possible to get someone to cut it, nobody is likely to have a chance to bale it for us! Unfortunately although I turn it and row it up myself I rely on a contractor for mowing and baling and of course this year he is stretched to the limit - my little bit of hay will have to wait and I'm not sure how long for.

Stephanie

[Duncan MacIntyre]

We are hardlly having enough dry weather to make silage let alone hay. I have about a quarter of the silage I need so far, and no hay whatsoever. It is now so wet that I baled some small bale silage on Saturday with the tractor in 4WD to keep afloat, sometimes had to abandon some bits I had cut cos it was just too wet.
We might get two dry days this week but I have serious doubts about getting the tractor onto the land.

Duncan