That isn't very good Duncan, so now we are getting it really nice and you are still getting the rain - poor you!
From Saturday on around here people started to mow like crazy and tear about as fast as they could on tractors!!! Some are slipping and sliding about in the fields, so I am told. I had a fair idea I would be on a big ask, when it came to getting my little bit of hay done, with so much work backed up over the last couple of months but it is hard to be patient when the cattle and sheep could really do with more to graze, they are OK but it would be nice to give them a bit more.
"Slipping and sliding"??? Yiou don't do that in my fields, you just sink, even in a 28hp tractor and mini round baler. The baler is on the 3 point linkage, and if the back wheels of tractor sink and the pick up jams I can lift the baler, but the pickup still works because the tractor back end is about a foot into the ground. That was Saturday, we have had solid rain for over 24 hrs now.
Duncan
Duncan MacIntyre
Burnside Dexters 00316
Burnside
Ascog
Isle of Bute
Cutting 28 acres tomorrow and baling and wrapping thurs/fri. Just finished 3 days of ragwort pulling, absolutely knackered, thats the cost of having hay fields in the HLS scheme. Ground dried up fine and hopefully apart from the odd shady place there should be no tractor tracks....he said.
Cut our 8acres late last night into the dark. Ground has dried up well with the temp and the steady breeze we have had. Baling Thurs or Fri if the God's are smiling. A lot more volume than last year though which is great. We got 538 small bales off last yr and we should be 650ish this yr which for un-fertilised pp is very satisfying. Heavy week though as I am on my own so probably a broken man by Saturday night!
Only 10 days ago I was begining to despair that we would never get our fodder made, however what a godsend the weather in Cheshire has been this last week, mowed 10 acres last Saturday and baled Wednesday. 32 round bales haylage, 20 round bales of hay, and 155 small bales. I hope others have been able to get started.
193 square 5 foot bales wrapped but still in the fields. 9 acres still on the ground baling tomorrow. Most i have ever made on the same acerage, more than double last years efforts.
Anyone want some fine haylage?
As predicted - a broken man by Saturday night!
The started to bring it in at 9pm on Friday night and we finished at 0230am having to hand stack most of it because the chap on the handler wasn't very adept.
Can't complain though as we got on average 106 bales/acre off unfertilised perm pasture
dear all, hope everyones well, just managed 700 smal hay, old baler kept stopping ,knotter etc, got a new krone mower, had to sell bullocks too pay for it! got 80 big bales up to know,heifer calved sat, calf gone missing looked everywhere, getting worried but all village on lookout, off to bakewell tues, hope its sunny, jean jordeth
Finished and wrapped last 9 acre field, 126 large square bales, thats an average of 14 per acre. Far too many, now trying to sell some to local horsey people.
Some are slipping and sliding about in the fields, so I am told. I had a fair idea I would be on a big ask, when it came to getting my little bit of hay done, with so much work backed up over the last couple of months but it is hard to be patient when the cattle and sheep could really do with more to graze, they are OK but it would be nice to give them a bit more.