In some cases, it may be necessary to repeat the drying process until the weight of the hay sample stops changing. Turn the hay one to three times over the course of three days. Regards, Mike. Aug 2, 2015 · Assuming the stems are reasonably dry at last evenings sunset, Small bales as the humidity goes down through 70% as measured at ground level the hay will bale at 18% moisture. , but can be a hazard for new hay or old stacks. While some of the factors involved in the curing process like weather can be out of your control, there are many steps you can take to Jul 5, 2015 · Even hay baled between 15%-20% moisture will experience what is known as "sweating". After the hay has been cut, you’ll want to start tedding within a day. It is essential to keep an eye on the quality of hay and the feeding habits of horses as these estimates may vary. Large hay bales are generally round in shape and measure 5 feet wide by 6 feet in diameter (1. Stitch the walls together using poly twine to secure the straw bales and connect the lath. Jul 28, 2012 · Cut the string or wire holding the bales together once the leaves have gone yellow and the potato plant dies back. Then, twine is wrapped around the bale before it’s ejected from the baler. A high-risk period is anywhere from two to six weeks May 6, 2016 · Hay must be dried in the field after cutting to avoid mold growth. The way some balers wrap it is easier to cut on the side it needs to unroll. Therefore, pastures should be cut when a window of at least 3 days of sunny, dry, hot weather can be expected. * * * *. Sep 28, 2022 · A 4x4x8 square hay bale weigh s between 1,320 and 2,000 lbs. The PTO shaft spins to power the baler so it can take in the hay and compress it into bales. Presence of mold spores. In the crafting menu, you should see a crafting area that is made up of a 3x3 crafting grid. Farmers and ranchers use most straw for animal bedding. The building is in the Silos tab in the build mode. Horses tend to consume 10 to 15 pounds of hay Sep 30, 2016 · The smallest balers produce a full-sized bale that is approximately 4 feet wide by 5 feet in diameter. e. 1. Keeping your hay baled at less than 20% moisture is one of the key steps to maintaing a safe storage. Then move forward and insert the primary tine just above the center point of the bale. Oct 22, 2021 · Steps. Jun 12, 2015 · The temperature of these hay bales, stacks, and barns can get very hot. Aug 4, 2017 · Drying sorghums, sudans, and millets enough to bale can be a challenge in some summers. It’s important to be aware of this possible deficiency when feeding horses hay that is more than a year old; a vitamin A supplement may be needed. Straw is the stubble that is left after farmers harvest grains from plants like wheat, oats and rye. Size matters. A study from Tennessee looked at the effect of 3 different maturity stages of Fescue on forage quality and animal performance. That’s if everything else is equal May 21, 2021 · Tx Jim. Aug 7, 2020 · How to tell if your hay is ready to bale. . Based on data collected through the Purdue University Center for Commercial Agriculture 2021 Custom Rates Survey, the person baling the hay on shares today gets 52% of the crop, on average. May 18, 2021 · All possible signs of moldy hay. For example, assume a 5x6 round bale (5 feet wide and 6 feet in diameter or height) is priced at $52. Apr 4, 2024 · On average, retailers offer hay square hay bales in 2 sizes—small and large. The higher the difference in smell, the lower the quality. Add fertilizer to the bale for the next five days. Empty bale from the baler. Almost always its headed out because we will cut in April, when its warmer to help dry it down. 2,200 pounds. You’ll need a tractor, of course, but you’ll also need the proper attachments: Jan 27, 2016 · Ranching 101: How to unroll a Round Bale of Hay with your Truck. 5K. Article continues below this ad. Feb 17, 2021 · Starting a straw bale garden takes several steps. To make a hay bale, place 9 wheat in the 3x3 crafting grid. Making sure that the hay has reached the optimum moisture level will help avoid spoilage losses and reduce the risk of spontaneous combustion. Jun 10, 2021 · Or in your area, the person who owned the hay may still have expected half the hay plus up to $1 per bale for your half. Trillium Farm and HayMike. Aug 1, 2023 · Now, for some quick math. When the mold starts spoiling the horse feed, it shows visible signs of it’s appearance. 6077 posts · Joined 2014. The twine should be across the side of the bales and not running through the planting area. Apr 23, 2023 · Step 1 – Receiving a round bale. 5. Today we work on round #2 of hay, and we give you our #1 No matter their size and shape, making high-quality bales that preserve hay quality boils down to following a few guidelines. To do so, sprinkle a 1/2-cup of a high nitrogen fertilizer over each bale on the first, third, and fifth day. Bales of hay tend to be green. Terry Mar 25, 2021 · Types / Varieties of a Hay Bales. High-quality horse hay that is dense in nutrients should be slightly green in color. Teddering is necessary to speed up the drying process of the mowed hay. If the hay has less than 10% the hay will be very dry and lacking nutrition. Mix this fertilizer into the top of the bale by scratching it into the grain of the hay or straw fibers with a gardening fork and water it in by once again saturating the bale. Hay fires from spontaneous combustion occur infrequently in the arid western U. Most hay sellers also adjust price to cover the cost of shipping the hay, so locally-produced hay is much less expensive than hay grown far away and trucked in. Use a Windrower on the hay to make it easier to pick up. The baler is pulled behind the tractor. “The biggest thing to think about is how weather is going to affect your alfalfa. (1,000 kg) 8 by 4 by 4 feet. Excessive dust. This press compacts hay from ordinary bales until getting two to three times heavier bales than usual ones of the same size. It works better when the cows get out of the way. By switching the color in your baler each time you switch fields, every bale you produce will be marked May 13, 2024 · Condition the bales 12 days prior to planting anything in them, says Karsten. Unless of course you plan to sell the hay to Texas and then let go to seed and get rank,, as Texans will buy anything with a string around it. A bale flake is a thin slab section that is easy to separate. Larry the Tractor Guy shows different ways to go about testing Alfalfa moisture to know the optimum time to ra Measure the weight of the hay sample before drying. Please also consider the inconsistencies that may occur due to the humidity in the air. I think although no totally non invasive one could utilize a hay core sampler AKA probe to take a sample from 1 or more bales for a visual inspection or lab analysis of hay sample. Jun 3, 2012 · 1462 posts · Joined 2011. This guy’s a full 6 feet in diameter and weighs over 1000 pounds! So, let’s ballpark this: roughly, you could fit about twenty square bales into a round one. Jul 5, 2023 · A typical loosely wrapped hay bale can measure 8 feet in length, 4 feet in width, and 3 feet in height. Aug 15, 2016 · 1. The Difference Between Hay and Straw. When temperatures warm up, the mold absorbs critical hay nutrients, spoiling the bale. Jun 1, 2018 · Bottom line is – if the hay is ready put it on the ground. May 27, 2024 · One ton bale. The round hay bale will break apart, leaving piles of potatoes on top of the spent hay. "And, I affirm, my actions smack of the soil. Polypropylene baling twine comes in many different colors. The first step in efficient hay production is to time the harvest right. Moldy hay has a distinctive odor. Silage can be made with anywhere from 25% to 65% moisture content. Now that you know what to look for, let’s introduce you to the Standard HayBoss Feeder, a great option that ticks all the right boxes. A 4×4 first-cutting bale comes in around 1,650 pounds on average. The baler has a PTO (power take off) shaft that you hook up to the back of the tractor. ” Here’s tip #2. Besides the horsepower, you need to know the weight of the tractor and its width, among other things. Jul 11, 2023 · If you are wondering how many hay bales you would need to reach 1 ton. Whether you’re a supplier or a buyer, Hay 4 All is the convenient, online resource you’ve been looking for to meet all of your hay service needs. #2 · May 21, 2021. Add lath, like chicken wire netting, to the exterior and interior walls. Dec 15, 2019 · I think bale temp. The wider the hay is spread out the less pan evaporation is needed. 8 meters) while weighing around 1,500 Jan 8, 2024 · Seal any holes: Inspect the wrapped bales for any holes or tears in the wrapping material. This versatile option fits any size round bale or even a bunch of small square bales. Then turn on the belts and drive forward a few feet, letting the bale out. Patch up any holes immediately, as they can provide entry points for moisture and pests. Hay 4 All offers comprehensive services for individuals looking to buy, sell, bale, or haul hay in their area. May 3, 2013 · So the ideal time to cut an annual grass hay crop is two days before it starts to develop a seed head. Regular bales have about 10-17 flakes per bale. Use a conditioner. The top of the tractor’s drawbar should be 16 – 20 inches (41 – 51 cm) above ground. Bale weights vary from 500 to 2,500 pounds in properly conditioned hay. Each small bale is about 18x35x14 inches, 5. The AB12G Loader-Mount Bale Spear will spear large round bales weighing up to 2500 pounds (1,134 kg). ”. , spontaneous combustion). For your convenience, we’ve rounded up 20 of our past articles on hay production, sorting them into four categories: equipment, storage, safety and miscellaneous. Jan 6, 2022 · Each bale of hay has a moisture content that notably impacts its weight, making it difficult to produce standard or identical weight bales. Once it’s separated, the sun and wind will wick away the remaining moisture that you never want to have inside a bale - moisture causes mold. It is important to package hay at the correct moisture content to avoid excessive heating of bales when in storage. As you look through the hay bale, be on the lookout for areas that are inconsistent in color. Jul 12, 2022 · Through the years, HobbyFarms. Below you’ll find all the services we make available to our customers: Jul 27, 2012 · Barry Yaremcio, Alberta’s beef and forage specialist, said he has heard of some baling two days after cutting because it has been so hot. Now for the round baler basics. Weigh the dry hay to determine the “dry weight. Target moisture to begin baling hay without an effective preservative is 20 percent, 18 percent and 17 percent for small rectangular bales, large round bales, and large Here are the most common uses of the words: Bale is a large bound stack of material, such as hay or leather; Bail is the security deposit that’s paid if someone who’s been temporarily released from jail pending a trial doesn’t appear in court. On days seven and nine, reduce to a 1/4-cup of the fertilizer. Unusual color. While bale and bail don’t share many of their meanings, they do overlap in one sense—the May 24, 2016 · Research has shown that a firm round bale stored outside for one year loses 22 percent of its dry matter. Jul 24, 2020 · Cutting hay, tedding hay, raking hay and baling hay! 50 hours of work in just under 10 minutes in this in-depth time-lapse!Start to finish of making hay smal Nov 24, 2021 · Use a Tedder on the loose grass to turn it into hay. This is important as it will allow water to seep through the bales, enabling good drainage and the take-up of plant nutrients. Watch Mother Nature. Bale weights also vary with type and species of forage and cutting time (first, second or third). Next time I'm going to need a seatbelt to Jan 11, 2024 · Also, a layer of rigid foam or tar might be needed to seal areas where moisture may enter the wall. " --- Emerson. Push again to compress hay tie up tightly using two ends of twine or wire. Large dense bales as the humidity goes down through 65% the hay moisture will be in the 16% moisture range and good to go. Open the Crafting Menu. The more common being grass or legume (alfalfa) hay varieties, with grain hay being the least common type. Water in the fertilizer, making sure to saturate every bale, every day for several days. We have a small pole barn with an opening large enough for a tractor to back a round bale into (approximately 8’). A bale of hay with more grass packed per square inch would have the same measurements as a traditional bale, but its overall weight could reach up to 1,500 pounds or 680 kilograms. Pests Jun 19, 2020 · Here are 5 useful ways to check the quality of your hay. Be mindful of moisture levels. Good luck getting it dry unless u got a week of good weather to get it up. Much of the original research suggests hay moisture content should be kept less than 20 percent for small rectangular bales, less than 18 percent for round bales, and less than 16 percent for large rectangular bales. Since you cut clockwise, tedder counterclockwise. Square bales weigh 40 to 60 pounds. 28K views 3 years ago #VWFF #VWFamilyFarm. Hay is dry grass that is fed to sheep and other livestock, and straw is used for bedding material on farms (the animals don’t eat it). Balers should have a wide, low-profile pickup and teeth that are spaced closely together to reduce leaf loss. Wear clothing that’s ideal for hot weather—light-colored cotton is a good choice. These are still good “rules of thumb,” but there are exceptions. ” 5. A successful harvest of high quality forage starts with the proper use and set-up of the mower-conditioner. 3. The color of a bale of hay can tell you a lot about its quality. that would be your weevils and grasshoppers signaling that yes indeed your hay is dry enough. 7K subscribers. Hay will not have completely cured in that time. Jul 1, 1975 · A Guide to Growing, Harvesting and Baling Hay. Large hay rolls are 5×6 feet, 141 cubic feet, and 1,500 pounds. “Remember the ideal moisture range when determining when to bale, day or night. How to craft a Hay Bale in Survival Mode. This process takes on average 3 days—in good weather. VW Family Farm. Old timers called it "going through a sweat". Cows won’t eat it once it begins to mold. Hay that is going bad may be more similar in color to straw, with areas that are bleached or lack color. The cost of a bale of hay varies by the type and quality of hay. On day 10 add 1 cup of a balanced fertilizer to each bale. Choosing the Equipment Needed to Bale Hay. Like. 4. Cut the strings or net wrap. To make square bales, hay is lifted into the reel and then packed into a bale chamber alongside the baler. The last timing to consider is drying time. I think you should take a bale, probe it in a certain area then bust it open take the hay from that area and do a microwave test and find the real moisture level and then have a idea on where your testers ie baler and probe are compared to actual moisture. When setting up the straw bale garden, put the bales with the cut side facing up. would depend on how many days,weeks or months bale has been made & type of storage. Feb 1, 2012 · I usually bale some every year. Hay has seeds, is used as animal feed, and is made from dried grasses or legumes (like alfalfa). 43. Turn the switch that opens the back of the baler. With baleage, moisture can range from 25% to 70%. This bale form usually has a higher moisture content than compressed bales Lack of Color. Temperatures should be checked twice daily. #31 · Jun 5, 2012. Temperature 150°F -- Entering the danger zone. Finally, the end of wire or twine is pulled out from little nails on the back and laid across the highest part of hay bale about half-inch off the floor. Have you ever wondered how to cut and bale hay? Or maybe how hay bales are made?John Deere tractors and Oklahoma summer heat means it's time to be cutting an May 19, 2012 · Best way to tell if your hay is dry enough is to bend over with your ear about 10" off the ground and listen for very faint coughing and hacking. If it has more than 18% moisture then there is a risk of mold. Jun 19, 2015 · The "Rules of Thumb". Because tines are the only part of the machine to come into contact with the hay, the type of tine used can greatly impact machine performance, dry down time and machine maintenance. To spear that bale properly, raise the loader and tilt the carrier so the primary tine is roughly level with the ground. However, hay bales have many other Feb 15, 2019 · Believe it or not, subcompact tractors with as little as 20 horsepower can be used to bale hay. This layer allows the plaster to adhere better. Simply take a few measurements in the hay, average the results (some probe type meters can average up to 100 readings for you) and you’ll know if the hay is too wet or too dry to bale. Hay should be a greenish color. Jun 23, 2023 · A small square bale of hay costs between $4 and $12, on average. Aug 26, 2013 · Yield and pan evaporation are the X & Y axis of the graph. While you can use hay, the seeds in the hay bales will sprout into – well hay, and require a lot of weeding. If hay is too dry, wait until the humidity increases in the evening before baling. Code * denotes sarcasm. The heaviest bales you can purchase are third-cutting 4×4 bales. If the bale weighs 1,500 pounds, the price is equivalent to $70 per ton. alfalfa or clover, or a grass such as timothy or brome. Using a sharp utility knife, make a cut perpendicular to the flat areas of the bale that stretches from one end to the other at a height that is around chest-height to you or lower. Have a Grand & Glorious Season. I sell it as horse hay, and have multiple people ask if we are going to have some in the spring. Pick up the Hay with a Baler. The effect is with a light cutting, one ton/A or less the hay will cure quite well in a windrow. Next Grass, hay and silage Silage - obtaining and usage Prev Grass, hay and silage Sowing and mowing grass. Using an Agratronix hay moisture tester/meter, let's see if the hay is dry Oct 4, 2021 · Many people confuse hay with straw. Standard hay bales, sold in 2-3-string sizes, are usually made in the field when harvested, which preserves the forage’s natural form. The HayBoss features a self-tensioning nylon net with a spring-loaded roller for easy refilling. Next is drawbar height. Dry the hay (this can take 20-40 minutes, depending on drying method and overall moisture of the hay). Small hay bales typically start at 18 × 35 × 14 inches (46 × 89 × 36 centimeters) and weigh about 50 pounds (23 kilograms). You can purchase bales of straw at a gardening center or animal feed store. com has covered the topic from a multitude of angles. Keep an eye out for areas which are much lighter than the color of Figure 1. Ensuring that hay is not baled at moisture levels above 20% is a significant step toward safe storage. Now, think about a round bale. The key is getting the material wrapped in a timely manner (ideally less than 24 hours after mowing), so its oxygen supply is cut off and fermentation can occur. Add more fertilizer every couple of days, spreading it generously, then soak the bales each time. 2. Some hays that are baled with high moisture content (higher than 20 percent, roughly) will have a tobacco-like smell and brown color. Most summer annual forage grasses have large, coarse stems that dry slowly when cut for hay. Consider, for example, the advances in With a probe-type meter using 10”-18” long probes, you can quickly and easily gauge if your hay is ready to bale. Round bales are often priced by the bale but the amount of hay in a bale depends on bale size and density. Turn off the belts, drive forward a few more feet so you have enough room to shut the back door of the baler. S. Sweating, in regard to hay bales, refers to microbial respiration, which will create heat and result in dry . Dec 6, 2023 · How to Make Hay Bales: Like a Pro in Farming Simulator 16how to get hay bales in farming simulator 16!Become a haymaking expert in Farming Simulator 16 with Sep 4, 2015 · This exposes the curing hay to more risk of weather-damage. Horses may completely refuse hay with unpleasant odors. Straw and hay each have specific uses where they work best. To accurately measure Nov 20, 2023 · This is why raking three times (weather permitting) is recommended. They can weigh a ton or slightly more. If you see hay that more resembles the color of straw, then it may be old or have been bleached by sun. Dec 6, 2021 · Storage. Inspect the Color. A bale of hay and a bale of straw may look similar and be found together in the same places, but they are quite different. Although the hay in Farming Simulator 22 doesn't spoil, you can store it in a special building - hay loft. Yes it's normal for baled hay moisture % to rise in the 1st few days after baling. Dried-out appearance. Speaking of baling twine, if you really want to get fancy, color-coded baling twine can be a terrific way to mark hay bales from different fields and cuttings. The team at Rose Farm Supply helps local farmers prepare for cutting hay on an almost daily basis, and we know just about everything there is to know about the equipment needed to bale hay. Going against the grain allows this implement to lift up and evenly scatter the hay. Dry hay offers a much larger feeding window. Add Items to make a Hay Bale. Hay moisture meters can be purchased to give you an accurate measurement. It can weigh up to 1,300 pounds or 590 kilograms. Choose 40 small hay bales or 1-1/3 large hay rolls for 1 ton or 2,000 pounds of hay. Here’s the answer. There are a few different varieties of hay that you can buy for your livestock. Order Now! Topics: moisture meters hay Jul 24, 2018 · Drink plenty of water. Jun 23, 2022 · The best time to harvest is when the hay first begins to bloom and flowers start to appear. The signs are; Smell. The largest balers make bales that are 8 feet wide by 6 feet in diameter. He said Sep 15, 2022 · Regular Bales. In extreme cases, it can get so hot that the bales can catch on fire, even without a spark (i. Picture a typical square bale, about 36″ x 18″ x 18″, weighing in at 50-60 pounds. Here are recommended temperatures and corresponding actions that should occur: Temperature 125°F -- No action needed. Excessive heat coming out from the center of the hay bale. Turn the switch on the computer to shut the baler. To make Silage, players can either: Take loose grass and Typically, a 1,000-pound round bale will last one horse for around 10-14 days, two horses for around 5-7 days, three horses for around 3-5 days, and four horses for around 2-4 days. For small square bales, a moisture content of around 20 percent or less is fine, but for large square and round bales, the moisture content will need to be lower—as little as 15 percent. This will aerate the hay and spread it out so that the sunlight and warmth of the sun can dry the hay. Straw has no seeds, and it is used for animal bedding, mulch, or compost. LeCroy says that for cattle operations, the tipping point for moving from dry hay to baleage is around 30 animals. Jan 8, 2017 · When the weather is ready is another. “If you only have 10 cows, they can’t consume even the smallest round silage bale in 24 hours,” he adds. I've had rd bales that tested 15% moisture test in the low-mid 20% range in next few days. 50 per bale. Therefore, if you leave hay in the field to dry for five days, you can expect up to a 30% loss in yield on the next crop. The ideal moisture for hay is around 15%. If you want to learn about growing and baling hay, we’ve got you covered! Feb 8, 2019 · The hay is dry and raked and you are ready to start baling. for any self-sufficient farmer who keeps livestock. On day four, sprinkle a ½ cup of urea (46-0-0), a type of high nitrogen fertilizer (here's how to understand fertilizer numbers and letters ), on top of Nov 15, 2021 · How To Check Hay Moisture Before BalingI cut some 3rd cut hay late November 2021. Need Help? Call 1-800-234-3368. According to West Virginia anyway. If possible, stacked hay should be disassembled to allow more air to move around heated bales for cooling. Some farmers cut on the last day of a rainy spell in order to maximize the number of hours of drying time. First, open your crafting table so that you have the 3x3 crafting grid that looks like this: 2. Choosing a dry day with low humidity is also essential to ensure that the hay dries quickly and evenly. On average the entire process of mowing, raking and baling hay takes 3 days—in good weather. All of these factors combined will determine not only the size of hay equipment you can run, but also how safely you can run it. Straw typically has a coarse texture and is golden in color when baled. Jun 5, 2020 · Much hay has been made in Indiana the last 10 days. Jun 21, 2012 · Dry ice, liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide gas pumped into the hay can prevent combustion by eliminating the oxygen from the hay mass. Keep fans running when and where possible. The ideal time to cut hay largely depends on the type of hay and local climate conditions, but a few general guidelines can help: Stage of Maturity: Most hay is best harvested when plants are in the early- to mid-bloom stage. (2,4 x 1,2 x 1,2 m) High-density small square hay bales – Such a bale requires a bale press or a bale compression system. 1 cubic feet, and 50 pounds. Of course, hay kept in storage for a long time will lose its field-fresh smell, but that will not affect On the fourth day, add two cups of dolomite lime and 1/2 cup ammonium sulfate to the bale. To start, begin cutting when plants are only about 3 “Once hay is cut, the plant has begun drying, and the drier it is when you bale, the more likely you are to lose leaves during that process,” Glunk says. Place the bale so the twine is on the side of the bales, parallel to the ground. When stored outside for two years, the same bale loses 25 percent of its dry matter, leaving 75 percent of its original weight for feeding. Wang said the patented design of Vermeer hook tines offers Some loss of carotene will even occur in the field between the time of cutting and baling. May 1, 2020 · The Hay Curing Process. Jan 31, 2024 · After the bales are arranged in your chosen configuration, spread a generous layer of high-nitrogen fertilizer on top of the bales. Even if the temperature does not reach these extremes, these microorganisms can also form spores. When preparing to bale hay, the transition from freshly cut, high-moisture grasses and legumes to dry forage is known as curing. When full, it is packed down with a plunger, then more hay is added, plunging after each addition. A second-cutting 4×4 is usually about 1,800 pounds and packs in nice tight blocks. May 6, 2021 · 11. Feb 7, 2015 · Dried hay has to be baled at 20% moisture or less in small square bales and even less moisture for large round bales. Most nutrient losses in hay bales occur in the outer portion of the bale. Stack wrapped bales properly: As you wrap each bale, stack them in your storage area in a stable and organized manner. Raking and baling Alfalfa is all about timing. To set up our 460M Round Baler, once Sep 14, 2021 · Trending. Effect of plant maturity on forage intake and digestibility. Water the bales thoroughly, and keep them wet for three days. Tedders use a rotary motion to grab the hay with spinning tines and cast it out the back of the machine. Hay can also be stored in trailers, on the ground, or as bales. It is these spores that give the hay a moldy smell. Jun 7, 2023 · Horse owners often like square bales, because they’re easier to feed in stalls and there’s less waste. Hay has a softer, leafy texture. Jul 28, 2020 · Color Coding. If you have people riding the hay wagon to stack the hay bales as the bales are produced, let them work in shifts so that no one is out in the sun for too long at a time. Most Minecraft players know that hay bales serve as food blocks placed in a game world for livestock mobs such as donkeys, mules, llamas, and horses. Assuming you also have a dry and accessible area to fit a round bale into, here are some considerations when receiving a delivery: Lay pallets down first. Hay Services. If it’s too high or too low, the baler pickup won’t maximize its ability to pick up all the hay in the windrow and you’ll be leaving crop on the ground. It is not unusual for windrows to lay in the field for two weeks and still not be dry enough to bale safely. When inspecting hay odors, compare the hay smell with fresh cut hay. After the hay has been cut, it should be spread out and given time to dry before baling. A key factor in achieving a high quality harvest is productivity – getting the crop cut and off the field as fast as possible to avoid weather damage. Step 1: Timing is Key. Straw is left over from grain crops (like wheat) after you remove the grain and chaff. Pile the potatoes in a basket or bag and rake the rest of the hay and plant material into a compost heap or bin. 5 × 1. Failing to properly monitor moisture levels before and during baling could result in bales that develop mold. May 27, 2014 · Hay should not be baled if the forage is brittle and falls apart (too dry) or stays wadded up or slowly untwists (too wet). GRASS HAY such as Timothy, Bermuda and Orchard Grass have a high fiber content with a low amount of protein and calcium. Gardening in straw bales works because the straw begins to break down inside the bale and provides your plants with enough nourishment to grow. Hay was cut at late boot/early heading, early heading, and early milk/seed formation roughly 11 days apart from each stage. How Do You Know When Hay Is Ready to Bale? Exactly when is the correct time to bale your hay? It varies depending on every harvest, so you can’t use a timetable as your indicator. The higher the yield the more pan evaporation needed. Hay that springs open and fluffs out upon release is at the right moisture concentration and is ready to be baled. tx zj gq or td kb us nv vh qn