Cumbrian Silage 2024. Nine strong John Deere, MF, NH team with three machines filling both clamps.

One of the largest silage harvesting outfits I’ve ever encountered on my travels around the countryside of Cumbria and although I filmed this on the 10th of May, I’ve just got round to publishing the finished video now due to having so much footage to edit. Harvesting a 330 acre first cut crop for a large dairy farm are contractor S. Mchales team supported by a number of the farms own machines. Raking up ahead of the forager is a JD 6R 155 and Pottinger TOP 1252c 4-rotor rake followed by a JD 8600i forage harvester with trailer support provided by a MF 6S.165, MF 7S.180, NH T7.210 and JD 6140M. At the busy clamp(s) are a pair of JD 6R 185 tractors with Albut buckrakes plus the farms Manitou MLT 630-115 telehandler also giving a hand. Lookout for the Tafe 35Di scraper tractor near the end of the video!
Filmed in Cumbria, 10th May 2024
If you enjoy my videos of farm machinery at work in Cumbria (and Southern Scotland), please consider subscribing. Likes and taking the time to comment (preferably positive ones) are always welcomed and I will try to reply as soon as possible although if I’m at work or out filming there might be a delay. Cheers, David

[@frasermathers2287]

Evening David and as you promised, you have uploaded another video to engage my old mind and for that I thank you. We certainly had a few choice of colours to keep us happy today and have to say, I just love watching these large rakes in use today and that Pottinger did not disappoint. My first ever job raking (on hay) was when I was about 8 on an old Fergie Petrol Paraffin and a converted horse rake, to go over a field that had already been lifted, but my uncle was so tight that those extra 3 or 4 small bales worth of hay I would gather seemed to satisfy his non wasteful character. (plus I loved being on the tractor at that age). The guys on the clamps made the buck-raking look like a well choreographed routine and were managing to keep up with the trailers no problem. As always, I appreciate your time and effort David, as I know its take a lot both in filming and editing to produce these blogs. Cheers, Fraser.

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Good evening Fraser from a very damp Cumbria and I’m pleased you’ve tuned in for another episode of farming from the Cumbrian countryside. Yes plenty of colours today and your right those rakes are fascinating to watch! My first experience of raking was also at my late uncles farm and involved a finger wheel Vicon acrobat rake hitched to an MF 35X (i also loved being on a tractor in my early teens) and like yours he wouldn’t even let a blade of grass go to waste! Yes very well organised at the clamp, lot’s of trailers landing in the yard and they directed them exactly where they wanted them tipped. It does take time to film and edit but it’s all worth while when I know when I get great comments from kind people like yourself who enjoy watching the finished article that it’s all worthwhile. As always thank you my friend for your great feedback and continued support. Cheers, David.

[@frasermathers2287]

@@davidwinthrop7077 Yes its been a damp one here too David, and you deserve the support and I do hope that your channel continues to grow, as your style and production quality shine through. Cheers my friend, Fraser.

[@davidwinthrop7077]

@@frasermathers2287
Thanks for your kind words Fraser, very much appreciated. Regards, David

[@kenwood8665]

Beautiful machine. Great video

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Certainly was Rick. Thank you my friend as always for watching and your comment, always appreciated. Cheers, David.

[@WoodtownVideos]

Another superb video David, excellent outfit on display. The rakes are becoming monstrous machines these days, where will it end?

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Many thanks as always. Yes a big setup and as you point out the rakes are huge these days and with a huge price tag to go with them! There fine if you’ve got huge fields but a bit unwieldy especially in a smaller pasture! As you say, where will it end? Cheers, David.

[@chrisr1056]

Nice video ☝️

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Thanks Chris, plenty of action on the day! Cheers, David.

[@balmesh]

That's a big outfit alright!

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Certainly is Alan, a huge operation! Cheers, David.

[@B1066agri]

One of your best David, takes time editing videos as i know, so i appreciate the work you put in to the edit, what a great outfit with blue skies back in may was the driest the land has been since the wet winter, now land is wet and farmers are struggling to get there grass of with heavy crops and black marks or worse ruts, seen fields that have been mown and left, time to dry up soon i hope, cheers Steve . 🚜🎥👍

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Thanks Steve. You’re right there, probably takes as much time to edit together as it does to film them as you well know! Yeh first couple of weeks in May were really good then it went downhill after that. It’s a bit smash and grab the crop and as you say getting it off the fields is making a mess but it has to be done! Lashed it down here yesterday and sunny today, need a good long spell of dry weather without a shower every other day! Cheers, David.

[@desfarrer6045]

Top of the morning dave hope ya well top quality video as per 😅 good set for the job it was effortless the whole process it was strange to see blue skies 😅😅 got 80 acres to drop when weather settled cheers dave ..

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Morning Des, how’s yer fettle? Yes it was a big setup and definitely well organised especially at the pit! Yes blue skies, few and far between and still very unsettled, chucked it down yesterday, sunny this morning! Do you do your own mowing Des and pit or big bale silage? Cheers, Dave.

[@desfarrer6045]

@@davidwinthrop7077 alright dave its big bales now used to be clamp silage cows went 20 yrs ago just sheep now yea David cuts his own contractor locally bales it and wrap in the pit cheers

[@davidwinthrop7077]

@@desfarrer6045
Sounds good Des, wouldn’t mind seeing that if I got the chance.! Was at a farm this last week and they were baling, wrapping and carting, four Masseys from 40 year old to brand new. Hopefully it’s good weather for you. Cheers, Dave

[@desfarrer6045]

@@davidwinthrop7077 if ya ever down /over west I can hopefully arrange for u to get some footage it would be massey and J D BAILING CHEERS DES

[@davidwinthrop7077]

@@desfarrer6045
That would be great Des. Just message me the day before and hopefully I can get over your way.