Should I Cut This Hay???
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- Howdy good folks! Welcome to 8th Day Chronicles, thank you for stopping by our farm today! I need sound advice. Looking to our GREAT family of subscribers and experienced hay farmers for suggestions on whether we should cut our main hay field to stimulate growth or.....just leave it and let it do whatever it will. The semi-drought we had for the month of June and early July and excessive heat waves has put this particular hay field into a semi-dormant stage. And even with rains returning, the growth has been VERY sluggish. Should I cut it to stimulate growth? Or leave it be? Thanks in advance for any sound advice from experienced subscribers! MUCH appreciated! We pray God blesses you and your family!
Opening music credit:
Back To The Wood by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. creativecommon...
I am not far from you in N. Georgia by the way the crow flies and I too am benefiting from the weather system as you. Traditionally we are headed into our driest and hottest time of the year in August-September. Cooler temps and fall and winter rains will set in. I think I would top it off real high to give some stimulation, but not low for hay since you won't get that many bales in the end. By cutting high I think it will perserve your forage for fall and winter and not dry up due to a Bermuda high that drops in on the Southeast that brings up temps and cuts off the moisture flow. The higher grass would make it through another hot spell and prevent bare spots that you have already spent time developing into fields. Things do better in the higher elevations where you and I are located and you are correct that the next two weeks show rain and even the Caribbean is waking up to potential storms. It is a gamble, but I think I would go conservative. Love your channel!
Thank you for your kind words! MUCH appreciated. You posted some great thoughts for me to think on, I sure appreciate it and for watching our channel.
I have no wisdom to offer. I just wanted to say thanks for inspiring me. I have some property that used to be hay (with prior owners) that I just brush hogged to keep it under control. I really wanted to put it to use instead of wasting the space so I thought of doing hay with it again. My only experience was slinging bales as a kid for a farmer neighbor. You explain stuff so well that I felt comfortable enough to get some equipment like you have. I'll continue watching for education and tips on reclaiming these fields.
Thank you much for your kind words! I appreciate it. I’m no expert or any of this, I learn something every time I’m in the hay fields, whether seeding, cutting, baling, etc. We can learn together through this medium. Thanks again
@@8thdaychronicles Well, your closer to an expert than I am. As you learn more, I'll be hot on your heels to improve what I'm doing. I also liked your "test plot" idea. Except mine is a section hidden from view so others can't see me screw up before I move to the bigger fields.
@@Gilikemail thanks! The idea of a test plot wasn’t my idea actually…I learned about doing a small plot to “test” methods and ways of trying things on a small scale first on another channel several years ago. For the life of me I now don’t remember the channel I learned of it but I think it was during an interview a state extension office was doing with a farmer and he brought up the concept of a small “test plot” on their farm where they try different techniques without spending a lot of money. I thought what a great idea and started my own. And it has proven VERY useful.
Thanks again!
Here in Arkansas we have hot and dry summers most years. If I saw my field in this summer stunt, I would clip it high. Saying that I am saying clip it with a rotary mower at about 5 inches just before rain starts, same day if possible.
Just what works here, but we have mostly warm season grasses.
Good luck bud. This crazy weather has us all guessing.
Excellent advice, thanks Tom.
I’d love to get a 3rd cut off this field by late September but that may not be possible. Time will tell I suppose.
Again, much thanks.
If you're getting dew in the mornings. Cut and bail. If you're not getting the moisture from dew chop or flail, the tops off.
We are indeed getting morning dews. I'm leaning towards mowing it soon. I sure appreciate the reply! Thanks!
In my opinion and my opinion and a few dollars will get you a cup of coffee about anywhere😂. I would cut it get what you get and hope the 3rd cut is better. Been putting up hay since i was able to reach the pedals on a tractor and I'm 46 yrs old now. Whatever you decide i hope it works out for you!
@@wncprepper thanks a bundle! I walked the hay field again this evening and looked closely and I’m leaning towards cutting it the more I look and study about it. Appreciate your opinion!
If you have access to a flail mower, flail it. The mulch will go back as fertiliser and encourage the grass to grow leaf volume not stalks.
Excellent advice, thank you!
I don’t have a flail mower but I do have a Woods rotary cutter I could use.
Again, thanks for the advice, much appreciated!
@@8thdaychronicles you will have to ‘top’ it pretty high with a rotary mower or you will end up with a swath of grass cuttings smothering part of your re~growth. Might be all you need though to give it a kick start.
My hay is in the same shape as yours. In my opinion it looks just like first cut when it starts growing right after winter. I think you are correct when thinking clipping it off will restart the grow. However, the cost in fuel, wear and tear on the equipment, and time involved compared to the return isn’t worth it. I am going to just let mine grow and see what happens. Our haying season ends a bit earlier than yours up here in the mountains of SW PA. We still have about a month or so of good growing weather. We’ll see what the Lord brings us as far as weather.
On another issue. With two spacers in place on your drum mower, what height cut are you getting?
As always, thanks and God bless.
Thanks Sir.
I done a small cut in a small area for an experiment with a weedeater just after filming. I whacked off a 5 ft circle pretty close to the ground, just to see how the growth would be…. And it has shot up very good. So, I may cut next week when our forecast is more conductive.
As with any field, bumps, dips, even minute, can change your cut height slightly. This will be a trial cut with 2 spacers.. so I’ll measure stubble when I cut and let you know what the average cut height will be at 2 spacers.
I pray God blesses you and your family!
Go mowing and if you get rain if you can but some fertilizer on it and don’t mow lower then 5/6 centimeters
I'm leaning that same direction. Our forecast says pretty decent rain chances the next 2 weeks. If I can catch a "window" without rain to cut, that is. Thanks for the post, much appreciated!
My thoughts even though I don't currently do hay but I want to one of these days when the wife will let me spend the money to get everything I will need there's always the clipping method or cut it and you get what you get my outher thought is witch ever one ya do when finished is there a way you could maybe give it some liquid nitrogen to give it a boost and hopefully it comes out of it and starts growing good for ya just my thoughts form stuff I've watched I myself am trying too learn all I can about growing hay God bless you and your family stay safe and stay cool
Thank you Sir! I'm leaning towards cutting it at the moment....that thought could indeed change! Appreciate your thoughts on the matter!
Id cut it and not bale it ..I give back to the soil by allowing it to lie on the field and compost down.
@@craigwarren3439 great thoughts, if I had no plans to for another cut this year. I found out last year if you mow and leave it for compost fertilizer and then anytime later that same summer cut it for hay, that grass you cut does not have enough time to compost and degrade down into the sod before the next cutting. The tedder and rake will kick the old cutting all up into your fresh cut hay. I found that out the hard way last year on our reclaimed hay field. Now, if I had no plans for another cut of hay off this field this year, that would be a GREAT plan, it would have fall/winter to degrade and compost down into the sod and would be very good. This field was only bushhogged several years prior to us making it a good hay field and to this day I still see some spots with old cuttings down in the sod. Based on the fact we will probably take another cutting off this field later in the early fall, if we cut it now I’d choose to rake and bale whatever amount it gives just to get it off the field. Hope that makes sense. Thanks a bundle for the comment and for watching, I REALLY appreciate it much!
Just my opinion and that’s all…I’d refrain from cutting. Let that rest a little longer. If you have short grass above the surface, you’ll have short roots below the surface. Granted, this might cost you that third cutting, but it’ll pay off on the hay pasture you’re standing on. Again, just my opinion.
I think thats a good opinion! Thanks a bundle for your thoughts!
I think you answered your own question...CUT IT...
I'm sure leaning that way....thanks a bundle, I sure appreciate it!