Making your own grass hay

[DeniseCharleson]

After watching the weather for a week and worrying about when it would rain and how much, it better be. I have a new perspective on farming now.

And, now you know the origin of the phrase, "Make hay while the sun shines."

 

[k15n1]

After watching the weather for a week and worrying about when it would rain and how much, it better be. I have a new perspective on farming now.

And, now you know the origin of the phrase, "Make hay while the sun shines."

That's for sure!

We're having great weather for haying this week. There's a 40% risk of 0.10" of rain tonight but it's mainly sunny. I cut more this morning but I think I'll take a risk and cut another bit tonight. I read that small batches is the way to minimize weather risk. Sure, you'll lose some, but better that then to lose a huge batch.

I read that rain on hay is less of a problem if the grass has been recently cut. If it partially dries and then rains, the damage is greater. There's probably 1000 other little hints like this that make haying easier and more efficient. I think small-scale operations have much greater potential for efficiency than big operations. In my old age (33) I've heard a lot about economies of scale, as though that is the main factor in determining success. But with more focus on energy cost (direct and indirect) I am thinking more in terms of efficiency. I think an educated small-scale farmer with minimal equipment can beat a fortune-500 company every time on efficiency.

 

[~gd]

After watching the weather for a week and worrying about when it would rain and how much, it better be. I have a new perspective on farming now.

And, now you know the origin of the phrase, "Make hay while the sun shines."

That's for sure!

We're having great weather for haying this week. There's a 40% risk of 0.10" of rain tonight but it's mainly sunny. I cut more this morning but I think I'll take a risk and cut another bit tonight. I read that small batches is the way to minimize weather risk. Sure, you'll lose some, but better that then to lose a huge batch.

I read that rain on hay is less of a problem if the grass has been recently cut. If it partially dries and then rains, the damage is greater. There's probably 1000 other little hints like this that make haying easier and more efficient. I think small-scale operations have much greater potential for efficiency than big operations. In my old age (33) I've heard a lot about economies of scale, as though that is the main factor in determining success. But with more focus on energy cost (direct and indirect) I am thinking more in terms of efficiency. I think an educated small-scale farmer with minimal equipment can beat a fortune-500 company every time on efficiency.

I think you have spent too much time in the sun. i can cut and turn more hay in a hour than you can with your scythe and hay rake in a week. I have done it both ways and your way is only more efficient if you include the time needed to make the tractor! Don't ge me wrong. Your rig is fine for rabbits but it is nowhere if you want to talk about efficiency. Look back to the start of this thread where I wrote "Good on you! Growing and making hay Is not as simple as many people think."~gd

 

[k15n1]

And, now you know the origin of the phrase, "Make hay while the sun shines."

That's for sure!

We're having great weather for haying this week. There's a 40% risk of 0.10" of rain tonight but it's mainly sunny. I cut more this morning but I think I'll take a risk and cut another bit tonight. I read that small batches is the way to minimize weather risk. Sure, you'll lose some, but better that then to lose a huge batch.

I read that rain on hay is less of a problem if the grass has been recently cut. If it partially dries and then rains, the damage is greater. There's probably 1000 other little hints like this that make haying easier and more efficient. I think small-scale operations have much greater potential for efficiency than big operations. In my old age (33) I've heard a lot about economies of scale, as though that is the main factor in determining success. But with more focus on energy cost (direct and indirect) I am thinking more in terms of efficiency. I think an educated small-scale farmer with minimal equipment can beat a fortune-500 company every time on efficiency.

I think you have spent too much time in the sun. i can cut and turn more hay in a hour than you can with your scythe and hay rake in a week. I have done it both ways and your way is only more efficient if you include the time needed to make the tractor! Don't ge me wrong. Your rig is fine for rabbits but it is nowhere if you want to talk about efficiency. Look back to the start of this thread where I wrote "Good on you! Growing and making hay Is not as simple as many people think."~gd

Traditional labor-saving machinery is only efficient in the sense that the farmer does less hard labor himself. But it comes at a cost. Mechanized farming operations expose the farmer to more risk---getting parts, keeping fresh gas on hand, capital cost of equipment, etc. Cost of equipment and maintenance must be included in the equation. A scythe and rake are a lot cheaper and less prone to breakage than a tractor, mower, conditioner, rake, and baler.

This last week, my co-workers and friends first reaction to my haying project is to suggest what equipment I should buy. They're also mainly in poor health or pay big money to go to a gym. I can't make myself go to a gym so I'll err on the side of farm labor.

Now that I think about it, I think efficiency may not be the right word for what I'm getting at. My point is that the old ways of haying are an appropriate solution. Other methods may be faster or better but the advantages are very expensive when considering the typical needs of a homestead. If hay is a primary crop or you're trying to keep a bunch of cows in production, you'll need a tractor and equipment. But if you're putting up hay for a few goats or a herd of rabbits, only minimal equipment is needed.

 

[Denim Deb]

K15n1, I agree w/you 100%. For me, it wouldn't work. I have 3 horses I need hay for as well as the goats. That's a lot of bales to put up that way, like about 400 or so depending on the weight. But, if I just had the goats, and had access to the grass, I could probably put up enough hay for them for a year easily using that kind of rig.

 

[mrscoyote]

You have for sure inspired me. It would be a great way to cut our feed cost.

 

[Marianne]

YES!! I got started too late last year, but I easily put up orchard grass hay and browse for my little goat herd (four goats). It lasted only one month, but they headed for that before the purchased hay. This year will be different.

People around here don't understand the SS and 'old way' of doing things, either.

 

[~gd]

K15n1, I agree w/you 100%. For me, it wouldn't work. I have 3 horses I need hay for as well as the goats. That's a lot of bales to put up that way, like about 400 or so depending on the weight. But, if I just had the goats, and had access to the grass, I could probably put up enough hay for them for a year easily using that kind of rig.

I guess that it boils down to how you define Homestead. My father was the laughting stock of the county when he bought a team [matched pair] of horses in the summer of 1941 [WWII was comming but the USA was hoping to sit it out] after the fall crops were in he put his John Deere tractor up on blocks as he usually did for the winter. It stayed up on blocks until 1946. and he worked the homestead with the horses. Once rationing set in the others quit laughting, Yes there was gas available to big food producers but it was darn tight for homesteaders like us. Those two horses supported themselves, six milk cows and their calves.about a dozen sheep[lamb was still produced in the USA then] Six sows and a boar for pork and hundreds of chickens for meat and eggs. Most meat was rationed also.and there was a Black market for eggs too. We supplied both the goverment buyers and the black market. The hey was cut and turned by horse and people power and hauled to the barn for storage. Cows pigs and sheep will eat corn stocts when they are still green.Horses don't digest it well. Corn was our major winter grain.Wheat/oats usually need a combime we would barter Corn for oats for the horses and wheat for our bread. Starting to wander after the war Dad told us all "Those horses saved us they will have a home here until they can't make hay but I expect they will die before that happens" He was right Tom died of cancer and was buried on the farm Jerry fell over while making hay and the vet put him down without asking. Thats is what I think off when some one says HOMESTEAD ~GD ps bales to us meant Straw all our hay was unbaled or loose.

 

[Denim Deb]

In the interest of keeping peace on the board, I've removed this post, but stand by what I said.

 

[~gd]

GD, we're not talking about defining homesteading-we're talking about someone that has just a little bit of hay to cut and wants to bale it-period. Personally, I'd prefer to use horsepower instead of a tractor-but that's NOT what the topic is about. And, I'm not going to get baited into arguing w/you. You have a lot to offer, but for the most part, I'm pretty sure that most people on here tend to ignore you. You'd get a lot more respect and people asking you questions if you didn't try to come across as knowing everything about everything. That may not be your intention, but that is how you come across.

Often times, I get the feeling that you think everyone on this forum is beneath you in intelligence. You may not be aware of this, but you come across as very patronizing. And, I get the feeling that you look down on women. This may not be true, and you may not even be aware that you're doing this, but at the risk of offending you, I feel it needs to be said.

You can choose to ignore this, get offended, or whatever, but, IMO, this is something that you need to hear.

Message received. If you ladies choose to ignore my experience and chemical skills that doesn't bother me a bit. I do the same for you. When someone makes wild claims I will continue to shoot them down. I feel that the truth is more important than conventional wisdom aka old wives tales. Someday I may post where my knowledge was earned but the more I think on it, it would be a waste of time because it would be ignored or viewed as bragging. Have a nice day. PS Deb I just reread the thread, You are the one interested in bales not k15n1-period.