Hayin' Practices

My mower is small; it only takes a 12' cut. I've been looking for a 16' self-compelled outfit, but quite frankly, I just cannot afford those big things. Even used, they are talking up around $25-30K for a silly mower and my ol' pee brain just totally rejects this idea.

Anyhoo, I'm just one feller, the hay (straight alfalfa) is looking like it's gonna be pretty darned heavy and I've got a fair-sized bunch of it to do.

Can the baler handle 2 12' swaths raked together? I mean, in real heavy hay? I know it works okay in light stuff, but am worried that I'll get it all ready to go and the darned baler won't gobble it.

This would gain me a day's drying time and "half" the time spent baling.

I've asked the neighbors and they look at me like, "Of course ya can, ya dummy". Two of these fellows tell me that they routinely and as a matter of course pull two 16' swaths together. Boy, that seems like an awfully lot of hay going into the throat of that baler! :>(

I'm so used to baling one 16' swath, that I just don't know any better. :>(

Thanks for your opinion,

Allan

That's exactly what my neighbor told me to do. Get the rakes adjusted so the windrow will just fit the pickup and drive 'er straight ahead.

Think I'm gonna like this plan. :>)

Allan

No reason why the baler won't handle it if you drive slow enough. You will have to stop more often to wrap and eject bale.

However, consider whether or not you will save any total time. If you have had the 12 foot Haybine condition and put the hay in a swath you don't have to spend time raking it again. That time raking 2 windrows together has to be added to the baling time. Also consider extra fuel used. Now if the hay is spread out to dry, you are going to have raking time in anyway, so the only arguement is whether or not you save enough time cutting with the bigger swather.

Agree with the other posts about having an extra engine to keep up in a self propelled cutter. Anyway, you have all those wide open spaces there, so the extra maneuverability of a self propelled shouldn't be so important.

KEH

May not be as much of a difference with a big round or square baler, but I think it is. A couple years ago we hired out most of our haying to a guy who had a 3x3x8 baler, he went just as fast if it was single, double, or triple (9' cut). His baler could take it though.

Raking it, even if it has already been conditioned and windrowed can save time too, but in Nebraska where it's dry all the time it may not make as much difference.

We will double rake even if the hay is still a little damp, because the damp part is still getting exposed to the sun and air and it'll dry out quicker being double raked than it will not being raked at all and still laying where it was placed by the haybine.

Just what we do around here, your practices and beliefs may be different.

Donovan from Wisconsin

Which would you rather do, go at a reasonably fast speed baling, or a very slow speed?

witha round baler, I'd say go for it! What gear do you go in now? May just hafta slow it down a bit, but you should be able to stuff 24' into a round baler. We now have a 14' hydra-swing and the baler handles those windrows pretty good too.

Donovan from Wisconsin

We always rake two 16' swaths together, many are doubling 18' swaths.

David

Donovan from Wisconsin

That baler will take any thing that will go under your tractor axle.

When I bale it sometimes drags on the axle.

And I'm still in fourth low TA ahead baleing it.

Still got a lot of gears to go down to but don't need um.

As I said if if goes under the axle it will the baler will take it.

This was that heavy hay last year and thats 18 foot throwed together and was no problem. in 4th.

Allan

We trying double raking to make an 18 ft windrow one year, what a mistake. The baler was pumping out bales with maybe 4 or 5 flakes in them. Riding the clutch in first gear to go slow enough.

Just didn't wanna end up on the end of a pitchfork throwin' into a hay rack. :>(

Allan

The neighbor just swears it will work. He says, if at all possible, to leave a tiny bit of a space between the two windrows.

Dunno, I think 24' of alfalfa is gonna be a pretty wide final swath?

Allan