Hay is made by cutting high quality grass or other forages, letting it dry in the sun, then baling the dried forage for transportation and storage. Is Making Your Own Hay Worth It? goes over a budget for making your own hay, even if you hire some or all of the work done for you.
How do you make your own hay?
The Basics
- Cut the hay at peak nutrition level. 1st Or 2nd Cutting Hay? ...
- Cut the hay with a mower. ...
- Ted the hay to help it dry faster. ...
- Rake the hay before baling. ...
- Bale the hay when it’s dry. ...
- Balers come in different types and sizes. ...
- Lawn mowers do not work for hay. ...
- Hay can be made from many plants. ...
- Hay regrowth depends on weather. ...
- Most hay plants are perennial. ...
What is the process of making hay?
Making Hay – The Process and Helpful Tips
- Cutting or Mowing Hay. The timing of the first cutting of hay of the year is based on the stage of plant growth and the conditions – predominantly weather – ...
- Tedding. Once hay is cut and on the ground, it requires a period of drying time so that the hay doesn’t get baled with a high moisture content, which can ...
- Raking. ...
- Baling Hay. ...
- Storage. ...
What do you need to make hay?
While crude protein (CP) is often what producers look at most as an indicator of good hay, it is an estimation of forage protein by the amount of nitrogen in the hay. If you have hay with high nitrates, it is figured in the CP value even though it is not used as efficiently and can be harmful in high quantities.
What can you make with hay?
- Spare Seating. Grab an old quilt and this hay couch can be made in a matter of minutes with just a few square bales.
- Babysitter. Something is just plain captivating about hay (below left).
- Time out. ...
- Photography Prop. ...
- Egg cushion. ...
- Hay ride. ...
- Physics lessons. ...
- Structural engineering lessons. ...
- Bedding for other animals.
- Find a mate. ...
How do you turn grass into hay?
Spread the grass clippings in a thin layer on the ground, preferably on the concrete. Turn it and mix it around a few times during the day. It shouldn't take more than half a day or so until it's completely dry. Before night time, gather it on a pile and store in a box or another container and leave in the dry place.
Does hay grow naturally?
Hay – grasses and legumes that can be dried for stock feed – is simple to grow either as part of a crop rotation or a permanent meadow, and grows naturally in many areas. Better knowledge of the best types of hay and what is needed for a healthy crop, however, will increase the field's yield and nutrition.
How are hay bales formed?
Farmers cut hay in the field and let it dry for several days in the sun. Then they raked the dried hay into rows and ran baling equipment over the rows. This produced the bales. Storage is key to keeping this crop ready to be fed to animals in the winter.
What does hay derive from?
GRAMMAR: Hay is an impersonal form that comes from the third person of the verb haber in El Presente, literally meaning, it has.
Is hay just dead grass?
Hay is grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that have been cut and dried to be stored for use as animal fodder, either for large grazing animals raised as livestock, such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep, or for smaller domesticated animals such as rabbits and guinea pigs.
What is the difference between straw and hay?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it's usually usually wheat straw that we see.
How do farmers make hay bales?
Round bales are made by pulling the hay into the baler, which winds or rolls the hay until it reaches the size set for the bale, at which time twine or netting is wrapped around the bale to maintain its shape. The bale is then dropped from the rear of the baler and can be moved by a tractor with a bale spear.
How many days does it take to make hay?
It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.
Why is hay rolled up?
Why do they do that? Farmers often bale hay in large round bales instead of small square bales because they require less labor to bale and move than small square bales. The shape of round bales enables them to be stored outside, something you would never do with square bales.
Why do farmers leave bales of hay in fields?
You might find hay bales left in a field simply because a farmer hasn't had time to stop by and grab the bales yet. Most farmers work overtime during the summer to get the hay in the barn by the time the fields stop producing.
How do you farm hay?
1:235:55How Farmers Use Machines to Make Hay | Maryland Farm & HarvestYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipThe disc fine doesn't just cut the hay it sends it through these rubber rolls that crush the stems.MoreThe disc fine doesn't just cut the hay it sends it through these rubber rolls that crush the stems. So water can escape as it dries in the sun.
What is a bale of hay?
(heɪ beɪl ) agriculture. a cylindrical or rectangular bundle of hay, usually produced by a machine.
How is hay made?
Hay is made by cutting high quality grass or other forages, letting it dry in the sun, then baling the dried forage for transportation and storage.
Why is hay used for animals?
Hay is a way to preserve some of the growth of your land from the good growing times and use it for your animals later. Just like canning vegetables, jams and jellies at home or when you buy canned or frozen food at the store, it was all preserved earlier to be eaten throughout the year.
How do hay bales get pushed out of a baler?
The hay bales get pushed out the back of the baler to a basket (like the video) or a person on the flat bed wagon, attached to the back of the baler, who stacks the bales. Some balers have a kicker, which means you pull a wagon with cage like sides and the baler kicks/throws the small square bales into the wagon.
Why do round bales pop out of the baler?
The round bales are left in the field, they pop out the back of the baler when the bale is big enough and the baler has wrapped the hay in twine or netting so it stays together and can be moved.
How does a baler work on a tractor?
The baler is pulled behind the tractor. The baler has a PTO (power take off) shaft that you hook up to the back of the tractor. The PTO shaft spins to power the baler so it can take in the hay and compress it into bales.
Why do hay tedders fluff up?
This is a PTO driven hay tedder. It fluffs up the cut forages to allow the leaves and stems to dry faster, which improves the quality of the hay.
What do we use to cut hay?
We use a mower conditioner to cut our hay.
What does hay mean?
To many people, hay simply means dry grass which is a main source of food for animal. But no, it is much more than that.
How to make hay & hay bales?
In the early days, people cut grass by a scythe and raked it by a wooden hand rake. This has steadily changed over the years to a tractor-powered process.
Why do you teed hay after cutting?
After cutting, hay needs time to dry so that hay bales will not get high moisture content. Tedding refers to the process of making all parts of the hay dry. From the bottom, the windrow will be moved up to the top in order to maximize air circulation.
How big is a square bale of hay?
Square bales are different in size according to the baler. Normally, they are 15 inches wide – 18 inches high – 40 inches long. A square bale is about 40 to 60 pounds depending on the sort of hay and its moisture.
What is the best way to dry hay?
The rotary disc mower is the most common one. It can operate through thick hay with higher speed. Its name comes from the rotary discs which are placed in parallel along the mower. The hay will pass through rollers that crush the stems. This lets the hay dry more quickly.
Why do cattle producers use round bales?
Meanwhile, cattle producers choose the round bales because the hauling job is gentle. With a tractor and a bale fork, a person himself can easily move lots of hay to feed numerous animal.
Why is it important to cut hay before cutting?
It is important because it will allow the hay to dry out in the baling process later. Hence, it is better to have a look at weather forecast, and have at least a few dry days before cutting.
How does hay become hay?
How Crops Become Hay. In general, three steps are required to turn a green crop into what can be called hay: cutting, drying, and baling. Then, hay must be stored properly in order for it to hold onto the nutrients. If hay becomes wet, or if it sits in the sun, nutrients can be lost.
How does hay grow?
Today, the process for growing hay still involves letting the plants grow to maturity, then cutting it, letting it dry in the sun, raking it, and gathering it up in some form, whether that be round or square bales, or as loose hay. Farmers today have different technology and equipment for growing, baling, and storing hay.
What is Hay?
Hay is a grass that has been cut, dried, and stored for animal feed. Many different kinds of plants can be used as hay, but in Iowa today, alfalfa and clover are the most common. As Americans moved west onto the Great Plains in the 19th century, they would often use the prairie grasses that were growing there to feed their livestock.
What is the difference between straw and hay?
Hay versus straw: Hay and straw are commonly confused. Hay is made from the stems, leaves, and seed heads of plants that are fresh. It is cut and baled when it has the most nutritional value, and is fed to livestock. Straw is also made from the stems and leaves of plants, but is cut after of the plants have been allowed to mature and ...
Why is hay fed to livestock?
Hay is usually fed to livestock when they cannot graze or be in a pasture, either because it is winter or because of drought. Different animals have different nutritional requirements. Farmers carefully monitor what an animal is eating, to make sure the animals are healthy.
How does rain affect hay?
Then the farmer will rake the hay into what are called windrows. Rain can damage the hay the most at this stage. Rain slows down the drying process, and too much rain can cause the hay to begin to spoil in the field.
What is straw made of?
Straw is also made from the stems and leaves of plants, but is cut after of the plants have been allowed to mature and the seed heads have been harvested for something else. Straw has very little nutritional value, and is best used as bedding for animals.
What is hay used for?
Hay, in agriculture, dried grasses and other foliage used as animal feed. Usually the material is cut in the field while still green and then either dried in the field or mechanically dried by forced hot air. Typical hay crops are timothy, alfalfa, and clover.
What was the first way to cut hay?
Until the middle of the 19th century, hay was cut by hand with sickles and scythes. In the 1860s early cutting devices were developed that resembled those on reapers and binders; from these came the modern array of fully mechanical mowers, crushers, windrowers, field choppers, balers, and machines for pelletizing or wafering in the field.
How is loose hay stored?
Loose or baled hay is stored and sometimes dried by ventilation with fresh or heated air, either under sheds or in special installations called hay towers. Silage is made to conserve moist fodders, such as corn, sorghum, and grass. There are two types of silos. The horizontal silo…
How long can hay be stored in a barn?
Properly cured hay with 20 percent or less moisture may be stored for months without danger of spoilage. See also straw. haystack.
When was hay cuber invented?
hay. Bales of hay. David Shankbone. Hay cubers, developed in the mid-1960s, pick up the cut hay from windrows and compress it into cubes that are easily shoveled; they are practical in regions in which the climate permits cut forage to dry to the desired moisture content.
What family is grass in?
grass, any of many low, green, nonwoody plants belonging to the grass family (Poaceae), the sedge family (Cyperaceae), and the rush family (Juncaceae). There are many grasslike members of other flowering plant families, but only the approximately 10,000 species in the family Poaceae are true grasses. They…
Why is hay made?
The goal of haymaking is to capture the nutrients in grass in a storable form to make them available as a forage feed in the winter months. With the variables of New England weather, many farmers have switched to hay crop silage as a way to harvest legumes and grasses. In that process, the hay is cut and wilted, ...
What is the best way to mowing hay?
Sickle mower: One of the earliest methods of mechanically mowing hay, the sickle mower is still used today, typically in small haying operations or for clipping pastures. These generally have a 5- to 7-foot-long cutter bar.
What is a sickle haybine?
Sickle haybine: As the next development in haymaking, the sickle haybine greatly improved the mowing process. It uses the sickle bar technology, but has a front reel that lifts up bent over stalks and allows it to be pulled at a faster speed.
Why is timing important in hay production?
Producers need to time haymaking to coincide with the right stage of plant growth and weather conditions. The old-timers used to talk about cutting hay around the Fourth of July, when they said, “it was stout and had some bottom to it.” Although maximum growth of the plant and peak yields occur around that time, the nutrient value is greatest earlier in the season, when plants put most of their energy into vegetative growth and contain high concentrations of starches, proteins and minerals.
Why do people mow in the morning?
Others prefer to mow at the end of the day, when the grass is drier, in an attempt to increase the energy level of the forage by capturing some of the sugars that migrate up the plant stem during the day.
How long does it take for hay to cure?
It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay, which can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow a day before or immeditately after it rains, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.
When to rake hay?
Once the hay has been tedded and is nearly dry, it’s ready to rake. Raking turns the hay one more time to dry the bottom and forms it into a windrow ready to be baled. The windrows shouldn’t be rolled too tightly, as this creates a roping effect that prevents the hay from drying properly and causes it to clog as it enters the baler.
Where was Henry Hay born?
Hay gravitated towards radical politics as a young adult. Born Henry Hay Jr. on April 7, 1912, in Worthing, England, Hay’s father was a mining engineer who moved the family to Los Angeles in 1919 where Hay would attend high school. Entering Stanford University in 1930, he soon abandoned lectures to return to Los Angeles ...
What did Hay believe about homosexuality?
The 1948 release of Sexual Behavior in the Human Male by Alfred Kinsey — which concluded as many as 10 percent of American men were exclusively homosexual — inspired Hay to believe it would be possible to form an organization of homosexuals by homosexuals, a movement which would help in the fight against discrimination.
What happened to Hay and Greer?
While attending a docker’s strike in San Francisco in 1934, Hay and Greer reportedly witnessed the shooting of strikers by U.S. national guardsmen. Both men joined the Communist Party USA soon after, with Hay now fully committing himself to left-wing labor and anti-racist campaigns.
What did Greer help to introduce to Hay?
Greer helped to introduce Hay to the concept of radical politics and Communist organizing. He encouraged him in his interest in Marxist theory, which led to Hay’s adoption of Socialism, and in which he hoped to find support for homosexuality.
How many daughters did Hay have?
The couple adopted two daughters, Hannah Margaret and Kate Neall, during the mid-forties. Though the couple shared political beliefs and pursuits, Hay realized his sexual inclinations had not diminished and began seeking out same-sex encounters.
When did the radical faeries start?
By the time of Stonewall [homosexuals] thought we had always been a cultural minority.”. In 1978 Hay formed the Radical Faeries, a gay brotherhood community in which the rights of homosexuals were extolled alongside spiritualist teachings and New Age practices, and “hetero-imitation” was discouraged.
When did Harry Hay and his wife divorce?
The couple divorced in 1951.
How to pick up hay on a tractor?
Once you've unplugged the reel, get in the tractor, back up just a little bit, rev up the engine, and SLOWLY move the pick-up to the pile of hay, letting the reel pick up a little at a time . Never ever rush getting through a large pile of hay, as you will get more plug-ups doing that than being overly cautious.
How to get hay to spin faster?
Turn your PTO on with the throttle all the way back (at idle or turtle). Stop right before you get to the initial swath. Slowly turn up the throttle. The more you rev up the throttle to the engine, the faster the reel will spin and the more hay you can pick up as you drive along.
How to tell when bales are full?
Remember to purchase the computer to go inside the cab also to tell you when your bales are full, and when to tie. Hook the baler up to your tractor. You will need to connect the hitch first, then the PTO and then the hydraulic hoses. Also connect the electrical components from the cab of your tractor to the baler.
What companies make balers?
Such companies that make balers include Vermeer, John Deere, Case IH, New Holland, etc. The type of baler you need depends on how large and heavy you want your bales to be, and also whether you want a soft-core bale or hard-core bale. Hard-core balers take less fuel and power to run than a soft-core baler.
What kind of bales are used for livestock?
Learn more... There are three main types of bales that can be made for feeding livestock: small square bales, large square bales and large round bales. Large round bales are quite popular among many livestock producers, especially those who raise beef cattle, and the largest type of bale a producer can make to feed livestock.
How to tie a baler to a tractor?
When you are sure that the baler is full enough, stop the tractor, but keep the baler running via PTO and hydraulic hoses. Turn the switch on that's found on the computer to put the strings on the bale. Allow for four to five revolutions to completely tie the bale. Two to three revolutions is enough for putting net on. Switch off the switch that lets the string run, and this should cut the string from the string box on the baler.
How to use pick up wheels on a baler?
Drop the pick-up wheels from each side of the baler and make sure that they are barely touching the ground. However, if the grass is somewhat damp you want the wheels as low as they can go.
