# Cutting Hay



## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

There is no smell better than fresh cut hay, cut a few acres today. This evening after supper I went back up to the field because I’d spotted some goodies from the tractor.

Muscadines are ripe, ate a few while I worked, had a few more for desert. 

Bidens bipinnata (spanish needles) is every where (small yellow bloom). I think I’ll make a tincture tomorrow. It’s a very good antibiotic for certain illnesses (1) Any systemic infection that are accompanied by problems in the mucous membranes, anywhere in the body, especially chronic diarrhea, dysentery, UTI. vaginitis, and inflamed respiratory passages. (2) Systemic staph…. It’s really good for the gut!

I even saw a few passion flower blooms (Passiflora incarnate) peeking from some brush. A tincture of the blooms makes an excellent sleep aid, my favorite. It’s also used for folks quitting smoking and drinking. It’s very calming. On nights I take it as a sleep aid I usually sleep in my recliner because I never make it to bed… it works quickly, very, very calming! 

The last pic is a close up of a passionflower bloom...


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Looking good,

Until I got to where I cant, 

I use to love making hay..
Mind ya, not putting it in the loft so much..


Jim


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## LastOutlaw (Jun 1, 2013)

I'll take 300 square bales please.


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## weedygarden (Apr 27, 2011)

I have worked on a haying crew. I agree, nothing better than the smell of fresh cut hay. I loved the work, being outdoors, the whole cycle and process.

My dad and uncles used to use a mower, rake and rectangular baler. Those bales would be hand loaded onto a flat bed trailer. 

When I worked for my uncle, we used a windrower. I believe they are more commonly called a swather. Cuts, crimps and puts the hay in a row for the big baler to come and pick it up when it is dry.


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## phideaux (Nov 7, 2015)

Cotton, 
Do you use a conditioner when you cut? Or just cut it?

How many cuttings do you normally get a year? 

When I lived in WI, we got 3 good cuttings.
In hot/dry KY, only one maybe if lucky, 2.



Jim


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## Cotton (Oct 12, 2013)

phideaux said:


> Cotton,
> Do you use a conditioner when you cut? Or just cut it?
> 
> How many cuttings do you normally get a year?
> ...


If I were dropping 50 acres at a time a conditioner would be a consideration. Saving the extra day of drying time would be worth the loss of nutrients. A few "big farms" around here use them. I don't, the biggest field I cut is 17 acres, the smallest 7. I divide up the fields according to the weather forecasts.

I usually get 2 cuttings for sure, most years a 3rd one. The weather patterns have been wacky since the '07/08 droughts.

I try to get 140 rolls to be comfortable for a severe 4 month winter. This year I'll be a little short but I have 40 rolls left over from last year. 2 year old hay has lost a lot of nutrition but it will fill empty bellies&#8230;


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