Making Hay - Cutting, Tedding, Raking, Baling, and Loading

Gillespie Herefords making hay on Birchfield Family Farm. John Deere 7800, New Holland 650, John Deere 4020, John Deere 2030

[@cooljoeyski5190]

Yeah baby! Luv it!

[@wolfgangoberkofler2785]

Nice video. Like watching baling hay. I for myself bale only fot silage from my steep fields… Good work! Greets from Italy

[@Fishcop-326]

Nice looking hay.

[@Scott-je4wc]

Great video thank you

[@mfkparamotor4131]

Guzelll

[@scottpowell4342]

Always interesting to see how it gets done by others especially when equipment funds are limited. I use smaller, older, crappier tractors, but a way better baler that runs 3 times faster than this one, and that is only because I am limited by my horsepower. Still don't understand the broadcast tedding thing. How does the ground get dry if you cover it completely? And if the ground is already dry, do you need to ted it at all? I would think drying would be easy.

[@birchfieldfarming]

Tedding is for drying the hay completely, usually the ground is dry before we start. I think sometimes you could probably get by with not tedding at all - it just provides a more even drying. Where are you farming?

[@scottpowell4342]

@@birchfieldfarming Mid-Michigan. Lot of clay ground. Hay windows ( time between rains) are often not as many days as one would like. If I cut on damp ground, I make sure that my windrows are tight enough to allow a nice spot been windrows so that the ground will be dry to flip the hay onto on baling day. I used a fluffing tedder this last time to help it dry in place. If i used a broadcast tedder, I wouldn't think the ground would dry enough with no wind or sun able to get to it. Then, if the hay is not dry on the bottom, if I used a V-wheel rake, the hay right in the middle would still be at the bottom with all the other hay on top, giving it no chance to dry. But, if your ground is dry, anything will work. Doesn't happen to me too much for me. Not dissing your practices, just not sure I could make it work, which is why I said it is interesting to see others do it without a million dollars in equipment.

[@smitty9120]

@@scottpowell4342 im in mid range wisconsin, with ground wet or dry i drop a wide windrow and ted either early morning or late evening on everything when the dew is still on to retain leaves. This last window i cut sunday morning after we got almost 3/4" of rain tge night before, tedded that evening started baling monday afternoon at 12% moisture, finished baling tuesday late morning at below 8%. I rake the same time im baling

[@scottpowell4342]

@@smitty9120 I'd call that magic.

[@smitty9120]

@@scottpowell4342 i also switched to steel on steel crimpers and had better luck

[@feelnrite]

Does the baler have a problem in the pickup?

[@jefffraser6666]

Shaking pretty good up and down isn't it and a noise to match the shake..

[@birchfieldfarming]

We did actually have to stop once and clean out a mess of netting up underneath. Good eyes!

[@jefffraser6666]

@@birchfieldfarming you're on to it.. Sometimes a different set of eyes can concentrate on things you're not.. Glad we could help

[@jefffraser6666]

Good eye..I was hearing the tick tick and saw your comment next..

[@johndeere7245]

Sounds like the cams are going out.

[@stephenfrench1060]

Wouldn't like the sound of that pick up

[@birchfieldfarming]

He had some issues with the net but was able to get it done

[@davidhunt7649]

How much does a bale weight?

[@birchfieldfarming]

Good question - one that nobody seems to know! Our best guess is 1000 lbs to 1200 lbs, depending on moisture content for that particular cutting.

[@bl688]

What is that JD cab tractor? 7610? 7810?

[@birchfieldfarming]

JD 7800