Will second crop hay harvest be better than the first?

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In this video, join us as we dive into the challenges and excitement of harvesting our second crop of hay. After a tough first harvest, we're hoping for a smoother process this time around. The pressure is on as we race against the clock and impending rain to get the hay harvested and turned into silage.
Watch as we work tirelessly to keep all our equipment running smoothly. From early morning maintenance checks to late-night fieldwork, every moment counts. Experience the highs and lows of farm life: the satisfaction of well-maintained machinery, the frustration of unexpected breakdowns, and the relentless push to get the job done before the rain comes.
We’ll take you through our strategies for efficient harvesting and show the teamwork that makes it all possible. Will we manage to get the hay in before the weather turns? Tune in to find out and see if our second crop can redeem the challenges we faced earlier in the season. Don't forget to like, subscribe, and hit the notification bell to follow our farming journey and see how we overcome the odds!

[@DouglasYoung-tx8xf]

Like the guy in Texas said put like a 18 inch up spout, right on the blower and shorten that snout and park the truck closer to the rig. Don’t blow so far across

[@maisies927]

I miss Idaho, but not the smell of hay. My allergies were the worst around hay. Yet I still loved the country life and would give anything to have it back. Farmers and ranchers are real heroes.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Love the comment thanks for watching

[@csrlivestock7080]

Maybe a help fitting the bag. We have a simpler setup. We lay some of the cardboard from the crate the bag comes in on the ground and onto the bottom bar. It makes it a lot easier to get the bag inplace at the bottom of the bag.

[@ron827]

WOW, your hay harvesting is much different than our little square bales back in the 1950s. Thanks for a great video.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah things have changed a bit. Glad you enjoyed it

[@kyleblair4764]

Depending moisture, us and most guys around us have to mount a water tank on the chopper with a small 12v pump and a 1/4” line into the fan. It doesn’t seem like much, but usually keeps the spout from plugging. Just an option in the future if you keep having trouble

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for the tip

[@jeffreylyons1531]

That swather is flying wow.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yes he is

[@masonspieker1872]

Just a tip for when your not using a wagon and direct filling trucks have them closer so you can have the spout pointed directly down into them. That’s how we do it here in SD with a self propelled Deere.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We are still trying to figure it out

[@kyleblair4764]

@@RockyMountainFarmer Not what he said. You want the hay to flow as unobstructed as possible. If you drive closer, the end spout will be tipped down and the flow will have to turn 90 degrees- basically making a wall where it can back up and plug. Hard to explain in writing, but hopefully you get it.

[@DanWoelders-fd5zd]

Check all ur wear plates in the existing part of the spout. We have it on our claas self propelled where the plates meet together they’ll wear out and create a rough transfer and it’ll affect the efficiency big time. Or even just the fan itself make sure the blades are still good shape. Doesn’t take much to make them run like crap Those Dion scorpions do kinda suck tho… havnt heard much good about them. Wet silage always blows better. As long as everything is working how it should. Dryer the lighter it is, just kinda fluffs out the end. Wet can be bad tho, it can kinda wad up. We don’t chop alfalfa so could be different but bit wetter grass silage blows far better. You Could also shorten your cut length from the chopper itself usually helps to.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for the tips

[@19Dad84bod]

I really enjoy your videos. Cheers from Alberta Canada

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Glad you like them! Thanks for watching

[@pseggons9512]

I had trouble blowing grass silage through a John Deere trailed forage harvester some years ago. The problem turned out to be to big a clearance between the knives and the belly pan on the chopping cylinder. The back of the cutting chamber is adjustable ,after a lot of sharpening we were loosing air because of the gap. Closed up and went like a dream. Might work. This was in the UK with grass.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We will have to check that out

[@harrisharvester]

Hello I’ve always found wetter grass blows better than dry grass, that is a really long spout, I use Kongskilde 1260 a great chopper very hi output for the power, I would only block spout if I had a forward angle, if it was angled backwards slightly it would be ok and much worse if crop was drying out . Great channel only found you yesterday 👍 I’m from Somerset 🇬🇧

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for the tip! And thanks for watching

[@harrisharvester]

@@RockyMountainFarmer I have a few videos on my channel of my setup if you wanted to take a look we blow straight into trailers. Thanks

[@jonrinckes]

Another interesting video of insights into farming; thanks guys, love it! Watching from New Zealand. Farming is our main primary producer for export.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I’m glad you like the video. Thanks for watching.

[@FarmingFixingFabricating]

Did you get your problems sorted with the pipe extension?Couple things ,one check your blower paddles and liners,two the long pipes have trouble with hay they need more of an opening on the bottom of the pipe.The opening allows clumps to fall and it helps with drafting.Hay looks realnice

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We kinda got it figured out

[@jacksonhenry3584]

From what I could tell from the first field, the moisture might have been a little high for the extension and the rake (have you tried a mower/conditioner). Another problem could have been that the extension was new and wasn't slicken up yet and causing problems in the heavier hay. The last time we did silage, we were using a pull behind New Holland and was blowing into peanut carts pulled behind tractors (we're in GA and the peanut carts were basically like your silage carts without the top and were high on the dumping side). Because we weren't going far to dump and were putting it in a pit, the chopper and carts didn't have to stop for anything, not even to swap carts.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

There is a conditioner on the swather.

[@lindanelson8400]

I don't know which would be more fun, running the swather, or the rake. Both look like they'd be a lot of fun!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah they’re both pretty fun to run. I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@anasingle88]

This video was a blast to watch. Keep creating awesome content!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thank you! Will do!

[@bigmackstruckstop9213]

Wooow with the music you pick out, this is a amazing farming Utube channel to watch, you all know how to rock😊see next time.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Well thanks for watching. I’m glad you liked it.

[@bigmackstruckstop9213]

@@RockyMountainFarmer your very welcome

[@LynnKorte-ve4qf]

Wow ,I didn't know those cut that fast ,,I'm laughing. It's Rd gear for sure!!!😅

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It actually has a road gear that goes 26 miles an hour

[@JohanOost-mf8pu]

Wow so happy

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@bdrakephotography]

awesome video! great views! it was a lot of fun to take pictures out there!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I’m glad you liked it and I’m glad you were able to come take some pictures

[@maineman11]

Dang, your dad really hustles with that New Holland. As far as the clippings getting clogged in the chute, just relegate the Dion to the backup machine, and go back to the New Holland as the primary.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah, he cuts pretty fast and currently we only have those two Dion choppers

[@darrylhauswald8956]

Raise your spout higher. We have a self propelled have the spout all the way up and deselect it down in the wagon or truck

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for the tip

[@donniesmithjr.4952]

Love your farm videos. Been subbed up since seen ya in the J Town Press channel.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Awesome I’m glad you’re loving it. I’m not sure what the JTown press channel is but I might have to check it out.

[@donniesmithjr.4952]

​@@RockyMountainFarmer didn't she post a video about the irrigation water issues ya were about to have up that way? I'm a Okla cow/calf producer family ranch going back to the 40s. Nothing on the scale ya are on.

[@MG-ge5xq]

2nd mowing at the beginning of July. Isn't that very fast? So you guys have up to 5 mowings? And thank you - some nice pictures of Idaho farming!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It is 2nd crop and we usually get 5 cuttings. I’m glad you enjoyed the video.

[@Tranans]

Hi Have you checked if you can speed up the accelerator on the chopper with the long spout. A longer spout needs more speed/power to to travel the hole spout

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We will check

[@paulhammond7489]

That mowing machine san certainly make short work of cutting the hay in a large field. I can only imagine the constant repairs and maintenance on all your equipment. Hope you can work out the connection for the 'chute' camera before it goes back out in the field, as the operator will be able to load each truck to the max and reduce misfires :)

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yes we will look into that

[@DanWoelders-fd5zd]

We had an entire dairy farm burn down due to hay lighting up last year. My neighbour when I was a wee lad same thing.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah, I know you gotta be careful with some of those bales

[@DanWoelders-fd5zd]

@@RockyMountainFarmer oh ya they can be brutal. Deceiving to. Was a good friends farm that went up and they figured they were more then dry enough to have to worry but apparently not.

[@Brobro449]

Jf/ kongskilde chopper is the way to go. Eliminates the blower element. May want to look into them. Look at the fct 1360 or 1460

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I’ll check it out

[@jamesharvey8886]

You need to shorten your spout and add a riser, enjoy your videos in Texas

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We got the only one they had. I don’t know if we can shorten it at all. I’m glad you enjoyed the videos.

[@PgP736]

❤ from Norway

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for watching

[@ski7470]

You seem to have a lot of spillage when dumping from the chopper into the truck.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah, it spills a little

[@tylerkerkhof1013]

Gotta adjust your blower gap that’s why it’s plugging it’s in your book

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah that’s what we ended up doing

[@tylerkerkhof1013]

@@RockyMountainFarmer do you guys chop corn with those Dion’s too they work deadly with a four row and the processing job is phenomenal at least ours is lol

[@DouglasYoung-tx8xf]

Do you need to check your blower on them choppers they’re supposed to pick up a nickel and leave a dime if you’ve already changed the knives maybe you need to adjust the blower blades out so they all pick up a nickel and leave a dime

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah, once we adjusted the fan blades, it worked pretty good

[@ileenmcminn2062]

Did you get your spuds shipped? It's supposed to hit 100 there this coming week!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

No, we still have five cellars full

[@Johnsonfamilyfarmsproduce]

Need the spout up, more straight and not reaching over to the truck so much cant blow silage down a spout thats horizontal.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Thanks for the tip

[@brysonhaggard]

how do you guys like the swather Ive heard a mix the guys who like them like them but the guys dont hate them with a passion for where I am at anything cnh is a no go with how bad dealer support and a huge lack of training

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We’ve always liked them. We have good support here.

[@rogerbredeweg1063]

Do have cows to feed the hay to?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

My uncle has a dairy.

[@cliffordarnoldussen]

It’s probably going up you probably have to run some water in there how gummy your head probably got paint on it gotta get broken

[@bryanginder5903]

Why does it plug. You can't blow silage around a 90° turn. Raise the spout up in the air like your going to blow it up to the heavens then use the deflector to angle it! Lot of dion choppers here in Wisconsin running around!

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I think he figured it out

[@Machines85]

28:28 Looks cool, I don't know when I will have enough money to buy this pair of machines. What is the name of this machine?

[@МаксатКулсариев-н6г]

666⁶6⁶⁶66666⁶⁵6⁶6666666⁶666666⁶666666666⁶6666666⁶⁶066

[@Arham7cheema]

Amazing video i like it i want to see your dairy make content about dairy

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I would but we don’t own the dairy

[@Arham7cheema]

@@RockyMountainFarmer ok I know that it's not your but I want to see how they manage

[@bigmountain7561]

Is that Timothy that Dad’s cutting down??

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It’s alfalfa

[@johnbucklerfarms]

Did ya have Good 12 volts and a Ground to the Camera?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Yeah, we tried everything

[@toddjohnson7972]

Fan speed is to slow to blow that far in wet silage

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Possibly

[@ileenmcminn2062]

So did the long spout just need to get polished up to not plug? How did the ice workout ?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We had to move the fan blades in till they were almost touching the metal. And the ice lowered the temperature 3°.

[@ileenmcminn2062]

Do you need to adjust the fan on the other chopper to blow into the wagon better?

[@hootnanny6144]

Well pawn my word and honor

[@cellfire7907]

what do you use the hay for?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It is feed for a dairy

[@noahmurphy5366]

How far do you haul from field to clamp?if its less than a couple of miles look into a forage wagon. Depending on moisture they can haul almost 35k pounds of ryegrass. Trailed foragers are gone in my area. Lots of self propelled but all trailed choppers have been replaced by wagons over past 10-15 years. Strautmann and lely mainly. Labour saving is the main reason. Your haul trucks would be gone. Totally unnecessary.

[@cashking8056]

any updates on the water usage with the state?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

They postponed the issues till October but they haven’t solved anything

[@1981FlyingV]

Does the swather have GPS steering?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We don’t have GPS on our swather

[@jerroldbrethauer6555]

Spout is to long for wet sticky hay try going up with your spout and not so long

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Well, I don’t think we can make it shorter. It’s all one piece.

[@bobearl7859]

You need to get a double wheel rake

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I’ll have to look into that

[@toddjohnson7972]

Also your raking to low. That is breaking your rake

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It’s not even touching the ground

[@travisrieder8710]

Liner

[@mattphillips4260]

got to get on him for missing hay

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It happens it will get cut next crop

[@johnkeynes8873]

We know your brother Christopher but not your name 😮

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

I’m Tehren thanks for watching

[@johnkeynes8873]

@@RockyMountainFarmer ok thanks Tehran .

[@johnkeynes8873]

Sorry I misspelt your name Tehren

[@rossnolan2883]

😊😊😊😊😊😊

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

Glad you liked it

[@MarsMan1]

Too Wet.

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

It has to be pretty wet

[@MarsMan1]

@@RockyMountainFarmer I have never seen Hay loose like that. It has always been in bails or large rolls. What do you do with loose hay?

[@RockyMountainFarmer]

We put it in bags for silage

[@MarsMan1]

@@RockyMountainFarmer Thanks.