John Deere 4430 & 926 MoCo Mowing Hay!

Here is another video from weeks ago. The tractor is still running ... the mower worked through second cutting ... now I'm starting to think about third cutting!
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[@rickayers3150]

Had days like that. Makes you wonder about your sanity.

[@TheBeginningFarmer]

I do often wonder about my sanity ;)

[@brentwahls8198]

Any problems with the impellers taking leaves off the alfalfa, or them struggling with grass?

[@throwback336]

I feel your pain. Honestly I do. I've had 2 tractors down the entire hay season. JD 2550 & AC 6140 loader. The AC we load in the field, the JD we rake & ted. And like you our fields are 6 miles either side of the farm. It's a challenge. How does the crop look? Are you able to dress the fields with anything to increase yield? I sure hope you don't have to dismantle the 4430 again. Keep up the good work.

[@TheBeginningFarmer]

Ouch on the tractors! Our first cutting was decent, but our second cutting was not. They had some soil samples done and the ground needed a LOT of lime I guess. Unfortunately they were rained out of putting it down, so hopefully it gets down this week and will make a difference going forward. We’ll have enough hay for us, but maybe not as much to sell as I’d like. We don’t add anything between cuttings, but I would like to apply some manure from the cattle sale barn if possible this fall. How big of bales do you make?
So far, the 4430 is holding together …

[@throwback336]

@@TheBeginningFarmer we make 4x4s with a NH BR740. I have the option of making bigger but at this point we manually handle the bales quite a bit so smaller is easier. Glad the tractor's holding together.

[@TheBeginningFarmer]

@@throwback336 Nice ... in some ways I would like to make smaller bales (mostly because I could get into a less expensive baler), but the buyers around here want a 1600-1800 lb. bale that is net wrapped. So, for the time being it is much better for me to hire the baling done.

[@throwback336]

@@TheBeginningFarmer do many farmers hire custom baling? I was surprised that some farms the size of "10th generation dairyman" even hire a lot out.

[@TheBeginningFarmer]

@@throwback336 I would say there is a decent amount. There are some that have enough hay ground to justify the mower/rake, but not the baler. Having a mower and a rake allows you to have everything ready so the baler can just swing in and wrap it all up. On the other had, if you have a small amount of hay ground or no livestock it is often done on 50% shares. The landowner gets 50% and the person who mows/rakes/bales gets 50%.

[@paulwhite4627]

Hay season makes us question our decision to farm sometimes. Good luck, I hope it works out for you.

[@TheBeginningFarmer]

Haha! I hear that! In fact I just listened to a podcast episode and he said he sees hay making as a battle type thing … when there is a window when you can bale you need to be ready to go full force!