A Ranchers Harvest

With each season comes a new harvest and currently we are cutting hay. This became a necessity when hard winters hit our ancestors and livestock were lost in alarming numbers. Soon after, ranchers started irrigating and growing hay to stockpile for the long winter months.

This is a tradition and necessity for us. We start irrigating in May and generally start by mid to late July on our first, and only, cutting of hay. While my ancestors used horses to pull their equipment, we have advanced greatly. The oldest piece of equipment we use, a 1970s New Holland Haybine, is but isn’t ancient so some of us. Age is a touchy subject, so let’s move on...

We have several pieces of equipment that either will cut and condition the hay, rake, and bale the hay. For some of you, this is old news and a task you do each year, but this post is for those of my followers who don’t. The swather (see above) is one of two that we have. This cuts the hay and conditions it which helps the hay dry faster. These rows of cut hay will dry to below 18% moisture before the next step. This magic number helps us make better hay. We are trying to avoid raking wet hay and thus baling it. This will make for moldy hay which no creature on this earth will eat, no matter the weather. The AgraTronix Moisture Probe helps us achieve the right moisture content (see picture below).

We fill a five-gallon bucket with a section of the raked hay (windrow) and push the probe down into the hay. It will show the moisture content of the hay in a percentage or indicate low ( LO ) moisture content.

After all the hay is raked, my husband France will then go over these rows and bale the hay into large round bales. The ranch bought a newer Vermeer baler several years ago which made a big difference in the quality of the hay and time it takes to make a bale. From start to finish, it takes France about 2.5 minutes which makes a big difference!

Right now, we are about halfway done and everyone is settled into their jobs. My Dad is cutting hay with our disk mower, Mom is raking, France is bailing, and I am picking up and stacking hay with help from our friend Curt. We hope to be done by the end of the month if the weather holds and the equipment doesn't break down.