Harvest

[Esmae]

Has anyone managed to make and store any hay as yet? Getting a little concerned here.

 

[rabatsa]

Smug as we made ours in June. Most years I would be watching the forecast about now though.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Yes we made la batch of lovely hay early on and another small pile just to tidy a field. The hay I want though is from a really old water meadow and we aren’t allowed to cut it til sometime in July I think so we couldn’t do that early and now it’s not really looking very likely unfortunately.
Especially as the farm and oh are trying to actually harvest crops which of course has priority.
I’m lucky in that I have enough with the first batch but really do want the meadow hay as it’s softer so better for my ponies. One bring old and one having faecal water.

 

[HorsesRule2009]

Lots taken around us in June, but still lots to come off, hopefully the weather breaks soon

 

[Jambarissa]

There was a bumper crop in June, we probably got about 30% more than usual. But who knows whether the weather will improve enough for a decent second cut. I'm imagining it will but these days you cannot be sure.

 

[Carlosmum]

Made lots of silage/haylage earlier in Jume. but no hay as yet. Many of our fields cant be cut until after 15th July and its done nothing but rain since then.

 

[Muddy unicorn]

One of our local farmers took 60 round bales for silage off two of our fields in June and is supposed to be taking hay off our meadow soon - he’s going to do some small bales for me and take the rest for his cows but it hasn’t stopped raining and I’m getting a bit anxious … this is our first year here - what do you do if hay-making doesn’t happen?

 

[Indy]

Got a lot in June but still got a lot left to da. Barley's ready as well....

 

[PinkvSantaboots]

My hay man did most of his in June he cut his last field this week but his had to wrap that as his barns are full up from the first batch, he reckons his got double the amount compared to last year.

 

[SEL]

They were flying around the fields here on Fri - but I think we've been drier in the SE. The farmer I buy off took a big crop in June and I saw his tractors with more bales last week.

My old yard did take late Aug one year. Wasn't hugely appetising but great for my fatties

 

[irishdraft]

We did our hay in early June but others around me were furiously rowing & baling last Thursday but at lunchtime we had a horrendous hour of torrential rain so must have caught them out but it's probably hay for sheep & cattle so maybe not so much of an issue. It's looking difficult for harvest the other crops tho.

 

[ameeyal]

we made 750 conventional bales in early June, but we only cut half of our fields as the other half wasn’t ready , it’s now slowly getting past it, and our hay customers are using this years hay as we have run out of last years hay.

 

[tda]

Same here, both hay and haylage got in June, one neighbour couldn't do it then and so still hasn't started

 

[teacups]

When is it too late to cut hay?

 

[tda]

If it's still standing probably early Sept ?

 

[Britestar]

Ours is rarely cut before August.
Far north though..

 

[SEL]

we made 750 conventional bales in early June, but we only cut half of our fields as the other half wasn’t ready , it’s now slowly getting past it, and our hay customers are using this years hay as we have run out of last years hay.

When you say past it - still good enough fodder if lower quality or not even good enough to bale?

 

[Horseysheepy]

We still have lots of hay to make!

We are really hoping for this dry spell predicted end of August to early September. We made some on June, wish we'd have got it all done but struggled to get our friend to mow it all.

 

[maya2008]

All our local farmers cut in June.

 

[honetpot]

A lot cut in June here Cambs, but we have had so much rain that there will be a second cut. I have known cut as late as early October as a lot of it is natural grass meadows and it dries quickly.

 

[MurphysMinder]

My field is often cut in August or even early September so I'm not worrying yet. It wasn't ready in June and needed the rain but enough is enough !

 

[HeresHoping]

It's going to be fun when it does dry out. The rain and thunderstorms have flattened a few wheat fields around here. Most of the barley was in, though, thank goodness. We were on 2nd cut of hay in some places. Those late with the first cut are going to have very seedy hay.

 

[PurBee]

We’ve had rain every day or over night since the summer solstice here in west ireland. My hay field is past it and i even spotted an ergot head so will have to flail it down and feed the soil instead! Silver linings and all that..
Other crops are suffering too with all the rain and no sunshine….a shoite summer, as wet as 2012, which i never thought i’d say again!

It’s been a brutal july here. Rain every single hour this weekend too. I have reseeding to do, and am crossing fingers there will be a good end of summer/beginning of autumn.

We had a mini heatwave end of may here into june, so a bit early for any haymakers locally , so i imagine they’ve all suffered this year. I’ll be importing it again this year!

 

[SantaVera]

Long range weather forecast is for dry possible above average temperatures mid August

 

[AmyMay]

All the fields around here took hay and some haylage in June. It was wonderful to see field after field with hay in them rather than wrapped haylage. More cuts were taken last week. Silage this time. I expect there will be another cut in August. Absolute bumper year.

 

[Ratface]

We got all ours done in June. Quite enough to keep our little retired herd going until well into next year. We also have a barn full of last year's crop, and some of the year before that, which is comforting.

 

[Flowerofthefen]

Still waiting to do ours.

 

[Horseysheepy]

We got all ours done in June. Quite enough to keep our little retired herd going until well into next year. We also have a barn full of last year's crop, and some of the year before that, which is comforting.

There's something very comforting about seeing a shed full of fodder for the coming winter to feed the horses. Like a full pantry!.

 

[Esmae]

Hmm, we are till waiting for small bale hay to be made here. Hoping against hope that we get some decent weather next month to get it in. Glad that lots of you have done yours. Mine has never been this late. Crossing fingers for 2nd cuts

 

[dominobrown]

We got ours in the beginning of July, it got rained on once though but was dry enough to bale (haylage) but loads hasn't been cut around us yet. One neighbour did his at the same time, other neighbour gave us funny looks but glad its done now. Its rained everyday in July here apart from the 2 when we did the hay.