Think I have missed the boat on getting hay done

thanks myhorsefred - everyones way of doing haylage seems to be different but I would rather it a bit dry than wet - having haylage itself isnt an issue so no need to swap for hay (mine prefer haylage) but its just the cost - about another £2 per bale to have it done as same cost cutting and turning & baling as hay and then the wrap and wrapping is £2 per bale which is fair enough and I know there is more feed value in a bale compared to hay.

Checking with local farmer this morning to see if he can cut and turn it for me then if he can will be on the phone to a couple of small balers to see if they can do the baling ! its never simple !! on the upside if the forecast changes for Friday and stays good I may get hay after all (or nothing if local guy cant do it !)

Onwards and upwards !
 
Izzyella said:
I'm in the same boat. Contractors dad has died so he's not feeling like doing anthing! Had a back-up farmer ready but his mower's just blown up! Am starting to feel like this wasn't meant to be...
On the plus side my farmer friend (who unfortunately doesn't cut her own so can't help me out)~ reckons we'll have good weather again in two weeks time. If we don't cut tomorrow we'll wait a fortnight.
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Izzy, why don't you connect the two people? If one has the equipment and the other needs to cut, maybe they can help each other out and split the profit? :)
 
My grass has fallen over and rotted at the roots so just going to have it topped and hopefully get a cut late August! Not the end of the world if I didn't get a cut this year but it would be nice!
 
have just spent morning on phone ringing every farmer I know - all with same (not unexpected) answer of too busy. I have someone who at a push could mow and turn (although they are v busy and dont really want to push them to do it) and someone who can wrap if haylage but not a small baler !!

Feel relieved as i have now abandoned this bit of weather as a no-go and will have to wait along with most other people - letting horses eat the edge (which isnt normally cut anyway) to rest other field and will have hay if at all possible as hay works out at £1.20 ish per bale all in and haylage more like £3.5 upwards !!!!!

Mine isnt an option to get topped and not baled as it is thick lush grass above your knees so would just rot on the ground !

Good luck to everyone else and lets hope the forecast is wrong and we get some more good weather soon !
 
I spoke to our Local Farmer on Saturday. He said he walked the fields and the grass and ground is still far too wet (Im in Hertfordshire). He said ideally they need 7-10 dry sunny days before they can cut the fields for hay! They have done one lot of haylage and doing a 2nd cut again this week. He said there will be lots of Haylage around but not much hay!
 
Our fields are bone dry and apart from morning dew grass is pretty dry too. Just hoping for another good bit of weather soonish !!

Hopefully we should at least avoid as much rain for the rest of summer !
 
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