Hay fields

[Bulldog]

I don't know about you guys but the grass is turning green and I'm ready to get back to the hay.

I'm curious what's everyone else see for the upcoming year. I'm afraid it's going to be another wet one. I spent more time in 4wd than I ever have last season and made more ruts than I could fix. How's does your ground look now and what kind of problems are you expecting?

 

[sheepfarmer]

NWS predicts for your area equal chances of darn near anything in terms of rain, and above average chances of being hotter than average! Since that's pretty hot in the summer anyway, good thing you've got a cab. . Our grass doesn't usually start to grow until around April 15, but maybe earlier this year..

 

[nickelplated5s]

Traditionally it's around the 1st of July here but the last few years have been early June. Replanted one field last fall, must be 10" already. It will be interesting to see what the yield will be.

 

[johnjk]

my hay fields are either under water or still brown up here. I'm half tempted to have it plowed under and put in some clover or alfalfa.

 

[skeets]

the fields around here would make a good mud bog, while some things are starting to green up maybe another 4 weeks untill it starts growing

 

[Kubota Newbie]

So a precip forecast for anything beyond 2 weeks is a crap shoot. Therefore right now I'm planning on "average".
Enough warm weather in Central Ohio last week to begin to green-up the wheat and rye.
A spot we mowed tight with a rotary mower two weeks ago at the office for a small pollinator plot has greened up and grown 1/4 inch or so.
Hay still looks dormant from a distance but I'd bet if you go look close at the crowns it's started to grow. Planning on frost seeding some red clover tomorrow in a couple small fields.
From a haying standpoint as soon as orchard grass is in the boot to early head stage and I have a 3-4 day window with fit ground I'll make first cutting. Last two years I've made 4 cuttings and left a late 5th standing in the field. Last year though I made 1st really early when it was hardly more than knee high. It gave me extra time to really consider making that 5th cutting, but I still paid for it in yield (total tons) since late season orchard grass doesn't really do much and even the alfalfa on 4th cutting mixed hay won't make up the total dry matter difference.
I really need to fertilize hay this spring since I didn't get it done in the fall. Right now though it's so wet.....

 

[Bulldog]

I've had a couple weeks of above average temps in the 80's so everything's starting to turn green but man it's wet. I was hoping to put litter on mine but unless someone can put it out with airplane I guess that will wait till fall. I hope we all have a good year but I'm afraid it's going to be another year we'll be thankful for 4wd.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

unless someone can put it out with airplane

Think hovercraft!

 

[Daren Todd]

Think hovercraft!

X2 for a hover craft

Fields are starting to green up here. But dang......... after 1 1/2 feet of rain in 7 days some farmers need a boat to access there fields at the moment. Others would sink to there frames if they go off the gravel.

Probably gonna have to brush hog the back yard by the time it dries out enough to get back there with the zero turn.

 

[RCW]

We're forecast for 1-2 feet of snow tomorrow.

Still 45+ days away from anybody starting tillage.

Late-May, early-June before some guys will chop hay.

Man, I'd love to see something GREEN right now!

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

Man, I'd love to see something GREEN right now!

Ditto to that statement, right now it's white white and more white.

 

[Bulldog]

Wolfman, RCW, you ask for it you got it. Here's one little hay field. I took this pic today. The dark patch is clover that's already about 5 or 6 inches tall.

I think y'all put the whammy on me talking about snow. Weather is suppose to turn cold again with frost and maybe even some snow.

This second pic is where I've been trying to feed hay. I started winter by the barn and have worked my way across the pasture into another lot. It finally got so bad I was pushing mud over my front axle so I blocked the cows off and moved to another pasture. That ain't just mud, it's cow mud. Poor old Bota smells like $hit.

 

[North Idaho Wolfman]

I'll be happy to send anyone my share of snow!

 

[jryser]

Wolfman u can keep that!!! [emoji31]


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[RCW]

Meanwhile, couple thousand miles east of North Idaho........no sap coming from those sugar maples.

16” of wet snow today.

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[North Idaho Wolfman]

Meanwhile, couple thousand miles east of North Idaho

Well I'm just happy to see I'm not the only one with snow!

 

[Bulldog]

If it helps I heard today we might get 2 inches of snow.

 

[JerryMT]

If it helps I heard today we might get 2 inches of snow.

We got another three inches of very wet snow yesterday and our fields are still covered with the white stuff. Our long range forecast calls for a wet early spring and a dry April and May so it looks like early start to the irrigation season and maybe haying in early June rather than late June. But then this is Western Montana...if you don't like the weather, wait a minute!

 

[RCW]

If it helps I heard today we might get 2 inches of snow.

Nah, doesn’t help Bulldog. You should be seeing spring much earlier than we do. We’re in sugar season here with maple syrup.
They’re already hollerin’ about another storm coming next week. Might be the one bringing snow to you.
Winter gets longer as you get older....


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