Cutting Hay
Recently, I caught up with Harland mowing hay.
Well, he would have liked to have been mowing hay, but the mower had broken down, and so he had switched out his farmer’s hat for a mechanic’s hat.
But soon, he had the problem fixed and was back up and running.
We cut and bale our own hay to feed our cattle through the winter. This is done once a year, usually in late June. Harland looks closely at the weather forecast before he cuts hay as he needs several days of warm dry weather.
The first day the hay is cut. Harland pulls the mower around and around the field cutting and leaving the hay in a neat windrow around the field. The hay is left to lie in the sun until it is cured, or dried, in the sun. Curing the hay ensures that it will store well, and not mold.
Here’s a short video of Harland making hay while the sun shines:
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Two days after cutting, Harland heads back to the field to bale the hay.
Come on back tomorrow to see how hay is baled.
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———-> Thursday: Watch as Harland bales the hay into large round bales.
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Oh, Suzanne you have no idea how much I enjoy your crop harvesting stories. They just really take me back. And I get such a kick outta seeing your machinery – so different than what we had way back when! Cutting hay was alot different. And I remember my stepdad did his with horses pulling – wow. He finally got a tractor. Thanks for the fun.
So glad to share with you Doe of Mi. Wow, that must have been really hard labor to cut hay with horses. He must have been so pleased when he got the tractor. And the horses were probably relieved too. 🙂
I love it when guys can fix anything. I love a competant man. My Dad was like that, and so is my husband. It’s always a treat to watch the videos you post. I like how the cutter rolls along to the side instead of behind and then when he turns the corner it just pivots…very cool!
Thanks Bonnie. My dad was like that too!
I have never seen a mower and windrow machine together. How great!!! My husband would love to have that. We only have 3 horses and a pony to provide hay for during the winter, but 400 square bales are alot of work for two senior citizens. I can relate to Doe of Mi, over the years we also have worked with horses and mules to put up hay. I never was so happy when my dad was able to buy a tractor and then a hay baler. No more loose hay put up in the barns or hay stacks in the meadows!!!!
Suzanne, I love your website. I always check it out several times a day. Thank you.
Thank you Rosane for visiting!
I remember as a kid farmers cut the hay with sickle bars and then came back to rake it into windrows. This all in one mower is a great fuel saver.
Sorry, also wanted to say my husband does all his own mechanic work. I always tell him he is a Jack of all trades. His reply is and a master of none.
Harland would probably say the same. 🙂
Enjoyed the video and laughed aloud at the pun…making hay while the sun shines! Great job Suzanne.
Thanks Pat. 🙂