Author Topic: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay  (Read 7910 times)

symber

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Moray
Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« on: May 31, 2015, 10:26:23 am »
Hello,

  can I cut grass with a topper and then bale it?  I've been told that I can, but I've also been told that I can't, as a topper doesn't cut the grass "the right way".

  What sort of mower should I use if not a topper?  I'll be doing this with an International 454...

Thanks for any advice :)

Me

  • Joined Feb 2014
  • Wild West
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #1 on: May 31, 2015, 11:11:37 am »
I do know a person who set the topper to lowest poss and used it to cut hay - I never asked him how he got on though!

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #2 on: May 31, 2015, 11:37:51 am »
The topper just chops the grass stems into small mushy pieces.  You need a proper hay mower which lays the long stems in an orderly way without bruising them - ours has twin rotary discs and a skirt like a hovercraft  :D.  Or you could use an Allen scythe, or even a manual scythe if you don't have much to do.  You will then need to turn it for a few days until it's dry before you can bale it, unless you wilt, bale and wrap, in which case you can make silage or haylage
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

symber

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Moray
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #3 on: May 31, 2015, 07:08:50 pm »
Thanks both for your advice and knowledge on this.

That's what I thought - one of my neighbours swore blind a topper would be fine, so it just made me wonder...

Can I pose another question?  What are the relative merits of a finger-bar cutter compared to a disk cutter?

Thanks :)

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #4 on: May 31, 2015, 08:29:29 pm »
Price and ease of use.  Disc mower is ideal - ours was second hand and needs some maintenance every now and then.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

Marches Farmer

  • Joined Dec 2012
  • Herefordshire
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2015, 05:39:53 pm »
Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

Fleecewife

  • Joined May 2010
  • South Lanarkshire
    • ScotHebs
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2015, 05:45:17 pm »
Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

Yes and no - too much turning smashes up the stalks, which then lose some of the nutritional content.  Need to maintain a happy medium - turn enough to dry it, not so much you smash it.
"Let's not talk about what we can do, but do what we can"

There is NO planet B - what are YOU doing to save our home?

Do something today that your future self will thank you for - plant a tree

 Love your soil - it's the lifeblood of your land.

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2015, 07:11:03 pm »
A 5'6" drum mower will be your best option, plenty around, easy to use and maintain,  fingers are old hat now and in inexperienced hands can easily be broken......disc mowers are few and far between to suit a 454.

If you haven't bought anything yet, consider putting your money in your hay turner...you only cut grass once a year, but will need to turn it a minimum of daily for at least a week before rowing it up...that's at least seven operations.

You might get a local farmer or vintage enthusiast to mow it....
« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 03:04:55 pm by stufe35 »

symber

  • Joined Apr 2012
  • Moray
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #8 on: June 03, 2015, 07:55:36 pm »
Hello all,

  thanks for your help and advice - it's much appreciated.

  I'm keen to do the whole process myself - cutting, turning and baling.  I have an old square baler I'm fixing, I have a tractor, I have a topper I've borrowed but the only thing I'm missing is a mower of some sort.

   I've not looked at drum mowers yet - time to spend some more time on ebay :)

  Thanks for your help :)

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #9 on: June 04, 2015, 03:03:00 pm »
What acreage ? And have you a turner ?
« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 03:10:14 pm by stufe35 »

stufe35

  • Joined Jan 2013
Re: Cutting Grass and Baling Hay
« Reply #10 on: June 04, 2015, 03:07:49 pm »
Read a study last year that recommended turning the crop for the first time within 45 minutes of cutting, for the shortest time drying it.  The more you turn it the quicker it will make.

Realistically I think its sunshine you need to make hay....you can turn it all day , without sunshine you wont get hay......no point in turning it if the bit on top hasn't dried significantly.
« Last Edit: June 04, 2015, 09:14:03 pm by stufe35 »

 

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