Baling the last hay of 2023!
912
Published 2023-12-08
2023 was one of the most difficult years I’ve ever had, but with the most astounding 6536 bale record. So many farms struggled this year, and my heart goes out to each of them. To wind up with a success feels wildly unfair yet miraculous.
Through it all, I somehow broke my all-time record by 850 bales (my July self would have perished from shock). A total of 6536 bales this year (4139 first cut, 2164 second , 233 third). 50 acres. 75 hay days. 5/14 through 10/4.
May saw the earliest start (5/14!) and the most pre-June bales I’ve ever made.
Then the rain started. June and July were a game of “The floor is lava”, as I moved my hay circus all over town just trying to find dry ground. By July I was having nightmares about never finishing first cut, and even had to pivot to early second cut on drier fields.
I was resigned to a terrible year as we rolled into August, and it took a bit to realize that the weather had shifted. Still a battle to find dry ground, and remaining first cut was comically late, but with a varied acreage base and different soil types and rainfall amounts, I realized being spread out was my biggest asset, even if exhausting. I had options.
Suddenly I had unprecedented second cut yields, and an 8-day stretch into September saw 19 acres and 1360 bales knocked out in a single muti-batch go, finally finishing first cut and making a huge dent in second.
Final second & third cut gleanings finished out the year on fields that had only been regrowing since early August. (By then the second cut was third growth, which solidified that this year was “a haying version of ‘Who’s on First’”.)
2023 was emotional whiplash. I feel beyond lucky, though also proud that I leveraged a lot of elbow grease and never took “it’s too wet” for an answer. Every possible weather window I was out the door early to “don the ole galoshes” and walk fields until I found something dry enough to try.
Thank you to EVERYONE who was so helpful this year - bale helpers, the nicest and most understanding hay customers and land owners, other generous farmers, and of course the cheering section - both local and on this wonderful youtube community I'm now lucky enough to be a part of. I’m beyond grateful.
Thanks for following along!!
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(We are a 53-acre haying operation in Conway, MA - making all small square bales for the local food, fiber, and livestock community. Learn more about our farm at windrowfarmconway.com, or follow us on instagram @windrow.farm)
Equipment List:
Massey Ferguson 275 Tractor
Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor
Massey Ferguson 135 Tractor
Vermeer TM610 disc mower
Vicon RS410T Tedder
New Holland 256 hay rake
Massey Ferguson 124 baler (with New Holland 70 bale thrower)
Four kicker wagons
Delmhorst FX-2000 Hay Moisture Meter
Sundown Fertilizer Spreader
All Comments (7)
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Excellent! The old MF tractors and baler still delivering the mail…👍
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I enjoyed watching your hay video and making me wish I was out doing it now instead of looking at the snow! 😂
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Great post! Kudos getting decent yield on third cut. I grew up in the same environment, all farms, rural, every family knew the others, we all looked out for one another. All gone now, bulldozed away and McMansions built where the 300 year old loam used to be. I envy you sir. I certainly enjoyed your posts this season. Top shelf. Cheers.
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there should be a shut off on the bottom of the fuel tank.
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the pump needs a seal kit and so you know there is a screen in your lift pump probably needs to be cleaned . when it's dirty it makes the injector pump pull for it's fuel.
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Why do you swing the camera about so much , it makes it difficult to focus on what you are doing .