Farmerjan's journal - Weather

[Mini Horses]

They say -- bad things come in threes. You got those all in one day gotta get better. Nowhere to go but up.

 

[farmerjan]

They say -- bad things come in threes. You got those all in one day gotta get better. Nowhere to go but up.

 

[farmerjan]

71 overnight. No relief. Sun just hit recording thermometer sensor... 100 with the sun directly on it... NOT the way you want to start the day...at 8:30 in the morning.
Y'all please take TEXAS weather back....

Heading for the tractor and the rake... DS says he can't get the 4600 ford fixed has to order the tie rod ends... the JD has a cab and AC... it is just so big and bulky a tractor...guess I will be thankful for the AC today. He is going to hitch up the little Massey to the side delivery rake to do the small fields at Deb's... I will do the 2 bigger fields with the JD and the wheel rake.
He put another tire on the baler last night off the "spare parts baler", and took 2 down to the co-op and left them to get tires put on. The sad thing is the baler sits for months and the tires get dry rot... not like we are running it during the winter...
Watered and fed chickens, turkeys out and feeder and waterer full, Ate some cereal... heading out the door.

 

[fuzzi]

When you rake the fields what happens, does it get cut?

Suburban gal here, learning, ever learning.

 

[farmerjan]

Fields grow... hay gets cut... then tedded sometimes to get it to dry faster (think whirly gig fluffing/throwing hay in the air)... then it gets raked into windrows so that the baler can go down and pick it up to bale it. Raking gets it up off the ground so it dries underneath... flips the underneath part up to the sun... plus lifting it so the air can flow through it too.
There are countless sites... type in hay rake types... the 256 side delivery rake is the old standard... tractor rides over top the cut swath of hay, rake pulled directly behind, and the rake will lift it and it has lots of metal teeth that feed it off to the side... hence side delivery... rakes one row at a time.
We also have a 14 wheel V-rake... 7 wheels on a side... most around here are 5 on a side... but this was part of the equipment that DS bought from doug's estate... it opens up and normally we rake 2 rows together at the same time so much more efficient... "folds/rolls" the hay into the middle to make a larger windrow for baling.. it also will adjust with hydraulics in and out so can actually rake 3 rows... used for sparse/light amounts of hay. Helps to save time and fuel with baling... plus the balers are geared to have a certain minimal amount of hay to go through them... so don't bale as tight if the hay is too sparse. We normally do not rake more than 2 rows together..... so you drive down between the swaths of hay on the ground and the wheels catch the hay on both sides and it rolls it into a windrow and comes out the "bottom of the "V", in the back...

 

[farmerjan]

I 'm home for a bit. raked part of the 2 biggest fields at Deb's with the JD and DS came with the little Massey tractor and hooked up the side delivery rake and I was on that for a couple hours. Got all of Deb's raked. Takes longer with the side delivery rake since it only does 1 row at a time... but it is so easy to go around the trees and along the fences, in and out of tighter corners and stuff. Only downfall is it does not raise up so you have a harder time going from one spot to another without dragging the hay ... but I really do prefer to rake with it in all the tighter spots. They do make newer ones that you can lift up, with the 3 pt hitch on the back of the tractor somehow. BUT not going to be one of those here... You rake in one direction... then come back on the next row in the opposite direction, and rake it against the 1st row... so double the tractor time...compared to the wheel rake that rakes 2 into each other... but it requires hydraulic hoses/hookups... and the side delivery rake works off the wheels turning and driving it... so doesn't need any hydraulics... simpler...called ground driven because it turns when the wheels turn. The wheel rake also works on the principle of the wheels turn as the rake is pulled... but the wheels lift up and down for corners and such... to not drag the hay everywhere....They were such a big improvement over the old "dump rakes"..... that were a big improvement over raking hay by hand....

So, got here about 3.... DS sent GF to come get me, we went and got my car where I left it at the field yesterday when I brought the tractor and rake to the field across from my house...then left the car at DS's so close to where I am going with tractor/rake next.... ate a little lunch. sitting cooling off. I will go back to Deb's in the other car.. and get back on the tractor around 4:30 or so. Go back to raking... Deb's is alot closer to have someone drop me off to pick up a vehicle than over in the subdivision where it was... but in case of a breakdown, it helps to have a vehicle to drive. Plus, you are not dependent on someone at a certain time...

It's hot... 95... there is no breeze either... Not looking forward to getting back on the tractor yet. Maybe will get the JD with the AC and go do the bigger fields in doug's subdivision across from DS's house... then do the little fields later when it cools off and the sun goes down. They all have to get raked ... my house, snyder's section, the small fields at DS's house and the bigger fields in the subdivision... It's a little after 4... guess 5 is the new "start time"....

Yeah, I am dragging my feet a bit., It's still DA#@ed hot out there.

 

[farmerjan]

Heading to get tractor... It's still 92 in the shade... unreal for here. Humidity is wicked... plan to use JD... turn all the hay "up/over"... then rake with the massey and side delivery rake in the morning on the 5 little fields....I can take the heat first thing before it gets stifling.... and DS can use the JD with the AC to bale... the compressor blew up yesterday, on the Agco, so he has no AC...closed in cab when baling with the round baler due to dust etc.... forgot that made 4 strikes yesterday.... gotta get better......

 

[fuzzi]

Fields grow... hay gets cut... then tedded sometimes to get it to dry faster (think whirly gig fluffing/throwing hay in the air)... then it gets raked into windrows so that the baler can go down and pick it up to bale it. Raking gets it up off the ground so it dries underneath... flips the underneath part up to the sun... plus lifting it so the air can flow through it too.
There are countless sites... type in hay rake types... the 256 side delivery rake is the old standard... tractor rides over top the cut swath of hay, rake pulled directly behind, and the rake will lift it and it has lots of metal teeth that feed it off to the side... hence side delivery... rakes one row at a time.
We also have a 14 wheel V-rake... 7 wheels on a side... most around here are 5 on a side... but this was part of the equipment that DS bought from doug's estate... it opens up and normally we rake 2 rows together at the same time so much more efficient... "folds/rolls" the hay into the middle to make a larger windrow for baling.. it also will adjust with hydraulics in and out so can actually rake 3 rows... used for sparse/light amounts of hay. Helps to save time and fuel with baling... plus the balers are geared to have a certain minimal amount of hay to go through them... so don't bale as tight if the hay is too sparse. We normally do not rake more than 2 rows together..... so you drive down between the swaths of hay on the ground and the sheels catch the hay on both sides and it rolls it into a windrow and comes out the bottom of the "V" in the back...

Thank you. I can look up stuff online, but YOU make more sense.

 

[farmerjan]

Went and did some raking... got snyder's piece, one small front field at neighbor's house because it was straight rows and no fences or trees near it.. then went across the road in front of DS and did 3 "sections"... 2 separate lots that still haven't had houses built on them yet. but DS said one will have a house built this year so probably last time we cut it. There were so many flags and markers for the septic lines and stuff that it was like an obstacle course. Then there is a 1/2 lot from one house and 1/2 lot from another house that are back to back... they don't want to mow all that grass. SO, why the HE// buy that much land if you don't want to mow it... This is in "doug's" subdivision ; used to be his 160 acre farm that he sold off for development... and he went and built a huge house and wound up with a huge mtg... his cancer came back again... he passed away and his wife finally sold us his half of this other farm that he and his brother bought so she could pay off the mtg on the house... he gained nothing in life and she is lucky that there was at least this property she could sell to be able to pay off the mtg... He was one of the "champagne appetite... with a beer pocket book" type of people all his life... wheel and deal, and always was in debt...

Anyway... got them all raked and DS had gone and tedded out the big field he mowed down in the back there...then he came back and baled everything I had raked. I could have stayed and raked another one or 2 but decided I had had enough. Tomorrow I will get the little massey with the side delivery rake and do the small lots there by his house, also my house that needs the little tractor to get around in... then there will be the big 11 acre field and one more lot that is about 4-5 acres.
They will get raked one way or another in the morning and then hopefully baled by tomorrow evening.

Got 2 dr appts Wed..have to leave by 9:30 a.m. One at 11 the other at 3... but they are both south so one trip for 2 appts...and there is a 30% chance of storms now for Wed aft/eve... so would really like to get it all up before then. Wont's get home before 6-7 as the appt at 3 might mean 4-4:30... he is ALWAYS way behind.. DS likes to get in at the 8 a.m. appts... but they are hard to get. At least then we can be out of there by 9 or 9:30... go to Rural King or whatever... With these 2 appts we can go to Rural King inbetween the appts.. get whatever we are needing... then come straight home after the dr appt.

DS texted me that another friend had a major breakdown with his baler...DS said it was bad.... so now DS will be going there to bale his hay tomorrow too... always something. Several of the guys on the Cattle Today forum had problems, breakdowns yesterday too... Must be in the air....

I'm going in to get a shower and go to bed... Gotta get going early tomorrow and get hay raked... Sun will be on several of the fields there early... no trees for it to some up over... and it will take a little bit with the massey since it has the side delivery rake.... single row at a time.

 

[farmerjan]

I'd like to hear more about your walk behind trimmer. I might be interested...

Okay... I didn't forget. I got the BATTERY riding mower last year... Greenworks brand... because I do not want to deal with oil, gas, spark plugs, carburetors... all that... I got their self propelled "push mower" the year before and like the quietness of it... So I decided that I would finally get the riding mower.. wanted the tractor type, not the zero turn type... and it wasn't cheap... nearly 4 g .. but I put half down and got 0% financing for the other half for 12 months so I took it... and was glad of it... It was paid off in April.
Last year I got a wheeled walk behind trimmer on the advice of @Mike CHS ... Not that expensive.. under $200.. and I used it and like it. BUT, with the shoulder problems, I cannot pull it to start it very easy... and it is an "engine" so needs gas and all that... When I had a good day, I could pull it and get it to start, I used it. The wheels make it easy to get around... it cuts more than the push type mower as it targets the weeds, tall grass all that...
Then I saw where Greenworks had a walk behind wheeled trimmer... and I read up on it... and it was out of stock with a wait list... It is in the same 60v "family" as my mowers etc... so batteries are interchangeable... and I decided to spring for it. It is not cheap... around $500 without the battery... I have several and with just me, not like they are all being used at once like if a family had several kids that were wanting to do all the mowing trimming etc all at once... So, I got on the wait list, then all of a sudden they were back in stock... so I paid for it and they shipped it to me...

It can come with a battery and charger... but I got the one without because I have several batteries... sometimes it is a better deal to get things with the battery since they are expensive... $100-200 each according to the amp.... I have a couple of 4 amp and the 8 amp ones that came with the riding mower... But this being in such great demand, no "specials" offered... like with a battery for an extra $50 or something...

The only thing I had to do is attach the handle... it doesn't fold up... and that was a simple job. Had a charged battery and so I tried it out. It will hold 2 batteries, so longer run time... I have some from the push mower so not a problem.

SIMPLE to put the "trimmer cords" in it... a single cord goes through a hole in the base, wraps once around a loop on each side... and you are good to go. It comes with a trimmer cord in it and an extra 10... I will see if I can find some similar in size,,,, maybe at Lowe's.... but you can order it by the roll or by precut to length cords.
You push in on the button, then pull/squeeze the bar along the handle and it starts... It will only run when you hold the bar on the handle... stops immediately when you let go...
\Well balanced, big back wheels on it; it can rest on the "ball" which is below where the string goes... and it says it is adjustable for height... so you can trim higher than the factory preset... I haven't gone so far as to change it... it will really scalp the stuff close to the ground, if you rest it on the "ball" . It is easy to tip back just a bit to move it around if the ground is real uneven... and it is not awkward balanced or anything...

SO FAR, I really like it..... Not the price... BUT... no sore shoulder or not being able to get it started, which gives me more incentive to mow/clean up around the split rail fence and such... I want to really chop up/scalp everything so I can plant the irises along/under the fence... they are all in pots... and I have a climbing rose I want to put there at one of the posts....... and the easiest thing is to just clean it all out with this...maybe put down some black plastic to kill the grass/weeds... then pile on the wood chips for mulch after I get the stuff planted... plus I did the section right in front of the house where there is all sorts of weedy trash growing... scalped it right to the ground... just what I wanted...
And no heavy weed eater to hold or to even put on a shoulder sling thing to help hold it... That's a plus for me.