Actually it is not as quick as you would think. Traditionally it is way too early for us to be making hay. We normally don't cut hay til early-mid October when the weather warms up, but with crops dying we had no choice. The other issue with cutting crops early is that the plant is immature i.e. the seed head is still in the stem, creating multiple layers inside the stem that need to thoroughly dry before we can bale. Any moisture left in the stem could cause the hay to spontaneously combust i.e. catch fire, when it has been baled.
The 2nd year of zero water allocation is what really hurts, which sadly has been caused by government’s management more than anything else… but the drought has exasperated it. Will we be ok? Yes. Does it hurt? Yes... but we are a lot better off than so many others. In the last 18 months half of the dairy farms in our district have closed down... with more closing almost weekly. Very sad.
Little hay here as it's been a wet summer. The Barley loved it. Sugar content way up. So is every other buggers. Prices down by £20.00P/Tonne, but only if we re-screen for lights. Naughty, naughty malters. Can't blame them really as we ripped them off last year.
![[Farm-ily]](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivuDYSq5EPweb5CZ7W8NcUY4_T4lFZkLVN0DwbOwni4ZXBAAOxDyJGxvLd_RDakNspup1Q0RZBYzARRIbF_c4gb9v6EaIzJSk32VP4vEm1C7UkUYZFoueUzhGZvdTeK207GRyMDOZSIzE/s1028/76.+May+2021+Blog.jpg)
Looks dry, very dry.
ReplyDeleteI suspect it is drying only too well.
ReplyDeleteActually it is not as quick as you would think. Traditionally it is way too early for us to be making hay. We normally don't cut hay til early-mid October when the weather warms up, but with crops dying we had no choice. The other issue with cutting crops early is that the plant is immature i.e. the seed head is still in the stem, creating multiple layers inside the stem that need to thoroughly dry before we can bale. Any moisture left in the stem could cause the hay to spontaneously combust i.e. catch fire, when it has been baled.
DeleteLooks so dry! Quite a field!
ReplyDeleteLooks like a lovely weather day.
ReplyDeleteSure does look dry but what a wonderful looking sky.
ReplyDeleteThia makes me sad
ReplyDeleteWith the failure of so many crops, I hope you will all be OK...
ReplyDeleteThe 2nd year of zero water allocation is what really hurts, which sadly has been caused by government’s management more than anything else… but the drought has exasperated it. Will we be ok? Yes. Does it hurt? Yes... but we are a lot better off than so many others. In the last 18 months half of the dairy farms in our district have closed down... with more closing almost weekly. Very sad.
DeleteA perfect example of parallel lines converging.
ReplyDeleteLittle hay here as it's been a wet summer. The Barley loved it. Sugar content way up. So is every other buggers. Prices down by £20.00P/Tonne, but only if we re-screen for lights. Naughty, naughty malters. Can't blame them really as we ripped them off last year.
ReplyDeleteLove the sky!
ReplyDelete