Before the rakes hit the field, the windrows are a bit on the flat side. The windrows flatten out as they cure and the rakes come in, combine two windrows into one and re-fluff the hay.
It is hard to see the full process from just the photos, but the rakes pick up two windrows and roll them into one new, larger windrow. This speeds up the curing process of the hay and makes it easier for our big balers to do their job.
The raking process usually starts very, very early in the morning, around 4 AM or so, depending on the weather conditions. The morning these shots were taken, I was outside around 5:45 AM and the sun was just starting to lighten the morning sky. I was in flip-flops, shorts and a sweatshirt.........it was 40 degrees outside!!
Hayman and Mr. B. will spend four hours raking a pivot of hay into larger windrows.
Once the field is raked, the rows are left to cure another several days before the balers are brought in to do their job.
While I was waiting for the process to start, I snapped shots of other stuff around the field. It is amazing what early morning light and a little flash can change a rather dull looking plant into.
Up next..........the baling process.............so stay tuned.
5 comments:
Hay is done here. I think my FIL is SO happy. LOL! Cool pics though!
Hello Ms Desert Hen! I've missed coming around for a visit!
(Between Wild Blue Internet calling me "unfriendly" now it's the Wild Blue Yonder interferring...not sure who "IT" thinks is unfriendly, me or WB Internet.I had to upgrade! yep! just to get going here again! Once the levels 'drop' I'll downgrade..it's been slower than dialup!!)
I love watching the whole hay process! When we lived in AZ those 5 yrs...I couldn't. Just could only hear them as they did it all in the middle of the nites!
Love your last photo!
(did you go back inside and snuggle under the covers Lady??)
Oh, yes, these morning shots are wonderful!
So is a "pivot" of hay, the hay contained in the area irrigated by one irrigating machine? (I don't know the correct name.) I'm assuming you use irrigation. And, for sure you don't need that rain which is forecast then! I certainly hope it holds off so you get your haying done!
Your raking procedure sounds similar to ours.....the bringing together of two windrows to make one larger one for the baler to pick up.
Thanks for stopping by everyone......=)
W.O.W.....its good to have you back...=) I have paused my music so you and others can come read my blog and not get "in trouble". Mean old internet companies!! No, I didn't get to go back to sleep the morning I took these. I had to stay up and get busy with my day. I did manage to get an extra cup of coffee to warm me up though...=)
Scrappy Girl......so lucky that haying is done in your area. We are facing bad weather this weekend and we still have three pivots of hay on the ground.
Jeannelle....one circle of hay, about 125 to 130 acres is irrigated by one pivot...it is an automated pivot that moves in a circle dispersing water over the field through drop tubes with sprinklers on the end of each tube. I will try to post a picture so you can see.....I'm not very good with explaining it. ( Hayman just told me that most of the pivots are made in Hastings, Nebraska. )
I hope the last few days have been warm enough to dry out the hay on the ground, maybe they can get it baled before the next bad weather hits towards the end of the week. Got my fingers crossed. The pictures are very good of the hay fields and the color is really great. M
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