OT: Outguessing the forecasters

[oliver1850]

It never fails that when we get a decent forecast for field work, within a day or two the forecast will change. When I mowed hay on Thursday, they were predicting an unheard of full week ahead with no rain. By Saturday morning they were saying chance of rain during the day, better chance Saturday night. At 2 PM with the hay ready to bale there were light sprinkles so I waited. At 4 PM the sun was out so I raked it up, knowing I would have all I could manage to get it baled and inside by dark with no help. For once, I made the right decision. I had the bulk of it baled and inside before dark, with only 25 bales to pick up off the ground later. By 11 or so it was raining hard enough to have the roads wet, but this field was done.

[Steve in SLO]

Glad you beat the rain. That is beautiful country.

[Louis]

I raked it up, knowing I would have all I could manage to get it baled and inside by dark with no help. For once, I made the right decision. I had the bulk of it baled and inside before dark, with only 25 bales to pick up off the ground later.

Who needs cross-training, when there's real work to be done?

Before and after farming pictures of the OP. At least you already had a good tan...

https://www.atwistedspoke.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/2899356-til-bt-forskud-michael-rasmussen.jpg

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/dc/fd/34/dcfd3428eb693456c287ed1656b61b1c.jpg

[unterhausen]

I'm trying to imagine how you do that by yourself. I have helped a couple of times when I was a teenager, it's really tough work.

[Blue Jays]

@oliver1850, that pic with the fully-stacked trailer of hay could be a family postcard.
Glad you were able to accomplish that huge amount of work before the rain arrived.

[Tickdoc]

Man, that brings back memories. Don't see many square bales around here anymore. Hot, dusty summer nights and sore all over.

[paredown]

I'm trying to imagine how you do that by yourself. I have helped a couple of times when I was a teenager, it's really tough work.

That's what I remember! Bales so freaking heavy that I could barely move them--scratchy, itchy, sneezing.

Chapeau!

[charliedid]

Beautiful

That looks very rewarding.

[Spinner]

Thanks for the trip down memory lane. In my youth, I spent many days stacking bales on a wagon and in the haymow too. It's always good to see a well stacked load.

[thwart]

@oliver1850, that pic with the fully-stacked trailer of hay could be a family postcard.
Glad you were able to accomplish that huge amount of work before the rain arrived.

+100.

That image would make a great card.

[Red Tornado]

It never fails that when we get a decent forecast for field work, within a day or two the forecast will change. When I mowed hay on Thursday, they were predicting an unheard of full week ahead with no rain. By Saturday morning they were saying chance of rain during the day, better chance Saturday night. At 2 PM with the hay ready to bale there were light sprinkles so I waited. At 4 PM the sun was out so I raked it up, knowing I would have all I could manage to get it baled and inside by dark with no help. For once, I made the right decision. I had the bulk of it baled and inside before dark, with only 25 bales to pick up off the ground later. By 11 or so it was raining hard enough to have the roads wet, but this field was done.

The one thing I miss about the midwest is the time I spent farming; helping out uncle, family friend and later on father & brother-in-laws. Nice to see someone still doing small square bales. Seems like the world has shifted to large square or round.
At first I thought the tractor pulling the baler might be the 1850 in your avatar. But the avatar pic doesn't look to have a loader, so I'm guessing 1650 or 1600 based on the single light in the left side fender? Didn't know Ford made a baler, either.
In the second pic is that a 66, 77, 88 or a Super? Kinda going by how the grill looks. Like the short exhaust, is that a muffler with the top missing or straight pipe? If straight pipe and a 77 or 88 I'll bet that 6-cyl sounds pretty good.
Blue Jays is right, that 2nd pic is awesome.

[OtayBW]

Man, that brings back memories. Don't see many square bales around here anymore. Hot, dusty summer nights and sore all over.
I was going to say the same thing. I guess it's a pretty good investment go switch over to round bales....?

[fijichf]

I was going to say the same thing. I guess it's a pretty good investment go switch over to round bales....?

You don’t need a barn with round bales if they’re wrapped, but you do need a machine to transport them. Nice pics Oliver!

[OtayBW]

You don’t need a barn with round bales if they’re wrapped, but you do need a machine to transport them. Nice pics Oliver!And then there's labor (time and expense).....

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[ColonelJLloyd]

I spent my youth working hay when we only got three forecasts a day. We didn't have more than 5-6 channels until I was nearly out of high school so no Weather Channel. Sometimes Mother Nature laughed at the gut calls my dad or grandpa would make. Can't win them all.

I've put some miles in walking behind an old 532. Nothing like the sound of a well made and maintained machine like that doing its work.

What do you cut with? Do you bother with a tetter?

Brings back some great memories. Thanks for sharing.

[oliver1850]

The one thing I miss about the midwest is the time I spent farming; helping out uncle, family friend and later on father & brother-in-laws. Nice to see someone still doing small square bales. Seems like the world has shifted to large square or round.
At first I thought the tractor pulling the baler might be the 1850 in your avatar. But the avatar pic doesn't look to have a loader, so I'm guessing 1650 or 1600 based on the single light in the left side fender? Didn't know Ford made a baler, either.
In the second pic is that a 66, 77, 88 or a Super? Kinda going by how the grill looks. Like the short exhaust, is that a muffler with the top missing or straight pipe? If straight pipe and a 77 or 88 I'll bet that 6-cyl sounds pretty good.
Blue Jays is right, that 2nd pic is awesome.

Good guessing on both counts, you know your Olivers. It's a 1650 pulling the Ford 532 baler and a 77 pulling the loaded rack. I prefer to use the 1800 for baling as the 1650 has a high speed final drive. If the windrow is heavy I will have to run with the Hydrapower in low and ride the brakes on the downhills to keep it slowed down. The 1800 is geared lower and doesn't have a Hydrapower, but I need to work on the carburetor as the float is sticking. The 77 has a muffler, the top is there - hard to see as it's dark and blends in with trees in the background. The baler is by far the newest machine in the pictures, it's only 40 years old.

Thanks everyone, for the comments and moral support. I make round bales too, but do as many squares as I can manage. I still have a bunch of round bales sitting outside from last year, only have room for about 30 inside. The previous year's outside bales are hard to sell once a new crop is available.

[oliver1850]

I spent my youth working hay when we only got three forecasts a day. We didn't have more than 5-6 channels until I was nearly out of high school so no Weather Channel. Sometimes Mother Nature laughed at the gut calls my dad or grandpa would make. Can't win them all.

I've put some miles in walking behind an old 532. Nothing like the sound of a well made and maintained machine like that doing its work.

What do you cut with? Do you bother with a tetter?

Brings back some great memories. Thanks for sharing.

I'm surprised that you recognized the baler. The Ford balers are not very well known in general but have a few fans. There's a guy west of Peoria who probably has 8 or 10 blue balers. I'm not that bad, only have two 530s and two 532s.

Since my hay is mostly grass, I do most of my mowing with a 3 point disc mower. I loose some color with the hay spread out flat but rain doesn't hurt it as much as it does windrowed hay. I have a New Holland disc conditioner but haven't used it in several years. I used it when I had 30 acres of alfalfa. It has rubber rolls which in my opinion don't do much good in grass. I don't have a tedder. Last time I used one was to spread out some straw that was raked up and got rained on before it could be baled. I try not to rake anything unless I think I can get it baled that day but occasionally something goes wrong.