@parados,
It is you that is wrong again, parados. First of all, you cannot assume more than one cutting of hay. If you knew as much as you claim, you would know that it depends upon what kind of hay you are raising. Sure, if you raise alfalfa, and or grass, perhaps a mix, which is common in areas with irrigation, such as Rocky Mountain states, you can have 2, 3, maybe even 4 cuttings in a season. We did not raise alfalfa however, or grass hay. We grazed the grass, but we raised mostly sudan hay, which we typically only cut once per year where we lived, and rarely sometimes twice. We were dryland farmers, without irrigation, which influenced that as well. A few farmers around had some alfalfa, but not that many. Some also had what was called "prairie grass," which they cut for hay. Here is a quote from a website about sudan, sorghums, etc.
http://foragesoftexas.tamu.edu/pdf/FORAGESorghum.pdf
"Sorghums used for forage are typically grouped as a) forage sorghum, b) sudangrass, and c) sorghum-sudan hybrids. Each of these
types has different growth characteristics that influence how they should be used. Even within a type, considerable differences can exist between varieties. Typically, forage sorghums are used for silage production or for a one cutting hay crop.
So when you assert that "In Oklahoma, they probably get 5 or 6 cuttings per year. In the upper midwest we get about 3 or 4," that shows you don't know what you are talking about, parados. First of all, its plain stupid to assert that they get 5 or 6 cuttings in Oklahoma, because as I have pointed out to you, it depends upon what you are growing for hay, plus where you farm in Oklahoma, plus whether you have irrigation or not. I know of no farmer around where we lived that got 5 or 6 cuttings per year, from anything. And regarding test cutting alfalfa to see if it is about the right moisture to bale, we did not raise alfalfa, parados, do you have that straight now? I remember my Dad and the farmer boss I worked for, both walking the windrows and picking up some of it to get the look and feel for moisture, to see if it was time to bale yet. Often, we would turn the windrows with the rake at least once, maybe more if it rained after we cut the hay.
I think you made a mistake if you thought you could start this thread for the purpose of trying to trip me up on some kind of detail, parados. In my opinion, you are only digging a deeper hole for yourself, and creating further doubt about your own actual farming experience. I would advise you that honesty from the very start is always a better way to go.
