Hay rake

[Eugene]

Assumption, you don't own the 3 acres and that you are maintaining the property for free.

Any way, if you don't own the property, that will limit your activity unless you have a written agreement with the land owner specifically stating you obligations and limitations.

If you don't own the 3 acres, see if the owner will sell. Garden, fruit and nut trees, BBQ pit, picnic area, recreational area, - - - - investment.

[Hengy]

Field 2.JPG (180.59 KiB) Viewed 273 times

Here is the acreage that Allison and I mow that is catty corner from our property. It is my uncle's field. You can see the clippings (tan) in the pictures. The lighter tan clippings are from previous mowings, and it seems that every time we cut the field, the clippings combine with previous cuttings and make a mess that covers the field grass. I was thinking that every two or three mowings, raking the field would be beneficial. Plus it gives extra seat time.

[Bob McCarty]

Mike, Time to get a sickle mower.

Bob

[Hengy]

I have one...in pieces... that will go on Lewis when he is finally finished....and the sickle mower is finished. I want to use the sickle to get under the really nasty "jagger bushes" down at the bottom of this field...

Just out of view on the left is the garden spot. Helped plant (by hand/rototiller) 4 rows of corn and two rows of tomato plants. Yep...I'm back in the family garden mode now...

[goldencub]

This thread reminds me of my father. The old house had a 4 acre field behind it left over from the 1800's-1900's farming. He wanted to keep the field looking good and not grown over. So, Dad would sell the hay to local farmers up until the late '30's. Then, he had to allow them to cut and take the hay for free until after the war. Then, he had to pay them to hay the field. That's when, around 1950, he bought the Cub and maintained the field himself --- well, along with me, who at that time was a teenager. We would argue as to who's turn it was to do the mowing.

We did not have a hay rake, so Dad's idea was to mow it (with a sickle bar mower) when the hay/grass was about 10" tall, and just let it lie there. It worked well. We would cut about 5 times a season. The first couple of years, after cutting, the remaining stalks were pretty sharp and hard to walk on. But then, it was more like long lawn grass - no spikes, beautiful green all summer, and we would have an annual family cookout and softball game on the field, and bare feet were the rule because the grass was so soft to step on, even after the mandatory mowing that we did a couple of days before the family gathering. Ah --- those were the good 'ol days!!!! And it was in Lee, MA, in the pretty Berkshire Hills. Al D

[Don McCombs]

"jagger bushes"

Spoken like a true western Pennsylvania kid.

[DieselDennis]

Your Cub will pull that rake just fine. Especially given the amount (or lack thereof) of actual material you have to move.

Just a word or caution, a rolabar rake like the kind you have pictured aren't especially good in thin or short material. They shine better as PTO powered models in thicker hay.

A wheel rake is much better at picking up thin, short clippings. It will do a good job at getting them down out of the grass too. However, they pull much harder as the wheels are dragging sideways along the ground.

If the price was right and the rake was in fair condition, I wouldn't be afraid to go ahead and make the deal. Think of it as a preparatory move for when you get your sickle bar mower working. If you let that grass get ripe, mow it with a sickle bar mower, and can get it raked, you'll have windrows as tall as the rake before you get to the woods.

That would be a long day just raking hay one way. You'd be much better off to go all in and get a square baler (powered by a C60 engine of course!).

[Hengy]

"jagger bushes"

Spoken like a true western Pennsylvania kid.

Haha! I knew that you would catch that one, Don! It is "fun" to cut down by the tree line. You have to make sure that you have heavy pants and a shirt that you don't mind getting a few small tears in! Those jaggers really reach out and grab you!

I don't actually know what type of bush they are, but the jaggers are plentiful!

Mike

[Eugene]

I don't actually know what type of bush they are, but the jaggers are plentiful!

Herbicide and spot spray.

Edit: Had to look up jagger bushes. Herbicide will kill the plant down to and including the roots. Mowing frequently just cuts off the brambles - which leaves the roots alive and ready to pop up again as more brambles.

Good opportunity to obtain another useful Cub appliance. Carry all, 15 gallon 12 volt sprayer. Works great for spot spraying multi-floral rose and other nasty weeds.

[Hengy]

"Jagger" is Pittsburghese for any bush that has thorns on it. Multi-floral Rose, raspberries, many others. I have fully embraced my move to western PA!

[Dennis]

My grandfather used to rake his hay using an old adapted horse draw rake similar to this one:

rake.jpg (125.84 KiB) Viewed 169 times

He attached a rope from the rake to the Cub and you could give it a yank to lift the tines. It took two passes to rake into rows and then piles. Then us kids got the job of loose forking (I guess I should say 'pitching') it onto a trailer and then hay stacks... awww how I miss those days (not really, it was hard work.)

Best of luck in your hay rake quest, Mike.

[ScottyD'sdad]

My grandfather used to rake his hay using an old adapted horse draw rake similar to this one:

rake.jpg

He attached a rope from the rake to the Cub and you could give it a yank to lift the tines. It took two passes to rake into rows and then piles. Then us kids got the job of loose forking (I guess I should say 'pitching') it onto a trailer and then hay stacks... awww how I miss those days (not really, it was hard work.)

Best of luck in your hay rake quest, Mike.

I used one of those, in my younger days, Dennis. Did a good job!
Ed

[Don McCombs]

I don't actually know what type of bush they are, but the jaggers are plentiful!

Most likely blackberries and/or multiflora rose.

[Cubota]

That's a lot of grass to cut every week. It would be ready for the first hay cut if you would have let it go. I was told a round bale is worth $95 in your neck of the woods, but I'm not sure how many bales an acre will produce. Could be funds for Lewis? Also, don't forget to keep an eye out for the Itch Weed!

[DieselDennis]

The dump rake is an excellent suggestion. Not exactly sure just how it would do, but it's more geared toward what you're wanting to do.