Make hay as sun shines – but be ready to wait
The old saying goes: "Make hay while the sun shines", writes Rob Alderson. This is exactly what I did in June with the exceptionally good conditions we enjoyed, weather-wise, prior to the jetstream going south which, coincidentally, would appear to be the same direction our grain markets have gone too.
The very wet conditions that we endured for the first two months of this year gave way to what promised to be a lovely spring and summer, and everything was going hunky-dory until the weather forecaster broke the news that the jetstream was heading south – haven't we been here before?
It was only a few weeks ago that I was reading an article by a well-known farmer and columnist stating that for himself it had been a good year to be in the combine cab but a bad year to phone the grain trader.
Well, my combine cab did not seem so good when I was trying to combine a field of oilseed rape as a sharp shower caught me out with rain running off the roof the cab. Looking for a positive that day, at least I had a cab to keep the seat dry.
Some weeks before, while cutting the winter barley, albeit earlier than I have ever cut it, in the height of the heatwave I discovered my air conditioning required a refill, as I noticed it was barely taking the edge off the warm conditions inside the cab. But, as we know all too well in farming, it was just too good to last.
What a difference a week made. The next crop to cut was the field of winter oats which sits over the hedge from the field of already-cut barley. The downturn in the temperature left me looking for my jumper and the air conditioning was no longer required. At least there was one small consolation, I could save a few quid on not servicing the air conditioning which in turn would go towards the cost of my drying expenses. It helps to be positive.
The hay harvest, on the other hand, was a real delight apart from baling up some June hay a day too early, which can sometimes happen when making hay from young grass.
Over the years a few older and wiser farmers have been known to say: "If you think your hay is ready for baling in early to mid-June, go and do another job for 24 hours then bale your hay".
Wise words indeed. This is probably due to the fact that young grass, although it may feel like its ready to be baled during hot weather, will still carry an amount of moisture.
The Cooks flat eight bale sledge I acquired in the early 80s has followed me for many a mile, but prior to gaining this wonderful machine I would have been out at 4.30am to 5am in the morning stacking bales ready for the Perry loader while the temperatures were cooler. The mechanisation of bale stacking was a tremendous step forward.
During mid-August, while at my local livestock market, I was in conversation with a group of farmers reflecting on how we were all feeling a little bruised from the downturn in the lamb market, the sluggish finished beef price, struggling corn trade and the loss of our summer weather.
We are not able to do anything about these conditions, weatherwise and so on, but at least talking to others makes you aware that you are not alone and as one farmer said, as we parted: "Well, that's farming for you".
