Raking by farmreporter

Raking

This is the first year ever that we have been able to cut the hay on one day, and then ted, rake, and bale the very next day!
Imagine - from field to bale in two days!
Here is a quick lesson on making hay for those who are interested.
First you cut the hay, and let it lay in the field to dry. You have to then turn it over and spread it out (ted it) so that it dries out some more.
The photo shows the raking process where the hay is being gathered (raked) into rows for the baler.
You can see the hay on the right of the tractor is evenly spread out while there is rows of hay on the left of the tractor.
Great farming shot.. it still look pretty green is going to be wrapped after baling?.. We do our wrapped bales in two day's other wise three for unwrapped..
June 16th, 2016  
@julzmaioro Yes - we will be wrapping this stuff. Always a toss up to spend extra money to wrap and get better quality and higher protein - and a guaranteed crop - or to gamble on the weather and try for dry hay.
We don't have hay storage so wrapping also keeps us from fighting with tarps to cover the hay.
June 16th, 2016  
How cool! Its really interesting to see the process with some actual explanation. My great grandpa was the best hay loader in town back in the day so its neat to learn a little bit more about hay in general.
June 16th, 2016  
A nice capture and an interesting topic. But why do you say Ted it? Seems an unusual thing to say. Hope I'm not being stupid 😋
June 16th, 2016  
@claycameras Thanks, once again for your faithful follow and favs. It is so appreciated!
@paul10 I am not sure why we call it 'tedding the hay' ... just one of those terms farmers have used forever (well, ever since I have known about it)
Really should google it or ask around. I will let you know if I find out.
June 16th, 2016  
@paul10 I did some research and to 'ted' is in the dictionary and it means to strew or spread out for drying (as in freshly mown grass)
June 16th, 2016  
Great capture. Thanks for sharing what must be normal for you, but new to the majority of the world.
June 16th, 2016  
When I was at school, we were taught a poem that started off -

Do you remember an inn, Miranda?
Do you remember an inn?
And the tedding and the spreading of the straw for a bedding
And the wine that tasted of the tar?

The words might not be accurate (it WAS 60-odd years ago) but I've always wondered what tedding meant .. and know I know!

A lovely picture and a very interesting back-story.
June 16th, 2016  
great farming shot, nice pop of red, great info to go with it. thanks for sharing
June 16th, 2016  
Wow that will be good stuff made so quickly! I bet it smells gorgeous! We used to make all hay bales years ago before silage making. We used to work the stuff all day between milkings then cart it in on trailers & then send it up the elevator into the barn. I have soent many a night up under the beams stacking each bale...hot work! Never used to wrap them but had to watch they didn't get hot!
June 16th, 2016  
Great shot and interesting to read this, fav. I live near a country park where they let the grasses and the flowers grow wild through the spring/summer. The only areas they cut regularly are pathways around each meadow [there are several of them in the park] for people to walk on. I never paid that much attention to what the tractors were doing as I always feel abit sad seeing the grass cut. They make such a lovely screen from other people and other dog walkers plus my dogs love running through them.
June 20th, 2016  
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