Hay rake opinions?

[200lc1]

Currently running a 10' 6" discbine, rolabar 57 8' 6" side delivery, with a 4' baler. Problem with the rake is that it places the first windrow too close to the second for combining rows. Can't achieve a gap to drive the wheels down going the other way. Maybe it's suited to a wider mower. Side delivery rakes are popular here, but the rotary rakes appear to be more popular elsewhere. Get one cut a year here typically. Currently most of my hay comes as reed canary grass off a meadow, but have been working up an planting alfalfa blends in other fields. Wondering if rotary is a better choice. It's been suggested to go with a hitched side delivery, instead of the 3 point. I think a replacement rake will be on the shopping list, this off season.
Thanks for some opinions

 

[redneckracin]

I'm not following you at all with this. The hay can be placed anywhere you want it by driving down the windrow where you need to to get the rake to place the hay where you want it. You can extend this a little bit by driving faster and causing the rake to "throw" the hay farther if its ground driven. Also, there is nothing that says you can't throw one windrow onto the one beside it, turn around the other direction and throw the whole shooting match back the other way a couple feet. They also make double rake hitches with a left and right side delivery rake to combine windrows in one pass. Works good except on corners!

 

[old-iron-habit]

Are you trying to go the other way to roll your windrow togather. The only close windrows will be the first two at the edge of the field as you have to roll the outer cut inward to bale. Start balibng on the third windrow and turn around to pick up the first two if you don't want to drive over any hay.

 

[200lc1]

I put two windrows together, first go one way than back the other way on the next row to combine them. My rake is a pto driven 3 point, so I can only offset it so far. I'd have to drive with my wheels right down the center of the windrow to place the raked hay where I'd like. One windrow isn't quite enough hay to bale individual rows. With my meadows the ground water isn't very far down so driving on the windrows tends to wet them. It's like driving on a sponge full of water.
Raking a windrow onto another then raking it back the other way seems to put uncured hay right back onto the bottom. I've experimented as many ways as I can, but can't seem to arrange it so I don't have to drive on the windrows.

 

[walkerv]

Check out onelonelyfarmer on YouTube he has a rack I think would work for you maybe

 

[td25c]

We run a ground driven 1955 model New Idea side delivery " bar rake " . Would start by kicking the first wind row to the outside of the field near the fence row in heavy hay .Then bring it back to the baler after he grabs the second row . In lighter hay double up the first & second row up & proceed with the rest of the hay field doubling up the wind rows .


Some things to keep in mind on hay raking , make sure the hay is dry enough for baling so ya don't burn the barn down .

Second , make a windrow the baler can pick up .

Third , make sure the barley soda is cold .

 

[200lc1]

Walkerv, looked at the videos, looks like a ground driven V wheel rake, correct? Looks good, don't see too many of those style rakes around here though. Do you have experience with this style? I think I must have missed on my post, wondering what kinds of rakes people are having good success with in similar scenarios. My fields are smaller and irregular shaped, do a lot of turning. If not quite right I pull up peat moss with the hay. TD25c, is that rake on a hitch or 3 point? What width relative to mower width? Agree with the three rules, definitely the barley soda.

 

[walkerv]

Yes that is what it is .my personal experience with hay is picking up and stacking small bales. Just looks like a good rake to me and would or should minimize how many times you go over your spongy ground maybe try and get a demo in one if your fields of somethung that looks like it will work for you.

 

[200lc1]

Did a bit of reading on ground driven rakes, sounds like they're fast and cheaper but tend to lift any debris on field into windrow. Unfortunately, we have rocky soil. I've done what I can to rock rake and pick the rocks, but there are always rocks left behind. Despite my rakes issues, it doesn't touch the rocks, probably because it doesn't rely on contact to turn. Pto drive allows me to pick the hay off the top of the stubble.
Would be nice to try some different rakes out. Dealers around here usually only have new on the lot, probably won't be buying new with my budget. Guess I'll have to check out rakes and how they work on other peoples fields, tough to put people out and borrow during hay season.

 

[redneckracin]

the ground driven roll-a-bar rakes are driven by the wheels. There is an axle from the wheel that comes up to a gearbox. You may be talking about a wheel rake and they are driven by the tines rolling on the ground. They clean up great but I dont like them for heavy windrows at all.

 

[200lc1]

Yah your right, I was talking about the wheel rakes. Ground and pto driven roll-a-bar rakes are common here. Don't know anybody with a wheel rake. Your statement of not liking them for heavy windrows, is the type info I'm after. Wisdom of experience goes a long way.
Thanks

 

[td25c]

TD25c, is that rake on a hitch or 3 point? What width relative to mower width? Agree with the three rules, definitely the barley soda.

Yeah 200lc1 , the rake is on the draw bar and is ground driven by the wheels . Pretty easy to " fine tune " it in as it has a manual hand crank for rake depth & suspended on recoil springs depending on field conditions .

Rake might be 9' wide , I can rake behind any size mower . Pull it with a Ford 4000 or WD 45 Allis Chalmers .

Seems like the latest craze is to wear out of the hay with a PTO or hydro drive tedder / rake combo going over the field multiple times to attempt to get it to dry in one day verses letting nature take it's course .

Still scratching my head on that one as while whipping the hay fast it looses the leaves & that is where a lot of the food value is .:beatsme

I'm pretty old school . Barley soda sure tastes good after a day on the WD Allis raking .:thumbsup

 

[RZucker]

Yeah 200lc1 , the rake is on the draw bar and is ground driven by the wheels . Pretty easy to " fine tune " it in as it has a manual hand crank for rake depth & suspended on recoil springs depending on field conditions .

Rake might be 9' wide , I can rake behind any size mower . Pull it with a Ford 4000 or WD 45 Allis Chalmers .

Seems like the latest craze is to wear out of the hay with a PTO or hydro drive tedder / rake combo going over the field multiple times to attempt to get it to dry in one day verses letting nature take it's course .

Still scratching my head on that one as while whipping the hay fast it looses the leaves & that is where a lot of the food value is .:beatsme

I'm pretty old school . Barley soda sure tastes good after a day on the WD Allis raking .:thumbsup

A good friend of mine has a 3000 acre hay farm, I go out as free labor now and then for Barley soda after work. He bought 6 tedders and used them twice and sent them back because they just beat the hay up. His operation is 1/3 Timothy hay for export and the tedders allowed enough sun into the middle of the windrow to ruin the color.

 

[Bumpsteer]

The small guys here use tedders, then flip down the stop to windrow....

Ya'll can't afford what the big dairys use. No small or round bales anymore, 3x3 or 3x4 x whatever room is left in the barn.

Ed

 

[200lc1]

Was wondering about a tedder/rake combo, makes sense that it can create needless hay abuse. I can see it's value in moist areas, where I am, usually it's pretty dry at harvest time. Takes about 3 days to dry, don't think tedding is in my future. Td25c, do you have to drive on your windrows with your setup?
I'm curious if anyone is running a rotary rake, and can explain likes and dislikes.