Jim started baling corn fodder this afternoon. Yesterday the corn stalks that were left after the combine went through were flailed (chopped) and this morning he raked them into windrows. I caught up with him this afternoon, filling the first wagon...
He was happy with how well the baler worked. Corn fodder is notoriously hard on a baler, but things went well today. It's close to thirty years old, and hardly missed a bale!
During milking, and before it got too dark to see, Jim, Eric and some friends unloaded two big loads into the mow above the outside pen. The young ones had some battles with dusty corn fodder. All I can say is that I'm glad I was milking and not involved in that itchiness!
We'll use this for bedding up the heifer pens. It makes a great, absorbent bedding. They unloaded the rest at the other farm, where they had plenty of light in the barn to see what they were doing.
Hopefully tomorrow, Jim will be able to bale a few more loads before the rain comes. After that, he'll have to wait until the fodder dries out to bale more.
It's a great feeling to get the fodder baled...it's the last harvest related thing that we need to do before winter comes!
OK is fodder straw? I have no idea. I am glad you are ready for winter. B
ReplyDeleteAlica, this is the first time I see corn fodder being baled for bedding. We bed with hay that is lower quality and since we have plenty, I guess that's why we never used corn fodder for bedding.
ReplyDeleteI always learn so much on your blog about harvesting.
JB
What a great feeling to have the harvest completed!
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing the baler spit the bales out! :)
ReplyDeleteI just love that this year has been such a good year for you. I love reading all of the things you do to get ready for winter. All I do is get my firewood stacked and I feel so safe and ready for the cold winds to blow.
ReplyDeleteIt is so nice to read about your day to day life.
Nice to have a big job like that completed before winter kicks and and makes outside work miserable. I didn't know corn stalks cold be bailed.
ReplyDeleteSo nice to have all the harvest jobs complete.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice feeling it must be, to know that you are prepared for the long winter.
Glad to see you got to get some work done. We are having a beautiful day here also. A little cool, but the sun is shining.
ReplyDeleteYay!! So now that you are finished baleing, does that mean you get to rest.
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