OLD SCHOOL HAYMAKING
In recent years, wetter summers have made it increasingly difficult for those of us who make our own hay. In rainy North Wales it is even trickier, and without silage and haylage to turn to for our winter fodder, we would be in trouble.
Right moment
It seems to be nigh on impossible to find a forecast for a row of four or five hot days when the hay crop is ready. Here the forecasts can change so rapidly that farmers rarely know what to do for the best. Taking the forecast as gospel isn’t always a good idea; sometimes it might be better to just look out of the window and to go with your instincts.
Weather issues aside when it all goes well there is something wonderful about making hay. There’s the sunshine, the satisfaction of having worked hard together, and the sight and smell of the fresh bales safely stacked in the barn. However, romance aside, small bale haymaking has become a rarer sight in our fields, not only because of our unpredictable weather but also because it is physically demanding, time-consuming and labour intensive. And not
