The problem

Producers began a few years ago taking 2-3 cuttings of hay as summer rains were very plentiful.  Now we have fields that are dragging in yields, very poor stand of cool season grasses, and lacking fertilizer.  

Educational Response

After numerous meetings, numerous farm visits, we began to gather information on; soil test results, 'weed identification’, loss of production and new but tried and true management practices to get back on track with hay production.  It is still amazing no matter how many times we teach the same practices; nothing gets the message across like a producer having success with their crop.    It seems that we have had a 'rash' of this very same issue across the county.  Farmers losing stands, weeds taking over and now they have ended up with low yields and/or hay full of weeds.  When a producer brings in a soil sample for a hay or pasture crop, that is my opportunity to talk to them. Producers are encouraged and reminded to just start small with pasture and hay renovation.  I have had producers switch the timing of fertilizer application to the fall for the past 2 years plus the same for weed control, start in the fall.  I have had reports from producers that have started small and have increased their hay yields.  Again, once a producer sees a difference, then that is my best messenger.     

The participants/target audience

News articles, meetings and farm visits were made to farms that requested assistance.  An assessment was made of each scenario. A plan was made with the assistance of Dr. Chris Tuestch, soil samples were taken and finally the farm stores were contacted that they did business with for seed and fertilizer.  

Other partners (if applicable)

Retail agriculture businesses.

Program impact or participant response.

Producer reports have been varied.  One producer reported that he renovated a hay field with red clover in the winter of ’22.   In the fall of ’23 he put on 100# DAP (18-46-0)/acre, 100# Potash (0-0-60)/acre, then in the spring he put on 300# of 19-19-19 (57-57-57)/acre.  This used to be a tobacco patch that he was constantly throwing fertilizer at to make a good crop, but to no avail, it struggled.   This spring he has already cut off the 2 acres, 21 -4x6 1400# bales.  Unbelievable.  He followed the same practice on 35 acres that I sat down with him and planned out each step.   The windrows were bigger than what the baler wanted to take in.  Hay sells for $25-50/bale in a typical year, he figures he will have 100 bales extra at this point.   

Another producer, after many years of renovating hay fields, one at a time, said this year he had way too much hay for his farm.  He harvested 4.7 tons per acre of hay and he quit after the first 50 acres.  He decided to wait for a fall cutting instead of harvesting a mediocre crop of hay this spring, he learned this from the original hay tests we took 4 years ago.  He had so much hay after working diligently for 3 years, that he could not get it all cut, raked and baled in a timely manner.   He had to take a wheel off each side of the rotary rake to get the hay in a windrow.  I think that’s what they call a ‘good problem’.