Harvest

  1. Field of sorghum sudangrass

    Pricing Standing Forage in the Field

    Aug 2, 2019

    How does one set a price to buy a standing forage crop still growing in the field? Specialists of Ohio State University Extension have prepared a factsheet and Excel spreadsheet to help you arrive at an answer to this challenging question.

  2. Hay windrow

    How to Speed up Hay Drying

    Jun 7, 2019

    There are several proven techniques that can speed up the hay drying process to take the most advantage possible of sunny days.

  3. First crop of forages is ready for harvest

    Forages are Ready to Harvest!

    May 21, 2019

    Forage crops are ready for the first cutting despite the wet weather pattern. Look for the next weather window of opportunity to harvest for good quality forage.

  4. Alfalfa harvesting in the fall involves benefits vs. risks

    Late Season Alfalfa Management

    Sep 6, 2018

    Fall cutting of alfalfa comes down to balancing the need or value of the forage versus risk to the stand health and winter survival. In this article we discuss the trade-offs and risk factors to consider when cutting alfalfa in the fall.

  5. Akfalfa windrows

    Alfalfa Quality Estimates for Ohio

    May 25, 2018

    Alfalfa development over the past week has continued at a a rapid pace and caused an increase in neutral detergent fiber (NDF) values. It is time to harvest high quality alfalfa in southern and western Ohio!

  6. Hay windrows

    First Cutting Time is Approaching!

    May 17, 2018

    Estimating fiber content before harvest can be valuable to producers for making harvest timing and storage decisions. A simple method can be used to estimate the fiber content of alfalfa standing in the field to guide harvest timing decisions.

  7. Wheel traffic damage in alfalfa

    Avoid Driving on Wet Soils

    May 22, 2017

    It is time to take the first cutting of forages, but heavy rains across Ohio have left many forage fields saturated. It is very important to wait patiently for soils to dry enough to support equipment before trying to make hay on those fields. Wheel compaction on wet soils causes permanent damage and long-term headaches.