Weather Challenges Make Putting Up Hay Difficult

Persistently wet weather this summer has frustrated many alfalfa growers, including Jolene Riessen in northwest Iowa.

“The deal with the alfalfa is just trying to get it up around the rain showers. It’s been a real challenge this year.”

For Riessen farms, near Ida Grove, it took a long time to finish the first cut. “We cut the cover crop we put down and then put down half the alfalfa. And I guess I wish we would’ve gone and taken down all the alfalfa because that last field, it was three weeks before we finally had a window to knock it down.”

USDA says the second cutting of alfalfa is 93 percent complete in Iowa, with the third cut advancing to nearly 40 percent as of last week.

EDITOR’S TAKE:

I can tell you from first-hand experience that working around weather issues during haying season is no fun. The weather can cause a lot of problems with hay quality as well as quantity. It can also create a lot of stress for the farm/ranch family. Time is of the essence and when things don’t go as planned, it really gets hectic and stressful – that’s when accidents are more prone to occur.

A word of advice for your dealership when working with the ag community is to be ever mindful of the season and the weather. During planting and harvest, whether it is hay, wheat, corn, calving or any other busy time, don’t pile on or become a nuisance with calls, visits or media pushes. Instead, plan your approach around their schedule, a time when they are less stressed and not involved with beating the weather. It may take a little extra time and effort on your part, but they will respect you and appreciate your understanding of their business.