Haymaking Part 1 (Cutting the Hay)

by Jared Neibaur

There are many joys in country living and among the ones at the top of the list are those that include struggle and dedication. Near the top of my list is haymaking. I love every aspect of haymaking from tending and irrigating the field to feeding the animals and everything in between. This is a joy that I have carried with me since my youth where I used heavy equipment to cut, bale, haul, and feed hay on our family ranch. I have since learned some old-time techniques to scale things down to work on my little homestead where the large machinery doesn't make sense (my field is 0.4 acres). Though the work is more hands on, I have found that I enjoy it so much more. 

There is a great deal to learn about haymaking, and I'll be the first to admit that I don't know it all. This article is meant to give you a few good ideas to get started or some extra tips to add to what you are already doing. Think of it as peeking over your neighbor's fence to see how they do things, you may even find out that you like your way better, and that's fine by me. 

Cutting the Hay

I cut my hay using human power and  I do it with what may be my favorite tool on my modern homestead, the Austrian scythe. My family is very tied to its roots, so I grew up hearing stories about the machines that replaced the scythes on our family ranch. I always thought that scything was such hard work that it would never be a good option even on a small scale. I'm really glad that I changed my opinion.

I heard about the Austrian scythe by chance and was surprised to hear that it was easier to use than an American scythe. I did some research on them and ultimately decided to try one out (scythesupply.com is a good place to buy a scythe). I found out that the Austrian scythe is much easier to use than you would expect from watching someone use it. I might say that the actual effort involved may be less than using a shovel. I did find out also that the proper maintenance of a scythe takes a little time to learn (a topic for future posts) but it isn't unlearnable. 

Timing is important in the decision as to when to cut your hay. I have a field that I use almost exclusively for hay production so I choose cutting times in a way to try to optimize production. I try to allow time for the plant to grow to its peak nutrient value before I cut it. (I know there are other methods out there and in this article I will only be describing this one.) Beyond stages of plant growth, I watch for good weather, and proper scheduling. 

I live in a dryer climate so I try to stack my hay dry and with no air flow in the center. That means I have to give my hay up to a week or more, depending on the weather, to  fully dry before stacking. It doesn't require working all day long every day but it does require constant watching so I prefer to make sure I cut during a time where I could tend the hay any day during the haymaking process. (Only in a perfect world I know.)

This is a short video I made about cutting hay. If you wanted to watch a long version to see my technique click here. 


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In my hayfield I grow a mix of grasses and alfalfa for hay. When the field gets above knee high I start to clear my schedule for haymaking. I watch the buds on the alfalfa and the seeds on the grass to determine cutting time. The rule of thumb that I go by is to cut at budding time before bloom and pollination. This would be just before the heads seed out on the grass. I do give preference to the alfalfa though. I cut long before the grass begins to dry out so it will have energy to grow again.

The goal of haymaking is to quickly dry the hay and store it up before the sun and air wick out all the nutrients in the stems and leaves, therefore; wet weather is the killer of great hay. It always seems that the sky is clear until the last bit of standing hay is cut, then the clouds come. When planning your haymaking remember that rain falls best on standing hay and if you can get a weather forecast, plan around the rain the best you can, even if it means you are cutting early or late. 

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For me, cutting the hay means standing out at the field ready to cut at daybreak. Grass cuts so much better after a good night of growing and a little morning dew. I want the ground to be fairly dry, so I avoid cutting after a rainstorm or after irrigating if I can. I start or "open" the field by cutting with my strokes going inward toward the center of the field and after I cut the perimeter I turn around and cut the opposite direction. Opening the field is always the hardest part. After the field is opened I prefer to walk up and down the field  only and I no longer cut the two short ends. 

As I cut, my scythe collects the hay into windrows. As much as I can, I allow the windrows to fall loose and even. I try to keep it from forming piles  or heavy windrows. I do this to help it all to dry evenly. What doesn't fall well I will fix later when I turn it to dry on the other side. If all goes well (equipment breakdowns are rare with a scythe) it will take me around 3 hours to cut a little less than a half acre with a 26" blade.  

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I have learned a new respect for cutting hay by using a scythe. I can see and hear so much more of the world around me. I can see the patches of thicker grass and feel the difference on my blade. Some grasses dull the blade faster than others. I understand better now why the swather acted differently in different patches of grass. It feels more like a meditation than a chore, it brings a better sense of fulfillment. It always feels good to look back over the field and see the result of your labor and know that your animals will be fed well for another winter.


Click here for Haymaking Part 2 or Haymaking Part 3

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