It’s that time of year when in the late evenings all is quiet in the countryside except for the chirping of Crickets and the melodic drone of the cutter as farmers do their first silage cut of the year.

We had our first a couple of days ago, but we were nearly caught out documenting it as the whole process from cutting, drying, spinning and baling normally take 3 or 4 days in between the various stages.

This year, with one day of drying, we got the spin and baling all done within about 4 hours.

We have four fields, which we let the local farmer take for silage.

This year he thought that the weather may be turning, so decided not to wait and get the first cut in – two weeks earlier than last year.

The bale crop this year was as follows.

First Field (1.07 acres)	5
Ivytree Field (0.55 acre)	3
Pipe Field (0.67 acre)	4
Top Field ( .851 acre)	4
Total yield (3.14 acres)	16

I’ve just tried to find the yield count for 2021 and cannot find it, but I have a figure of 18 in my mind. The yield is certainly down on 2020, where we got 22.

The one positive is that as he has cut a few weeks earlier this year, we may get another cut in late August or even September – if the weather holds.

In passing. I have just had a look at the specification of Scott’s New Holland T6030.

The power plant is a 6 cylinder 12 valve 6.7 litres producing 115hp. Transmission has 16 gears forward and reverse with Four gears in four ranges (A-D). Push-button power shifting between gears and clutch-free shifting between ranges A-B and C-D. Synchronized shift from ranges B to C. Power shuttle shifting.

The 250 litre fuel tank cost £350 to fill up and he was saying with the bailer on the back, he will empty the tank in two days. ….Yikes.