Late In The Day Baling

Baled all afternoon this past Saturday, Timothy hay. Meter on the bale chamber read consistent 10-11 percent moisture biggest part of the day. By about 5:30ish, we were starting to climb to around 14 percent and just had about 50 small squares to go. Everyone was in need of a break and some eats from a long day so we quit. With rain in the forecast, we had about 50 squares left to bale, so after about an hour, we finished up the hay. At this point, the hay was reading anywhere from 15 to 20 percent moisture. We have these bales set aside and loosely stacked. This morning, I checked them, they are not heating or otherwise causing me immediate concern. I have a buffered propionic acid applicator ready to go, but hadn't needed to fill the tank yet and for these last few bales, I said bale them up. We'll see how they turn out.

I get it that after cutting hay on the dry down slope, moisture content needs to be 18 percent or lower, else one is in risk of dust or mold.

What about the reverse of that - you are at 10-11 percent and as the day wears on, the moisture meter starts to climb. Am I seeing apples to apples when comparing this moisture reading in the uptake side, and with it dust/mold concerns - same as on the dry down slope? Is the hay really drier than the meter readings as it is likely seeing surface dew moisture?

What is puzzling is reading about alfalfa that is too dry to bale, else much leaf loss, and then the stuff is baled at night after the dew sets in. It would seem to me that the moisture meter would be reading in the 15-20 percent range as the alfalfa either rehydrates or is getting a light coat of dew.

10-11 percent dry hay. Day is growing long. As the shadows come, as the dew starts to someone meter reads higher - where do you draw the line with grass hay moisture readings; when do you stop baling in the evening, ie before sunset, before dark enough to run the headlights, heck with it, were baling until 3 am.....

Just curious.

Thanks!
Bill

Late In The Day Baling