Round Hay Bales Being Harvested From Crop Field Cayuga Lake Stock Photography

Hay production and harvest, commonly known as `making hay`, `haymaking`, or `doing hay`, involves a multiple step process: cutting, drying or `curing`, raking, processing, and storing. Hayfields do not have to be reseeded each year in the way that grain crops are, but regular fertilizing is usually desirable, and overseeding a field every few years helps increase yield. Round bales are usually quite large Size: 4 ft. x 5 ft. diameter and weigh from 600 to 1,200 lbs. and require bale handling equipment such as a tractor with a bale lift.