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Harvest, Storage & Post-Harvest TimingHay Harvest and Storage Calendar
Hay quality is set at cutting and kept or lost during curing and storage. A calendar helps you line up crop stage, weather and equipment.
Key points
- Choose cutting stage by crop and animal needs, and watch weather windows.
- Bale at a safe moisture, since wet hay can heat and burn.
- Store hay off the ground, covered if possible, and with airflow.
- Test hay if you can and feed the oldest first.
- Keep notes on hay quality and animal response from each field.
When is hay ready to cut?
Cutting time is a trade-off between yield and feed quality. As plants mature, yield rises but quality falls. The right stage depends on the crop, such as alfalfa, grass or a mix, and on the animals you are feeding. Extension forage specialists describe the maturity stages to look for, so check your state's guidance.
Use your own field notes. Write down the stage you cut at, the weather, and how your livestock did on the hay.
A worked example: if a stand reaches the stage you want just before a rainy week, it may be better to cut a smaller area now than to cut everything and risk rain on it all.
How do you plan around weather?
Hay needs several dry days in a row for the best result, and rain on cut hay costs quality and yield. Watch the forecast, use sources such as the National Weather Service, and be ready to cut when a window opens. For example, if a long dry spell is forecast during the stage you want, that is the time to go, even if the field is not at the exact ideal.
Do not plan to cut on a fixed date each year. Spring and summer weather differ too much. Keep your cutter, rake and baler serviced and ready before the first window opens.
- Check crop stage
- Watch the forecast for a drying window
- Service equipment ahead of time
- Line up labor and storage
How does curing work?
Curing is drying the cut forage in the field to a moisture level safe for baling. Faster drying keeps more nutrients. Conditioning, wide swaths and raking and tedding at the right times can speed drying, as extension guidance explains.
Bale moisture matters. Hay baled too wet can mold and heat. Your extension office can tell you the moisture ranges for different bale types, and a moisture tester helps you check.
Tedding and raking too late, when leaves are dry and brittle, can shatter leaves and lose the most nutritious part of the hay. Handle hay when the moisture is right for the job, as your extension specialist advises.
How do you store hay?
Store hay off the ground, out of the rain and with room for airflow. Barn or covered storage loses less than outdoor storage. If you store outdoors, use well-drained ground, stack bales to shed water and leave space between rows so they dry.
Keep records of which field and cutting each bale came from, and check quality before feeding.
Cover stacks only in ways that let moisture out as well as keeping rain off. A tight tarp over a damp stack can trap moisture and cause mold, so ask your extension office about options for your climate.
What are the heating and fire risks?
Hay that is baled too moist can heat inside the stack, and in some cases that heat can lead to fire. Watch stored hay for signs such as a hot smell, steam, sinking in the stack and unusual warmth. Extension and fire safety groups have guidance on what to do.
If you suspect heating, do not move bales on your own. Call your local fire department and extension office for advice. Fire and safety are more important than saving the hay. Keep a fire extinguisher where hay is stored and keep the area free of trash and brush.
How do you check hay before and during feeding?
Look at color, smell, texture and mold. Do not feed hay that is moldy or dusty, since it can harm animals. Ask your extension office about forage testing, which can tell you the nutritive value of your hay.
Feed the oldest hay first, and keep a few bales from each cutting separate until you have test results.
Keep notes on how animals respond to different hay, since refusal or poor condition tells you something that a lab test does not.
What records help?
Note the cutting date, stage, weather, drying time, bale moisture and storage place for each field. These notes help you refine your calendar and improve quality.
If you sell hay, check state rules for labeling and weights.
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.