Tedding

In the 16th century, Sir Anthony Fitzherbert, in his Boke of Husbandry, emphasised the importance of tedding for good hay:[1]Whan thy medowes be mowed, they wolde be well tedded and layde euen vppon the grounde: and if the grasse be very thycke, it wolde be shaken with handes, or with a shorte pykforke.

For good teddynge is the chiefe poynte to make good hey, and than shall it be wyddred all in lyke, or elles not: and whan it is wel wyddred on the ouer syde, and dry, than turne it cleane before noone, as soone as the dewe is gone: And yf thou dare truste the wether, lette it lye so all nyghte: and on the nexte daye, tourne it agayne before none, and towarde nyght make it in wyndrowes, and than in smal hey-cockes...[2]In the 19th century, farm machinery was introduced such as the manure spreader and tedder, which would be pulled by horses, traction engines or tractors.

The handling of the crop will cause loss due to breakage of the plant, especially as it becomes dry and brittle.

This especially affects the leaves of hay crops such as alfalfa and this is significant as they are more nutritious than the stems.

[3] There are different styles of tedding which vary in their emphasis on different actions:[4] This agriculture article is a stub.