Hay Baler

[Sara Ranch]

I've had success on relatively flat land cutting with the riding mower and the tractor mower. The tall grass ends up being long grass when cut. Rake it by hand. Never got to baling it.

I guess I could attempt <insert hysterical laughter here> to build a baler box. I'd rather buy one. I'm not good with building stuffs. BUT I could try building one. It would be better than what I have now, which is nothing to use.

Some of us run out of money before we run out of month. This someone doesn't do debt. Cutting, raking, and baling my own hay would save money, which is I am all for. Even if I put in $40 of labor to save $5 - it all helps in the big picture. And in the summer, I have the time. The summer days are long...

I still need to get a scythe to cut the grass in places where a machine can't get to or go over. Darn slopes!

 

[Pastor Dave]

If I had the hand baler advertised in Fla. at a weld shop, I could bale my acre. It takes abt $400 to buy and ship it. I have an old 1966 Gravely walk behind tractor with implements for the front. One of which is a 36" sickle bar mower. It needs some mechanical work. The manual for it says it can mow about 5 acres a day.

I can hand rake into windrows. A neighbor that bales it now could mow it and let it lay for cheaper. I could rake and bale it in a couple days. (If I had a baler) I already have a pickup that I can get abt 20 bales on and a 5x8 utility trailer that can hold abt 24 or 28 bales.

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

I broke down and finally ordered this package:
http://tractortoolsdirect.com/showroom/tx-hobby-hay-package/

My little 22 horse Kubota handles all the equipment just fine. Had to finance, but it was worth it in the long run.

 

[Sara Ranch]

Holy Cow!!! Or, should I say Holy Goat! (based on your profile picture)

Congratulations!!

Think it would work on a 18 horse Kubota? Guy at Kubota said nothing would work with the BX series...

 

[HomeOnTheRange]

Since it is what they call their TX series:

It should work...

 

[Pastor Dave]

I broke down and finally ordered this package:
http://tractortoolsdirect.com/showroom/tx-hobby-hay-package/

My little 22 horse Kubota handles all the equipment just fine. Had to finance, but it was worth it in the long run.

Too rich for me. Much over used price would be too high, and I would probably need to finance too.

 

[farmerjan]

That seems like alot of money until you start to figure what smaller "full sized" tractors and the equipment needed to do mowing and baling. If I only had a couple of acres, I think I would definitely would look seriously at that. Plus, it is all new and then would have some kind of warranty's. Used stuff today can be bought but then when you start to fix and have to rebuild some of it you have alot invested. Added in the benefit of being able to do small and irregularly shaped pieces without running into problems with turning around in tight corners with bigger equipment.
That set up sure beats just mowing the grass weekly and letting it lay and then buying hay. I am not a big proponent of debt but with the size operation we have, and for some tax purposes, we always have debt. For the small landowner, that is a reasonable amount of debt. Also, if you are the only one operating it, not only can you get it done when you want and need, but you will take good care of it and it will last with regular maintainance. If you have to buy 100 square bales @ 5.00 each, and spend $20. a week mowing grass,( time and fuel), for at least 20 weeks, that's nearly 1,000 a year alone. And I haven't seen where most everyone is only spending $5 for a square bale but more like $6-10 per square bale.

 

[Pastor Dave]

Good statistics

 

[Latestarter]

HOTR, I would be extremely interested in how that equipment works out for you. I sure hope you'll post follow ups w/pics. As Jan said, that looks like a very reasonably priced solution for the small hobby farmer. When looking at large tractor haying equipment and each piece is costing 10-15 grand+ used... there's no way this retired guy can afford that, purchase or financed... I have maybe 10 acres of pasture and something that size looks like it would fit the bill nicely.

ETA: Jan, which in your opinion would be the better cutter? I see drum, sicklebar, and disc... Is there one better than another? As far as use, upkeep, maintenance, lifespan...

 

[Simpleterrier]

You could always mow with a weed eater and make a hay stack. When I lived at home they would mow the ditches with a sickle bar and I would go out and pic it up when dry. When I was in Romania u would sell your yard to a guy who needed hay and they would wake it down with a stihl weed eater and let it dry then take it away with horse and wagon