Pastor Dave's Highlights

[Mini Horses]

Thanks! I'll check them out.

 

[Mini Horses]

I love those cute hay rakes. Exactly what I want!! Will save & buy this Spring. I didn't even know they had these available. Love it Then there's the raking into a pile to bale.
May have to work on that somehow, LOL. May have to see if my sweeper will handle the longer pieces.....maybe adjust the opening at sweep...hmmm. Will try that on some I have on ground to see. Such ideas!


Looked at the baler, nice but it's almost same as one I've got plans for DS to make for me. With wood extras here, probably only need to buy one sheet of plywood to make it...&/or some metal hooks, screws, etc. Metal would be great but, some metal corners on the back sides would offer support and still cost effective.

 

[farmerjan]

Don't know if you got your hay rake yet. I did look them up on the TSC website. Much like the larger ones we use on the farm. One suggestion. Get the V-rake, not the in-line one. Both cover approximately the same "area" but with the V you are only raking about 1/2 the distance to the middle. You will lose less hay/grass if it does not have to travel so much distance. With the pieces being smaller, they will get "lost" more easily if they have to get raked over a 4 foot plus distance, turning them over more times, to one side; than if they get raked about 25 inches in towards the center. We use the V- rake on most all the 2nd cutting as the hay is shorter, and it will rake the hay more cleanly into the center than for it to turn over more times to one side.
One thing I don't understand is why they say one side can be raised to make a windrow.... by raking it to one side with the inline, or to the center with the V-rake, it is in a windrow.
If they work halfway decently, they are a pretty good deal for small areas like you are wanting to do. Neat.

 

[greybeard]

One thing I don't understand is why they say one side can be raised to make a windrow.... by raking it to one side with the inline, or to the center with the V-rake, it is in a windrow.

If you take one side off or raise it on the Vee rake, you just have a mine inline.
I suspect they are suggesting to raise (or remove one side because they've had complaints about results like this:

Or in the case of the inline, so (as you said) you don't lose so much as the grass travels the full length of the rake.

You know yourself tho, even with a real full sized wheel rake, there's a learning curve and even experienced hayers will occasionally ball up the rake.

 

[Mini Horses]

I imagine there will be "balls" of grass at my place but, I'm pretty good at doing puzzles so I believe an hour or so & it will be reasonably smooth going. Small operation for this here but, at the price worth salvaging some grasses that are generally just rotting. It's the old adage "more time than money". So physical labor and small quantity is ok.

But the rake into rows for turning is huge time element. I have a walk behind string cutter, a large sweeper and thinking I can make this work.

Pastor Dave, with only rabbits -- the huge expense of hay equipment for a tractor is obscene. These small devices should give you way more than you need. I can get enough to supplement my herd of goats & minis, which is wonderful! Better than just bushhog & rot all the time.

 

[farmerjan]

Yes @greybeard , I do see what you are getting at. Yes I have had a few times where it will ball up like that with the v-rake. Of course, with the big v-rake we use, you simply hit the lever and raise the arms with the wheels with the hydraulics. Sometimes if there is a big clump it will just get balled up. Happens more often with first cutting and going a little too fast and hitting a big clump that the tedder or the discbine left.

 

[Bruce]

Can the angle of the wheels be changed? Perhaps a less tight V?

 

[farmerjan]

You can change the "size of the opening" on the full size v-rakes but I don't see much for adjustment on the small one but until you have one in front of you, I couldn't say. The in-line one would definitely work better for thicker/longer pieces of grass. But they will also get clogged too and only backing up and taking a "smaller swath" will help that. So there are several pluses and minus. I was mostly thinking that if the cut grass pieces were small, then the v would collect more of it. Again, we mostly only use if for the 2nd cutting where the height of the grass is half or less of the 1st cutting was.

 

[Mini Horses]

The info on site (lot of looking to find it all) says arms are adjustable for width & height, plus can be reversed and used as an actual dethatcher.

My sweeper has ability to be offset to pull, so with that & some sweeper brush adjustment, I believe I can sweep it up & at least take it to the hand baler. it's work but, so are most chores. The saving in time to turn & row with this is wonderful. If sweeper works, heck I'm good! Almost a fun project -- first time anyway. Overall I can see a good amount of production for my little operation & $$$ savings, for the cost of the rake. I'm excited to know these small ones are available.

Have a location with a LOT of pine and they will allow us to rake and take. But this will let it dry the dampness before sweeping. Nice. DD uses pine around her rose beds. 10-15 bales!

 

[Pastor Dave]

Well, CT left me with one stillborn kit out of first kindle. I should have rebred afterward when hormones were at highest, but didn't want a December kindle. Gonna wait til February for a March kindle.

On the bright side:
Rabbit sausage patties for breakfast.