# small scale haying



## ZetorZip (Dec 12, 2007)

First let me say I am not a farmer and don't have much background in it, but I am interested in learning and being able to do more for myself. I am thinking about the possibility of cutting my own hay/straw. I have some nice fields for it, and I know a previous owner of this property used to do it here. 

I have decent ground-driven sickle bar for cutting, and I am looking at a nice ground-driven rake for about $700 (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=280190042861&Category=66881&_trksid=p3907.m29). 

Then I am wondering what is the easiest way to handle the cut hay - store it loose or bale it? What type of equipment is available for 'small' farmers to collect up and store their cut hay? My tractor is only 24HP. Maybe a used square baler like this one? http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=5226496&guid=077B34504DED46A5B98BE36B1A0B9D89

We use about 30 small square bales of hay and 50 straw per year (like I said, small scale hobby farm) but could take on more animals in the future. 

As I said, I don't know very much about farm equipment! I haven't seen most of these tools in use so I really don't know what I am looking for. Any advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks!


Regards, Kevin


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

If you can find a good price on a cycle bar cutter or other cutter and a hay rake, you can cut and rake the hay and pay someone to bale it for you. It would be extremely difficult to justify the cost of a hay baler for that much hay. If you cut and rake for example, you could pay someone 25 to 50 cents a bale to bale it for you.

If you can get a $500 baler to work, without spending a fortune, that would be worth while. 

I would stay away from the type rake you posted the link to. They work good but if your hay get damp from rain or sets overnight you will have to turn it or rake it again to get it to dry. With the type of rake you posted the link to, you will need a tedder to dry the hay if it gets wet. 

I prefer hay rakes of this type. 

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=5274369&guid=5550d70a9a76498ba5597a3a69acb6f2

They are much more manueverable and can turn a wind row of wet hay to be dried out without a tedder.


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## wass (Jan 3, 2007)

Admin, does that INT rake have adjustable fingers to make it ted? I've got an antique rake that does and worked great, the one I use now doesn't and makes really good rope windrows! Some of the wheel rakes will adjust to ted also, don't make such tight windrows and you can pull them as fast as you want. I think the going rate for baling around here is more like 75, but you have to bale a lot of hay to make even a 500$ machine be cost effective! How many acres of hay do you have?


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## urednecku (Aug 29, 2007)

Around here some people with the equipment will cut and bail your hay for half. Sometimes it's cheaper than buying, then having to maintain and fix the equipment. Check with some farm & ranch stores, etc. it the area. They can probably put you in contact with somebody that does custom work. Depends on if you have enough to make it worth while for the both of you. Good luck, & keep us informed how it goes!


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## ZetorZip (Dec 12, 2007)

ok, so I can cut it with the sickle, let it dry awhile, fluff it with a tedder, let it dry awhile, windrow it with a tedder, then load it loose or bale it. I prefer the old ground driven equipment for some reason, so I will look be on the lookout for a ground driven tedder and rake. is there a relatively cheap ground driven implement that picks up loose hay and drops it on your wagon? if I can't find this stuff or it turns out to be more expensive than just buying bales (currently 3.50 each here, but they are starting to ship it south where they can get $5-10!), then I'll see if I can find someone local to help with their equipment. thanks


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## ZetorZip (Dec 12, 2007)

I meant windrow it with the rake


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## Live Oak (Dec 22, 2003)

Usually you don't need to tedder the hay unless it has gotten wet. With the rotary rake, there is no need for a tedder. Just cut the hay, let the sun dry it. (usually a day or two) Then rake it into windrows and bale it.


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## Simpleprestige (Apr 20, 2007)

Wow, you must be lucky to get hay for 3.50, around here the cheapest possible is 5.00 a bale and more if you want some decent hay.


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## Morgan (Oct 26, 2006)

I grew up on a cattle farm and all we owned was a Tractor, a sickel bar mower and a rake like this one.
<a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/?action=view&current=4305.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/4305.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/?action=view&current=rake.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/rake.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

<a href="http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/?action=view&current=sulky.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="http://i82.photobucket.com/albums/j265/morganparadise/Farm/sulky.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

Most people wont mess with a few acres of hay it doesnt seem to be worth there time. We use to use an old rake like is pictures and rake it into a pile and then take a pitch fork and load it onto a wagon, haul it to the barn and unload it with a pitch fork into the barn. It was cheap and it worked. I filled the barn to the top many a year with this method and we fed 75 head of cattle out of that barn. If buying all the modern equipment isnt what you want to do or cant afford to do then look back to the way it was done 40 to 50 years ago, it still worked.


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## urednecku (Aug 29, 2007)

" If buying all the modern equipment isnt what you want to do or cant afford to do then look back to the way it was done 40 to 50 years ago, it still worked. [/B][/QUOTE] 



That is IF you have the time and/or health. I have only a few acres, but work full time, and don't have time to do it by hand my-self. :argh: (Nor the money to hire it done!) Still, like you say, there has been more hay put up the 'old-fashoned way' than the new stuff. 
(BTW -- this year, I just 'stock-piled' it- let it grow, then turn the cows in for a day at a time about once a week. Another option?)


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## Upper5Percent (Jul 29, 2008)

> _Originally posted by TF Admin _
> *Usually you don't need to tedder the hay unless it has gotten wet. With the rotary rake, there is no need for a tedder. Just cut the hay, let the sun dry it. (usually a day or two) Then rake it into windrows and bale it. *


In the northeast with our fickle weather...three dry day windows tend to be the norm...to get hay dry and baled in three days REQUIRES a tedder...the rest of the country is probably under the YMMV option...

At least every year I've hayed...that's what I've run into...

That being said, the OP stating he only needs 30 bales...it is definitely not cost effective for him to get into mechanical haying...


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## HYDROGUARDIAN16 (Feb 14, 2007)

do you have an antonio carraro tractor?


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## Upper5Percent (Jul 29, 2008)

> _Originally posted by HYDROGUARDIAN16 _
> *do you have an antonio carraro tractor? *


Nope...I was investigating the purchase of one...until I ran into RangerDave's thread...

If I get a orchard unit now...it'll probably be a Gordoni with JD logo on it...


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## fleetguardstore (Jan 28, 2009)

my 2 cents..

i wouldn't buy the equipment unless you are looking at the "hobby" value. the up keep on the equipment is alot for no more bales than you need. i baled around 3000 big round corn stalk bales this year and put probably $7,000 into my JD 567 baler because of it. Worked on it almost every day. Yeah it is an extreme condition because of the material and the qty. but parts just arnt cheep and with old equipment you never know what you will have to replace. and balers can funny things to work on. but on the other hand what is the fun in just buying hay??


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