Looking for advice on square hay balers

[fishheadbob]

I too would think you need more than 1 kicker wagon. When your hay is windrowed and ready to bale with a sudden shower on the horizon the 2 or 3 more wagons are a gamesaver.
Ontario seems to have a heavier Massey presence than other areas, so perhaps MF is a good choice for you, but perhaps not. Don't disregard New Holland or Deere as their hay equipment is first class. Look around for nearby good dealerships; talk to your locals and see how they're doing with their line of equipment and support. Inevitably you will have a breakdown at the worst possible time, you need to be up and running in a hurry and a dealership that can provide what you need right away is a major factor. You already have the round baler. Definitely consider how your experience with that brand has gone.
Breakdowns always happen on a Friday night when everything will be closed for the 3 day holiday weekend; "but it was only a $29 part" . Don't matter, you're still down. At least you have the round baler to bale you out.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I used to put up 10000 bales a year and would keep my eye open for a good used baler cheep. I would fix them up and sell them. I had just finished one, a 200 series NH when a neighbor called and said his brand new NH baler had broken could I help? I still had it hooked to the tractor and took it to him. He baled over 1000 bales that day. I had been pulling wagons for him and when we finished he came up to me and told me he had only 2 or 3 that did not tie and that his new baler would not do that. He said it also baled just as fast and offered me $2500 for it. I had paid $250 for it a week ago and had no new parts in it. I went home with no baler but a big smile on my face.

I tell this story to say new is not always better. Those old balers will put up hay well and last forever if you take care of them. There is no computer on the old one and you don't have to pay the bank for the price of the old one in interest. Go with the old one, I don't think you will be sorry. Ed

 

[vtlpluyr]

Thanks the "orphan equipment" term stuck with me... We have a couple of orphans from years gone by - they start to pile up

 

[Farmer495]

MF balers were made in Canada and there were lots sold. Pretty well every farm had an MF baler, seemed really weird to see an IH, Deere or NH baler until the 1980's

 

[Trillium Farm]

I am just a small operator, but went through this a few years back. Look into an older hesston inine 4550 and up. or the new Hesston/MF inline units. The new 1840 is in a league of its own if you have the HP to run it.They are trouble free and can be set up with any number of accumulators to facilitate getting the hay out of the field. Hope this helps.

+100 I totally endorse Powerscol advice, the inline whether new or gently used is the way to go. I would add an accumulator and grapple and you're off to the races!

 

[forestcreature1]

When venturing into unknown mechanicals, I like to ask the people who repair them about history, parts availability, etc.

I also support option 1, you can always move up to option 2.
Hard to recoup from option 2 if things aren't working out [market, weather, etc].

 

[whitepine2]

Did you ever think of getting a unwinder for the round bales and make them into the square ones when you are not under the gun to get it off the field and as one said horse people are pickey,this way they would get good hay. I've owned several NH starting with the old NH77 bullet proof,last was a 273 with super sweep loved the super sweep worth the extra $$. Would not consider any other than NH the few JD around here would always seem to give trouble NH was KING of course that was many moons ago and all most all are round balers now a days less work and the teenagers grow up and seem to get lazy.

 

[2458n]

Bailers never break when they are in the barn. Option number 1 seems to be winning. If MF is the go to machine in your part of the country, and you have someone to work on it your half way home. The round bale to square bale is a idea that some farmers use around here very effectively. Grandfather used to bale hay with one kid on the wagon. He had three wagons that stayed on the farm, and one good wagon for the road if he sold hay out of the field. We would un load the wagons after supper when more help was around.

 

[vtlpluyr]

Thanks for the advice... I looked high and low for a Massey but the ones I found had been sleeping outside for years and looked it... Found a meticulously maintained JD 348 with a thrower and bought it.

 

[hoho]

I have been a buyer of horse hay and a seller each for twenty year . the horse hay buyer is a women,she is the horse lover Also she has say over if the hay is good the man may pay but she will tell if they buy again.You will have to think about delivering hay and storage if only for a few days.i am now only handling bales on to elevator in to hay loft and if i sell and must deliver for more cash,good luck