What to invest in?

[Illinoisdmax]

Howdy everyone, I'm really enjoying all the good feedback on this site!

I don't know how to make this post without gettin too complicated but here we go.

I'm gonna start off this spring makin hay for the first time on 10 acres of old horse pasture on my 52 acre property. I have another 20 tillable at this location that I currently lease out to a grain farmer. After taking the advice from some members here I've decided it would be best to start small and invest as little as possible doin this hay for now until I've learned the ropes a little better to move on to bigger things.

Here's my question. What should I be looking for in a good bailing tractor? Specific models would be nice. Green is out of the question, never been a deere fan. I currently have an IH 2504, just a 504 utility model with a loader. I grew up with this machine and she's currently gettin an overhaul by me. It's a good little tractor but at 45 horse I can't do much but brush hog and haul around little things in the bucket. I don't know if its just lack of weight in the rear end or not but she just really can't push much.

So........ I'd love to have a tractor with a cab, but I'd also love to have somethin with a quicktach loader too. I'd like to keep my budget around 20k because I still have to buy hay implements.

Do I just stick it out with the 504 for utility work and find some way to improve its capability and for hay, just get an older 86 series that will only serve one purpose? Or do I look to invest in a nice AG/utility with a loader so I can finally let the old girl rest? Sorry for the long post.

[Illinoisdmax]

[farmall 55a case]

My neighbor has a 504 and that's what he uses it for is hay work occasionally I will see him bush hogging and grading the drive with it! If I were you id just stay with what you have because if you upgrade to a new tractor itts gonna take you along time to make any money off ten acers of hay because all you money will go to the tractor but hay it s your money if you want one go for it! But the main thing is to have FUN!!!!!!!

[DAY]

There are many "hay threads" here, all filled with lots of advice both on equipment and the business of selling it.
It has been 30 years since I made any hay, but the machinery from that era is still in use, and still gets the job done. And is priced right!
10 acres is a nice sized hayfield; have fun!

[Mark Page]

I've done some raking for my neighbor when he was laid up. My 45hp Massey didn't even breathe hard. I mow with an 8 foot Woods mower, same story, plenty of power. I don't claim to know much about haying, but I think I could pull it off with smaller implements. I think $20,000 is on the light side if you include a tractor. Is the problem with the IH power or traction? If it's traction I would ballast the tires.
You may consider buying one or more of your implements from a local dealer, even if you pay too much. His advice will be priceless as you figure it out for yourself.
It's my understanding that a bailer with a kicker takes the most power to run.
I've always wondered how the local farmers know when to mow and when to bail.
Good luck, sounds like a fun endeavour.

[wcampbell47]

I have had thoughts of going into the hay business as well but I am not nearly as prepared as you are. The trouble is my tractor is a compact 21hp. Not wanting to have to buy a 50hp I searched the internet and found Small Farm Innovations .

I have no idea if the size equipment on that site is big enough for 10 acres, but you would not have to buy a tractor. The balers make smaller bales, but wouldn't be nice if you could develop a niche market for small bales.

Good Luck! Post about successes or failures.

[Egon]

For running a baler HP is the deciding factor. Match a baler to your HP.

[Gary Fowler]

I think you might run slow and pull a small square baler with your present tractor. We used to pull one with a D17 Allis-Chalmers tractor which has a bit more HP than yours but looks to weigh about the same. Lots of HP is not really the key as long as you work slow but weight is a big factor as they really knock your tractor around a bit with the plunger action. As you can see from the posted link, hay equipment is not cheap and to just run 10 acres, it is not a wise action financially. You would need to do some custom baling for other small farms to help pay for the equipment. Most ranchers want big 6x4 round bales but there is a niche for the small square bales for folks with only a few head of cows, a horse etc. so much so that I think with your present tractor, I would try to find a good used square baler, rake and mower to start out. As long as the sheet metal is not rusted out, bearings are good and the knotter works, it should put out good bales. The knotters seem to give most folk the biggest problems with the square balers. Dont mess with them if you have a problem as you can really mess things up. Get a baler mechanic to adjust them as they can be a real bear to put in time since they are just like a gasoline engine, if they are not perfectly timed they wont fire off that knot.

[Smallplot]

By no means trying to deture you from your 10 acres of hay BUT, depending on what you are going to cut and bale for hay (alfalfa, orchard grass, or many others) there are markets for the bales but when conditions are good for the crop there are many sources to purchase hay lowering your proffit margin. During the hard times, such as low rainfall years, the price will be better but you will have less to sell just like everyone else.

As far as equipment goes, you have not said if you are baleing square or round bales. Either way you will need either a mower conditioner or disc mower. Disc mower takes less hp to run (good used prob say $3,000 to $5,000). Mower Conditioner if you look around for same price for older model.

Also need a good rake which will run around $2,000.00

Then the baler, an old new holland 273 will run around $3,000.00 (but not sure if your tractor has enough PTO hp to run it. Or a round baler will run you around $8,000.00 to $10,000.00

That is a lot of bales to pay for used equipment off of 10 acres. For prices and model # check out Used Tractors For Sale at TractorHouse.com: John deere Tractors, used farm tractors and farm equipment, tractors for sale, Case IH, New Holland, Agco, Kubota to get an idea about what is available.

Square bales are labor intensive and you have to have a large enough place to store them until you are able to market them. Another consideration.

[blueriver]

Haying ... I love making hay. I have 3 tractors. 43hp, 55 hp and my Super A is 19hp... my round baler is a Case IH 8430 for 40 hp makes a 4x4 bale. My square baler is a JD 346 wire baler. I have 2 disc mowers and a V rake. A square bale accumulator and a square bale grapple.