haying implements Kubota L3010HST

[moxie]

I have a 5 year old Kubota L3010HST. I am going to be doing my own haying starting next year after having had a local farmer doing it for me in the past. I am hoping to get some input on what implements other hay growers like to use on grass hay to be baled in small square bales appropriate for horses.
I have good smooth fields, some minor hills, and the total is about 40 acres. Currently 20 acres is wet due to springs but I will be putting in tile drains (or something similar, still researching, feel free to comment on this too) so I can get more than one cutting per year as well as use some of the field for pasture. The other 20 acres is nice and dry but this is where there are some hills. When cutting walking paths (stop laughing ) with a brush hog, I need to put the tractor in low gear for some of those hills, so that might be an area where I could get into trouble trying to hay it. I know there are implements that this size rig can run but I also know some of those same implements can be a problem due to tractor weight issues, etc. Any info would be helpful. I bought the tractor new so as not to inherit someone else's poor upkeep and am considering doing the same on the implements. While I have a handy boyfriend, fixing broken tines etc might mean a trip to the shop. i.e. expensive. If you think one or more implements is better purchased new for the above reasons, or maybe one or more can be fine when used, that would be helpful as well. Still trying to figure out things like Kicker or not? sickle bar and separate rake/swather or haybine style all in one? Thanks so much in advance, Moxie

 

[nspec]

I think you may be a little undersized. You'll mow with a sickle bar, ted, and rake just fine, but a haybine may be a little big for your machine. Perhaps I'm wrong and someone makes a small one. Same with a baler. I'm thinking for what you want to do you would be better served with something 40-45hp minimum.

 

[keyser soze]

There are implements that will work on your small tractor. However... have you checked the cost of a specialty baler small enough for your tractor to run? They aren't cheap. And, you can't use a regular duty square baler on a tractor that small. It will be WAY to heavy for you to run on flat ground, let alone hills.

My suggestion... let someone with larger equipment do it for you.

Or buy a bigger tractor.

This probably isn't what you want to hear. Sorry.

 

[HayDR]

moxie,

The 30 HP and the mass of your tractor limits what you can do.
We have a small drum mower that will work on your tractor. The drum mower will mow as fast as you can ride on the tractor and you will not clog it up. A T135 is priced at $2,800 new. A used 3 point tedder runs from $600-1,000. We also sell a new 4 wheel rake for $675. Yes you can use a single action sicklebar mower but if you do not have much experience with one, it will be frustrating in heavy and especially in you bottom ground with springs in it.

If you cut it, ted it and rake it, you usually can get a custom baler to bale it. If you ask your neighbor to do all the operations you have asked them for a 3-4 day commitment. If you cut,ted & rake the hay you likely are only asking a custom operator for a 4-5 hour commitment.

If you want to bale your own then you'll come out better if you purchase a used utility tractor in the 40-60 HP range and purchase a used square baler and maybe a larger mower if you need more production. The micro equipment is more expensive that the full-size equipment. Maybe 3-4 years from now the micro-hay equipment will become mainstream and the prices will be reduced.

 

[rankrank1]

I agree with the other posters that you would be better served with getting a bigger tractor especially if you plan to hay your whole 40 acres.

However, if you are intent on keeping your current tractor it may be possible but it will be slow and you will need to be careful. FWIW I use a Kubota tractor (26 PTO hp) similiar in size to yours, but I am not doing 40 acres either. Anyway here goes my opinions for your tractor:

Baler options:
a) New micro-baler. (pricey at $15K plus, but designed for a tractors even smaller than yours. I have never seen a used one of these for sale).
b) New Holland 65 compact baler - PTO operated. (My personal preference because it can be had rather cheaply and parts are plentiful. Smaller and lighter than most balers due to a smaller 12"x16" plunger size as compared to the standard 14"x18" size or the even larger 16"X18" size of most balers. The smaller plunger takes less tractor hp to run and will shake the tractor less compared to larger plunger sizes. The bad news is these were only made from 1960 to 1965 so they are 40 plus years old and most will have wear in them and you will need to work on them).
c) Ford 520 - PTO operated (same benefits of NH 65 baler above, but parts will be extremely hard to get).
d) Old New Holland or John Deere baler with its own engine for power. (These balers will typically be 50 plus years old, so they will need worked on, plus you have another engine to maintain).
As for a Kicker forget it - you are already low on HP why further tax things. I would recommend that you not even tow a wagon and simply drop your bales on ground and pick them up later - will be much safer with hills. No need for a Kicker if dropping on ground.

Raking:
You can pretty much pull any rake that has tires on it. (Skip any heavy/huge 3 pt mounted rakes as your tractor is too light. Small light 3pt rakes probably okay.) You may want to pick your rake based on the vintage of baler that you end of going with. Typically rakes of an era work well with the balers from that same era.

Cutting:
a) Your tractor is too small and light for the classical haybines or mower conditioners especially with hills so forget these.
b) Sickle mowers (your tractor can operate one of these easily, but they can be frustating to use. Prices are anywhere from $150 to $1500 used - plan on working on it. $3-4k for new ones).
c) Bush hog, or modified bush hog style rotary cutter with one side removed - must discharge the hay without cutting it into little pieces. (Not the best tool for the job and you will lose some of your hay yield, expect at least a 20% - 30% percent yield loss but it can work. Added benefit is it is kinda like a poor man's haybine as drying time is quicker due to the cracking of the stems. I believe King Kutter still makes a rotary cutter that they call a "hayside" with a removable side. There have also been many farmer made conversions as well).
d) Haymaxx drum mower, These sound great but are out of my price range at $2800.

Again this will be a slow process with your tractor and you must always be aware of your tractors shortcomings in order to remain safe. Handy with equipment will also be a huge plus in keeping the old or new equipment operational.

 

[flusher]

I have a 5 year old Kubota L3010HST. I am going to be doing my own haying starting next year after having had a local farmer doing it for me in the past. I am hoping to get some input on what implements other hay growers like to use on grass hay to be baled in small square bales appropriate for horses.
I have good smooth fields, some minor hills, and the total is about 40 acres. Currently 20 acres is wet due to springs but I will be putting in tile drains (or something similar, still researching, feel free to comment on this too) so I can get more than one cutting per year as well as use some of the field for pasture. The other 20 acres is nice and dry but this is where there are some hills. When cutting walking paths (stop laughing ) with a brush hog, I need to put the tractor in low gear for some of those hills, so that might be an area where I could get into trouble trying to hay it. I know there are implements that this size rig can run but I also know some of those same implements can be a problem due to tractor weight issues, etc. Any info would be helpful. I bought the tractor new so as not to inherit someone else's poor upkeep and am considering doing the same on the implements. While I have a handy boyfriend, fixing broken tines etc might mean a trip to the shop. i.e. expensive. If you think one or more implements is better purchased new for the above reasons, or maybe one or more can be fine when used, that would be helpful as well. Still trying to figure out things like Kicker or not? sickle bar and separate rake/swather or haybine style all in one? Thanks so much in advance, Moxie

I'm like you, just starting to do haying on my 10 acres of flat pasture land. I have a new Mahindra 5525 (54 hp engine, 45 hp pto, 2WD, partial constant mesh tranny) to handle the discing chore using a 13-ft tandem wheel disc cut down to 10 ft wide, a JD 350 side delivery hay rake (3pt hitch type) and a MF-124 two-twine square baler. I can handle the 10-ft MM P3-6 grain drill (which has both fertilizer and grass seed boxes), the Allis Chalmers 82T pull behind sickle bar mower (6-ft cutter bar) with my 1951 Farmall Super A.

You Bota will handle the planting, mowing and raking chores for sure. It probably will handle a small square baler like my MF-124 with difficulty. As for tilling,with 30 hp you probably are limited to a 6-7ft tandem disc.

BTW: check out the last two minutes of this YouTube video on a restored Farmall Super A where you will see it pulling a small square baler similar to the MF-124.

YouTube - FARMALL Super A

Small tractors sometimes can surprise with their capabilites.

 

[pitt_md]

I was in the same boat a while back when I thought I might do my own hay to feed my horses. I found out that I could never in my life time pay for the equipment to plant, cut, rake, and bale it. I have a guy that stops by on his way to a larger job with a big JD tractor and Heston large square baler. He is done in less than 30 minutes and costs me in the area of $200. That included him cuting and preping the hay. Quite the bargan if you ask me.

 

[Quebeker]

I have to agree with pitt_md. If you have no experience and have nobody with good knowledge to help you with it, you might find that it is much more complicated than what it seems. I did it for a couple of years and abandoned it to the pros.

 

[Egon]

Do you have a FEL on the tractor?

If so you could fabricate a hay sweep for it and bring the hay in and stack it loose thus avoiding a baler.

 

[AKfish]

I've been "kickin' the tires" with the idea of doing my own hay, too. My tractor has plenty of mass (~5,200lbs w/o bucket) but not alot of Hp (43 gross - 33 pto).

There have been many discussion hereabouts on TBN (Ag forum, Kubota and JD owning and operating forums) regarding small tractor haying. Many members are currently doing their own hay with tractors in the 30hp range. A search in those areas will provide you with many hours of reading pleasure.

Currently, my research has illustrated that one can purchase the required implements (in good operating condition) for less than $10K (excluding transportation) to mow, tedd, rake and bale your own hay.

Example; JD 1219 MoCo - $3.5K; JD 336 baler - $3.0K; JD 640 rake - $1.5K; 4 wheel tedder - $1.5K. Certainly, you could likely shave a thousand or so off these listings.. but these numbers would put you in the ballpark.

The baler and the MoCo have a minimum Hp requirement of 35hp. But... you can run these with less - if you don't double up on your windrows or try to run too fast, etc., etc.

There are a number of comparable New Holland balers and MoCo's that are equivalent to the JD models in capacity and capability as well. (It's easier for me to get parts and service for JD stuff is the No. 1 reason I focused on the Green line..)

That said --- you can buy alot of hay for $10,000 and if you have the option of hiring out the work for a share of the hay or working a deal along those lines... well, maybe buying into older 2nd-3rd-4th hand equipment isn't the smart trail to follow.

Best of luck.

AKfish