Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

[mojoinco]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

I was looking around at some local balers and ended up finding this. Not sure what the exit part of the machine is called (conveyor, ejector, etc): 1964 NH baler/1951 Ford tractor - YouTube

That 'bale thrower' looks like a time saver for lower volume work. You can drive back to the barn and get it stacked to beat the weather (or at least only need one person in the field). This is the first time I have seen something like this. I wonder if other models had it or if it was a 3rd party accessory. Not as efficient as a stacker, but it sure looks nicer than standing in the back of the trailer or driving along and picking each bale up.

Note that this is an old smaller power machine. Lots of them out there. My old Case VAC would have probably done as well. Not much money for machines like that. Just need a pto. Would also run a rake and a sickle bar mower. IF it says Ford, JD, and IH it costs more. But if you found the right deal (like a Ferguson version of the Ford; or about any of the other brands). Just make sure you look around for parts support (mostly wear/consumable type parts), and the accessory level you need (pto, 3 point, etc).

Then you can keep your current machine for the jobs that you need a reliable all weather machine for. Also, your machine gets in tight spaces. Sometimes that has more value than raw power.

 

[aczlan]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

Our baler has one of those. I call it a belt kicker. With that and a small hydraulic ram mounted to its pivot, I can get ~75 bales in the wagon vs ~100 with someone stacking. Timewise, it is faster not to stack (dont have to worry about hitting the stacker with a bale, so I can go faster), so if it is staying on the farm I dont normally stack the bales.

Aaron Z

 

[Ed of all trades]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

I still think that if you bush hog the field a few times this year and broadcast red clover and learn to cut hay with what is there you will be ahead. You have grass there now, if you plow and disc and seed you will hope to have grass there but it is not a sure thing. Why get rid of grass to plant more. fertilizer will do wonders to what is there.

 

[TSO]

I still think that if you bush hog the field a few times this year and broadcast red clover and learn to cut hay with what is there you will be ahead. You have grass there now, if you plow and disc and seed you will hope to have grass there but it is not a sure thing. Why get rid of grass to plant more. fertilizer will do wonders to what is there.

Does the red Clover have any value, or is it just for weed control? Would I have to get rid of that too before I start haying?

Sent from my Motorola Photon using TractorByNet for Android

 

[whitmerlegacyfarm]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

As far as your decisions on tractors, i was in the same boat you are. I starting haying about 10 ac on my grandparets 39 ac parcel. Lets just say it's been a lot of fun, but looking back, i would of not bought the new Kioti DK50 HST tractor atleast not now. I never expected to make a prfoit from my hay nor did i expect to make hay right away when i bought the DK 50. I wish i would of just bought 2 older ag tractors in decent shape. Don't get me wrong i love my DK 50HST, i am very pleased with it, but even after it's paid off in another 3 yrs, it won't be worth it, now if it last me for the long haul like i hope it does then yea maybe 15 years down the rd but they still arn't made to do a lot of haying and ground work in my opinion. It defently handles everything i threw out it so far, 9FT haybine, nh 269 sq baler pulling wagon load of hay behind up and down hills, i do engage 4wd when i get on hills to help brake and hold me back.

The price you got on the DK50hst sounds very good i paid $24,100 for mine as a year old demo with 40 hrs on it. I picked up a lot of good equipment for very cheap so if i ever got out of it i would make money selling the stuff.

I'm trying to pick up more land and hope to buy some more land down the road to make more hay. It does take up a lot of time in the summer but is very rewarding for my wife and I. I look forward to having kids someday and bring them up with a good work ethic.

If you have the Mechanical ability unlike me, i'd say save your self a lot of money and look around for a decent ag tractor that's heavier and will do the job just as well.

 

[TSO]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

Thanks for the input. The size upgrade would not be only for the purpose of Hay, or other farming... There's been plenty of times where I've found I didn't have enough power to move something I wanted to move. Granted, I could probably "get by" with the CK20, but I know that I'll eventually want to upgrade anyhow, so might as well do it now. Going up to the next series (like the CK30 etc) wouldn't be worth it to me, since you're only adding a bit more loader capacity. I use my loader a ton; and that's mostly what has steered me to a bigger tractor, in addition to any farming I might do. I actually got some seat time on a DK50 today at the dealership. Definitely a HUGE size upgrade over my CK20, but one that I would love to have. My biggest question now (regarding a new tractor) is the engine size. Am I going to regret getting say a DK40 over the DK45, or DK50? Am I going to notice a huge difference, or lack of power, from 40 HP to 45 or 50 HP?

Also, It seems like more people are steering me away from Hay than are supporting it. Can anyone here suggest an alternative crop to grow on a small farm, which would yield better results?

Thanks again.

As far as your decisions on tractors, i was in the same boat you are. I starting haying about 10 ac on my grandparets 39 ac parcel. Lets just say it's been a lot of fun, but looking back, i would of not bought the new Kioti DK50 HST tractor atleast not now. I never expected to make a prfoit from my hay nor did i expect to make hay right away when i bought the DK 50. I wish i would of just bought 2 older ag tractors in decent shape. Don't get me wrong i love my DK 50HST, i am very pleased with it, but even after it's paid off in another 3 yrs, it won't be worth it, now if it last me for the long haul like i hope it does then yea maybe 15 years down the rd but they still arn't made to do a lot of haying and ground work in my opinion. It defently handles everything i threw out it so far, 9FT haybine, nh 269 sq baler pulling wagon load of hay behind up and down hills, i do engage 4wd when i get on hills to help brake and hold me back.

The price you got on the DK50hst sounds very good i paid $24,100 for mine as a year old demo with 40 hrs on it. I picked up a lot of good equipment for very cheap so if i ever got out of it i would make money selling the stuff.

I'm trying to pick up more land and hope to buy some more land down the road to make more hay. It does take up a lot of time in the summer but is very rewarding for my wife and I. I look forward to having kids someday and bring them up with a good work ethic.

If you have the Mechanical ability unlike me, i'd say save your self a lot of money and look around for a decent ag tractor that's heavier and will do the job just as well.

 

[flusher]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

Thanks for the input. The size upgrade would not be only for the purpose of Hay, or other farming... There's been plenty of times where I've found I didn't have enough power to move something I wanted to move. Granted, I could probably "get by" with the CK20, but I know that I'll eventually want to upgrade anyhow, so might as well do it now. Going up to the next series (like the CK30 etc) wouldn't be worth it to me, since you're only adding a bit more loader capacity. I use my loader a ton; and that's mostly what has steered me to a bigger tractor, in addition to any farming I might do. I actually got some seat time on a DK50 today at the dealership. Definitely a HUGE size upgrade over my CK20, but one that I would love to have. My biggest question now (regarding a new tractor) is the engine size. Am I going to regret getting say a DK40 over the DK45, or DK50? Am I going to notice a huge difference, or lack of power, from 40 HP to 45 or 50 HP?

Also, It seems like more people are steering me away from Hay than are supporting it. Can anyone here suggest an alternative crop to grow on a small farm, which would yield better results?

Thanks again.

Strawberries.

 

[whitmerlegacyfarm]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

I know there's a lot of guys on here that say it's not worth it on the small acreage or for feeding your own animals. Labor wise yea it's easier to just buy it from someone for me, but i don't mine putting in all the sweat for the rewarding of knowing im making my own hay, and my horses aren't picky so they get mostly all 1st cut. My 2nd and 3rd cut pure Orchard Grass stands i sell for $5 a bale to my aunt for there alpaca's. I'm still not making any money from a $5 a bale for 2nd and 3rd cut. All i'm saying is i don't know how much you will really make, it would be better if you were feeding some of your own animals in my opinion. I all but broke even my first year being that i didn't have to buy any hay for the horses compared to what i have in all my used equipment. So this year here i will be in good shape if i make it threw again without and major break downs.

All i can say is it's very rewarding, but does take up a lot of your time. Good luck

 

[TSO]

Re: Looking to start growing & harvesting Hay - with a Compact Tractor. Advice please

Well, thanks for all the replies fellas. I'm leaning away from Hay now, and looking more towards Christmas trees, Wine-Grapes, Blueberries, and pumpkins. I have some friends that are retail/convenience store owners in the city, and I can sell pumpkins through them, probably xmas trees too. Plus, I won't really have to buy any equipment other than a tree-harvester or "baler" to wrap them, and those are much cheaper than hay equipment. Should probably still get a tiller and plow though, and I'll need a brush-hog, although a nearby friend has one I can borrow if needed.

Decisions Decisions... The sad part is, if I don't do Hay, I won't necessarily "need" a bigger tractor, except for a stronger loader. And I was getting really excited at the thought of upgrading !

 

[Reyer Farms]

Strawberries are good, blueberries are good, pumpkins I would say okay. Christmas trees could be real good ( low overhead) if you have the soil. You have a little wait before a return on your investment, but I would like it better than grapes. I can tell you strawberries will cost from 7-10 k an acre. Good luck.