mattv1
Bronze Member
Wife runs a small horse boarding operation on our acreage, we have about 15 acres of pasture that could partially be baled and neighbor has 10 acres of brome/alfalfa in a hayfield that we will lease in a multi-year contract. We've previously been buying hay, but last year's drought was really hard on us financially and it was difficult to find anyone to sell hay to us. Exactly opposite situation this year, too much rain keeping everyone out of the fields....and no one available to cut our pastures which were all drill-seeded, fertilized, fantastically green...and nearly 4 feet tall. Grass is so tall now that the horses won't eat it!
Tractor is a Kubota L3540 -- not super big, and it's all I've got here readily available. Here's a list of equipment I'm looking at picking up:
New Holland 273 or 275 baler
New Holland 427 or 477 haybine
Grappalator (or similar) -- Grappalator
Whatever brand side delivery rake i can find cheap at an auction for flipping.
I'm in my early 30's and grew up on a farm, pretty good at figuring things out and wrenching -- especially when I have a manual to reference. It's been many years since I worked with any square baling equipment.
What are the thoughts on my equipment list compared to the horsepower I have to work with? Mainly looking to get something that won't murder my tractor and something that I can get parts for (relatively) easy.
thanks guys, happy to be here!
Tractor is a Kubota L3540 -- not super big, and it's all I've got here readily available. Here's a list of equipment I'm looking at picking up:
New Holland 273 or 275 baler
New Holland 427 or 477 haybine
Grappalator (or similar) -- Grappalator
Whatever brand side delivery rake i can find cheap at an auction for flipping.
I'm in my early 30's and grew up on a farm, pretty good at figuring things out and wrenching -- especially when I have a manual to reference. It's been many years since I worked with any square baling equipment.
What are the thoughts on my equipment list compared to the horsepower I have to work with? Mainly looking to get something that won't murder my tractor and something that I can get parts for (relatively) easy.
thanks guys, happy to be here!