Baling hay.

[jeff77indy]

I am in the process of putting out 4 acres of timothy and orchard grass to cut for horse hay.
I have a 1910 Ford that is rated 33 engine hp and 28 pto hp. Would I be able to handle a small square baler? My Uncle and Dad both have square balers I can borrow or should I have my Uncle bale it for me.
Should be a once a year thing with the grass hay.


Thanks.
Jeff

 

[sandman2234]

Having never baled hale, only hauled it in years past, I am probably not the expert you need, however, I have been considering what it would take to put some family owned property into hay, and your tractor falls a little short of what I have been explained to as what is needed. Sicle mowers take less hp than the new types of disc mowers.
Why not ask your uncle what hp his baler requires?
David from jax

 

[Doc_Bob]

.
I have a 1910 Ford that is rated 33 engine hp and 28 pto hp. Would I be able to handle a small square baler? Jeff

I have never bailed hay. I have been told it takes HP and a heavy tractor >5000 pounds.
Bob

 

[daTeacha]

It'll depend on your baler to a great extent. Some of the Amish around here make small square bales with ground driven equipment pulled by 2 Belgians. Some others have smallish gas engines running the baler while it's pulled over the cut hay by horses. Why not use your uncle's tractor and baler since they must be size/power matched?

 

[jeff77indy]

Thanks;
I have baled and put up alot of hay square and round bales. I farmed on my own up until a couple of years ago. I used a 6060 AC most of the years on my own for all of my farming.
Just though I would get the general opinon on this.
Rotary mower conditioners and the like take alot of HP. I will be using a sickle bar as I can use an old one from my Dad that they no longer use.
It takes a lot of HP for the large round and square balers.
I most likly will cut and rake myself. Then have a neighbor or my uncle bale for me in small square bales.
The 1910 would more than likly handle a small square baler but it may be harder on it than I want to be. When I was a kid farming for my Dad we pulled a 66 AC combine with a CA Allis, so I know things can be done with smaller tractors than recommended.

 

[Turbys_1700]

In my younger days we used WD 45's and then D 17's to square bale. We moved up to round bales and then used a 180. I wouldn't be comfortable with a 1920.