Bale Bandit

[twabscs]

Hoelscher has a nice setup. Around $12K for the 10-bale accumulator and forks. Another good use for the FEL.

Hoelscher

I'm thinking of doing 90 acres of Alfalfa/Orchard this year and am still trying to figure out how to handle all of the bales.

 

[twabscs]

When doing small square bales, you basically have five options:

1) Pick them up by hand
2) Use a mechanical bale wagon or "Stacker" like cowboydoc
3) Use a mechanical "thrower" to toss the bales into a high-sided wagon as they come out of the baler
4) Use a long chute on the baler to "push" the bales into a bale "basket" wagon
5) Use the bale accumulator/forks technique

All have their pros/cons/costs.

 

[Woodbeef]

Krone has a new baler coming out that puts small squares into a larger package for retrevial and shipping. You can then take them apart into regular small squares later as needed.

 

[5030]

Richard:

I took a hard look at a Bale Bandit. The only way a farmer could afford one would be to buy it with a group of hay growers.

They are very expensive. They most certainly cut the labor on squares, but we have Mexicans for that. (I better be careful, President Bush will be chastising me)!!!

 

[jwcinpk]

You know what's sad is if you are doing it by hand you have to have someone to help and nobody here will work anymore. I'll probably go with the old wagon behind the baler route.

 

[Woodbeef]

That's the same problem everywhere with small squares. If you do get help then it always seems that at least a few days when ther hay is ready to bale or rain is coming they just don't understand it has to be done today,not tomorrow. Or another good one is.....can we do it first thing in the morning,I want to go out at 3:00 to the mall with my friends after you pay me......But I've found that attitude even with some of the people that pick it up baled in the field too. I'll tell them when to be there to pick it up.......some don't come for a week to get it......So I've learned...you want X bales...X$ up front before I cut it.....

 

[Woodbeef]

I think those dogs belong to John's wife.

 

[HayDR]

Bale wagons used sell for $1,000-10,000 depending on condition and size of the wagon. This is just an option.

 

[em14]

That New Holland Hay Wagon brings back memories of the Wisconsin power one that we had many years ago ... the thing worked well ... but then round bales came along and that was that!
Leo

 

[MikePA]

<font color="blue">they just don't understand it has to be done today,not tomorrow. </font>
My wife, a horse person, doesn't realize this either. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif When the farmer (or his wife) calls us and says they're baling and do we need any hay, I always go, assuming we need hay. More often than not, they have a full hay wagon they need emptied so they can continue baling. Also, more often than not, I end up getting the hay myself. /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif Nothing like loading the truck, tossing the bales into the loft, getting down off the truck and into the loft, stacking the bales, etc. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif