Should I buy that JD 328 Baler?

[art]

The 328 is a well balanced baler and kicker package. Both can work in tune and neither can out work each other. The rotary rakes are more perfered over the rollbar style for drying which might help get the hay dryer to help offset the poor condition of the rolls in the 479 mower. It is amazing to listen to differences in the price of the hay and the packaging as we do sell small square baled hay out of area often in the 4 to 6 dollar range down by the city. Straw will bring that kind of money too in that area. I know in the west they chop it to put it back to help the fertility of the fields and just get rid of it but with all our horses here there is a good market for it. Large square bales get made in this area for about 7 dollars for the 1000 lb class and the rounds are about the same. TO have the cutting, raking as well as the baling for 1.50 is not a bad number for good quality hay but if it has no value other then mulch it woulld be tough to justify as many dairy farmers would allow you to clean out there old hay for nearly nothing.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

Holy smokes. My brother gets $35 for a round bale. You pick it up. The $1.50 per bale is in your field after YOU cut it, tedded and raked it. My brother just comes along with his old NH and drops them on the ground for YOU to pick up. Hay in his barn sells for around $4.00 /bale. Then again, agriculture is just about dead up here now. Pretty much all that is left are the rich people who have horses. they want premium second crop Timothy and a little Red Clover. He also has some alfalfa that he feeds his holsteins with.

 

[gws]

round bales around here are $15-20 depending on the grass. Square bales run all over the place based on size of the square bale and grass. I way paying $1/bale for some low end grass. My llama's loved it, but it was not a good horse/cow feed. $1.50-$2.00 for some good grass mix, higher protein grass will get $2.50-$3/bale and $4/bale from the local TSC and feed store.

 

[cowboydoc]

IH I'm not talking about buying round bales for that price. I was talking about having them custom baled. The price for round bales goes from $25-65/bale depending on the quality.

 

[cowboydoc]

Yea those are pretty close to prices here Gary for square bales. The good alfalfa will bring $2 - $2.50/bale.

 

[Ledgemere Farm]

OK. I don't have have a price for you on custome round bales. My brother usually keeps them for himself, but sells a few from time to time. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[twabscs]

Lacamo,

A good site for older implements and haying is Yesterday's Tractors . There are lots of guys there that do their own haying "for fun" and there is lots of talk about balers and such. If you go the implements section and search for JD 328 you will get a lot of info. Good info on NH balers there as well.

 

[lacamo]

I visit ytmag.com quite often -- one of the best places for old tractor parts & info. Based on what I've read there over the past few months, I wouldn't consider a square baler that wasn't JD or NH. BTW, we're actually not doing this "for fun", but trying to get by with as little cash as possible, since it's in very short supply, compared with the firewood, grass, manure, meat, sheepskins, & veggies which are available cash-free with a willingness to work, which is in ample supply. Forums like this (and ytmag) *really* help -- we appreciate everyone's ideas, comments, and encouragement.