Hay farming on a small time basis

[powerpace]

I would suggest contacting your local County Extension Agent. They are a valuable resource for most of what you asking. Grass seed and ground preparation when and how are things they can help you with. Your local farm supply co-ops are great for knowing what the full time farmers are planting and fertilizing.
The best information I ever got. "If you can't maintain it yourself don't buy it."
I have horses and cows on 10 acres and buy 30 round bales and 200 square bales a season. The small bales are for traveling and horse camping.
Around here (Douglas County, Or.) there are custom balers that cut and bale on shares or for a fee.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Great info guys. I actually help with hay right now and it's pretty brutal, but I never knew how you "seeded" for hay. So are you saying you just broadcast seed & fertilizer on the exisiting ground with a 3 point cone spreader and it grows, or must you till the ground somehow to plant the seed?

I'm more concerned with the baler breaking down. When I help, it's just being stacked or put up. I never get to help cut it.

Most folks just cut and bale "whatever is growing".....be it grass, weeds, or whatever. To get a select, clean, pure crop, you would need to start from scratch. (re-seeded)

I grow alfalfa/orchardgrass mix. I started over by round-up burndown, plow, fertilize, disc, seed, fertilize more, and pray. That SHOULD hold for 5 to 7 years before needing to re-do. (baring severe drought, disease, ect) If Alfalfa is already present, you can't direct seed more alfalfa into the same field immediately. Alfalfa put off a toxin that prevents it's own seed from germinating. Gotta skip a year. For a moderate production of hay, you might not need to go to such extremes. And yes, if you continually take hay off a field, you'll need to replentish nutrients....FERTILIZER..... I fertilize after first cutting and again after the last cutting each year.

MOst state universities with an AG dept will offer "short courses" in forage production. Well worth the time and effort. I've got a 2-year soil sciences degree from Univ. of Ky. Along with that was an intensive course in forage production. They taught me things that 20 years (at that time) on the farm never did. One of the key issues they drilled into our minds was "conditions change constantly". What you learn now is applicable to the future, but not a hard and fast rule. Be flexable and be prepared to change your game plan as the clock ticks. My 1992 degree isn't "worthless" by any stretch, but the science of growing hay has evolved since. Then again, the BASICS haven't changed significantly in my lifetime.

Good advice on the ag extention folks too. County agents can give you accurate, localized info that our broad, generalized opinions just can't compete with. Call 'em! That's what they're there for.

 

[Builder]

Thanks for the great advice. I wonder if I'd be better off just having the fields planted by a local farm help if a lot of special equipment is required. Wouldn't want to buy that equipment which is used so seldom. Then I can cut it myself next summer.

The fields have been just "sitting" for quite some time. They spread horse manure on them now. What affect does that have? Just a fertilizer would be my guess.

I'm excited about this. I do have the time & desire to do it. Farming has always been a dream of mine, but I know I can't rely on it to make much more money than to help pay for some equipment or repairs.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

Adding manure over time will alter Ph levels. In most instances, that'll require lime to bring Ph to correct levels. Other than that, not much harm to be done. I'd suggest soil testing done at various points around the field. We can guess as to what it MAY need, but accurate testing is the only way to insure good results. Basic "NPK" fertilizers only cover a small part of the equasion. Micro-nutrients play an equally important role. It's best to determine EXACTLY what crop you'll be planting, then test to get desired nutrient levels for that specific crop.

Then pray for adaquate, but TIMELY rains.

BAck to the county extention folks....In MOST cases, they will be able to recommend someone to apply chemical (sprays) to treat for pests, as well as do chemical burn downs (RoundUp) Also, MOST county extention offices will have access to rental no-till drills where you can plant a new crop. Let them make suggestions on most effective ways to plant a new field. These guys know the area and they know all the angles.

 

[Dill]

The tow/trailer type sickle bar mowers will be cheaper than a 3pth type since the 3pth type are popular with roadside mowers, or you might be able to pick up a mower conditioner for 750-800. I've seen plenty of useable rakes in the 500 range at auctions. A baler will probably be you biggest out of pocket, I'd look at older New Hollands or IHs I got a nice IH 435 with a kicker for a friend at an auction for 600 2 years ago, but more often a decent baler will be in the 1200 range. I wouldn't buy at a dealer, I'd hit auctions now and in the spring. Bring someone who knows what they are looking at and knows what things are worth. Decide how much you'll spend on somthing before you bid and stop when you hit your limit.

 

[Builder]

I notice that mower/conditioners seem to be less than a new sickle, but more than a used one.

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=5629168&GUID=A3057B4DB5F14CB887A28E3DD62CDE3C

http://www.tractorhouse.com/listings/detail.aspx?OHID=5621490&GUID=A3057B4DB5F14CB887A28E3DD62CDE3C

Is this the way to go? Does it keep me from having to buy a rake if i can get it baled before it gets wet after cutting?

 

[Farmwithjunk]

You'll still need a rake. And if there's room in the budget for a forth piece, a tedder will prove invaluable over time.

 

[Builder]

But is a haybine preferred to a sickle? I would think so since it's a more effective tool, but it looks eternally more complex and apt to go "kaboom" at any time.

I can repair an automatic transmission or install injectors in a diesel, but I couldn't do much more than grease the fittings on a haybine. LOL.

Seriously, it looks kinda complex to repair/get parts for or repair.

 

[aczlan]

But is a haybine preferred to a sickle? I would think so since it's a more effective tool, but it looks eternally more complex and apt to go "kaboom" at any time.
I can repair an automatic transmission or install injectors in a diesel, but I couldn't do much more than grease the fittings on a haybine. LOL.
Seriously, it looks kinda complex to repair/get parts for or repair.

A Mower Conditioner (MoCo) is better than a sicklebar mower because it crimps the stalks which lets it dry faster. We have a NH 8' or so one that does pretty good, it has chains that drive everything, looks pretty complex, but it is pretty straightfoward if you think about it. Ours has been pretty reliable, since 2007 we have rebuilt a PTO shaft end (the end at the tractor, the bearings died) and replaced tension spring for the crimper rollers. It is about due to have the drive chains replaced and get some new tires, so that may be a project this winter.

I would suggest looking for one that has (or can have) hydro lift of the cutting head and hydro swing (assuming that you have 2 remotes on your tractor). Ours has hydro lift but manual swing and it is a PITA to get it to swing from the seat.
It looks like the Gehl you linked to has hydro lift/swing and it lifts the whole unit rather than just the cutting head. While it may not seem like much, when you need to drive over a windrow those extra few inches are VERY nice.

Aaron Z

 

[zzvyb6]

You can easily add a hydaulic tongue swing to your haybine. I run mine off the loader circuit. The other unmentioned advantage of the haybine is the feature to output a nice narrow windrow. This means elimination of a rake cycle if the weather is cooperative. I cut and output a narrow single windrow and can sometimes bale the second day. That's how you get GREEN looking hay bales that are crispy dry. A sickle only mower can't produce that narrow of a windrow and requires a rake task.