A few pics from today’s square baling

[kthompson]

Thanks, Mo.
Yeah it’s fun to teach him something, but it’s a dying trade. Just wish it was a little safer and more prosperous
Probably why it’s dying

Do you think raising hay is a dying trade or business? I was in a coop setup for four years with small square bales for horses. I left if not because it was a dying business for ours was growing and it still is for my previous partners. No doubt it is sensitive to other agriculture business that raise livestock. Here it is as other farming operations, bigger operations with bigger equipment. No idea how well it is doing but China was buying US hay at least three years ago. Amazed me.

If I had a child or son in law or grandchild who had interest in it would not have retired from it but worked to keep growing it.

I do find it interesting all the older men from the northern east coast who have moved here telling me about their experience with hay as a teenager.

 

[ultrarunner]

When I spent summers on the Grandparents Dairy farm summers were all about the hay...

Only one family farm left from the dozen or so remain...

Some hay fields are now homes and others greenbelt...

Several have told me working in the city with vacation is the reason next generation left the 7 days a week Dairy business...

 

[Hay Dude]

Do you think raising hay is a dying trade or business? I was in a coop setup for four years with small square bales for horses. I left if not because it was a dying business for ours was growing and it still is for my previous partners. No doubt it is sensitive to other agriculture business that raise livestock. Here it is as other farming operations, bigger operations with bigger equipment. No idea how well it is doing but China was buying US hay at least three years ago. Amazed me.

If I had a child or son in law or grandchild who had interest in it would not have retired from it but worked to keep growing it.

I do find it interesting all the older men from the northern east coast who have moved here telling me about their experience with hay as a teenager.

Dying in the sense that few young people want to do it and profits are not that great. It’s not a “push button” business and you have to be willing to work 7 days a week, too. I make 750-1000 tons a year and still have to do other work to supplement income.
Hay waits for nobody. If it’s nice weather on a Saturday or Sunday, you best be out there making hay. It may turn brown or rain the next day.
Equipment costs are incomprehensible. When I tell people what the cost is of even good used equipment, they can’t believe it. To be a medium sized hay producer it takes about $250,000 in equipment. You can easily spend $150,000 on just 1 tractor and $150,000 on just 1 large square baler (I don’t, I buy older equipment). Then you need barns to store it in and a large area to load/unload.
Demand is still pretty good.

 

[EddieWalker]

Every year I've had to find a new supplier of hay. I have no idea how I've managed to do this, but they all seem to get out of haying once they sell to me. This is the first time that I've managed to get a load of hay from a guy two years in a row, and I'm really excited because he just upgraded his delivery trailer. Instead of me unloading them from his trailer, which was only big enough for 10 at a time, he has a self dumping trailer that can haul 18 bales at a time, but only 16 bales if you get the big 6 footers. He delivered those 16 bales yesterday and I learned that my 14 foot gate really isn't big enough for a trailer with 6 foot bales on a trailer, side by side. He made it in, but with only inches to spare on each side. I have another opening, but haven't installed gates on it yet. I just have some fencing going across it for now. That's 20 feet wide and will make this easier in the future. That's something I never thought of before. 16 bales that are super clean coastal Bermuda at 13% that are very tight and and 6 feet tall at $65 each and $80 delivery is a pretty good deal for around here in my opinion. My next project is to build a hay barn. I need to keep it dry!!!!

 

[buckeyefarmer]

As long as there are cows and horses, you need hay or something to feed them.

Amazed at the clueless people that are opposed to farms, because they can just go to the grocery store and get their food

 

[MoKelly]

Amazed at the clueless people that are opposed to farms, because they can just go to the grocery store and get their food

It’s worse than clueless.

How can ANYONE who supposedly graduated 8th grade really not understand where food comes from?

It’s an embarrassment to the entire education system.

I used to think these were “wives tales” and no one really thought food came from grocery stores. But alas, there are more than s few who are that ignorant.

MoKelly

 

[keljan11]

All you big timers! I spent yesterday running a 60 year old sickle bar mower, and today with a similar age rolla-bar rake. Tomorrow will be Noah's NH Square baler. You also seem to be missing the excitement of monster terraces laid out by a drunken sailor! I would love to share mine with someone.

Know what you mean about big timers. I'm running a 1970,s MF 265, have a NH 489 swather, a 'newer' Kvernland TA 711 belt rake, and a NH 273 baler (with a sister 273 for back up). They are all running on a wing and a prayer, baling wire, and duct tape. I only have about 10 acres so all is good enough for 600 (?) idiot cubes a year. Have only been "farming" for maybe 8 yrs, and just can't justify newer equipment or an air conditioner tractor (other than the faster you go, the more breeze you get type). We usually hire 2 young guys to pick and stack, but not the last cut, or the one drying in the field now. (Guess it's me and the wife this cut). I'm only 64, and hope to be off the place before my next knee gives out. Will see how that turns out
Have enjoyed all the stories of the old days, and the more recent ones as well.

 

[Hay Dude]

Know what you mean about big timers. I'm running a 1970,s MF 265, have a NH 489 swather, a 'newer' Kvernland TA 711 belt rake, and a NH 273 baler (with a sister 273 for back up). They are all running on a wing and a prayer, baling wire, and duct tape. I only have about 10 acres so all is good enough for 600 (?) idiot cubes a year. Have only been "farming" for maybe 8 yrs, and just can't justify newer equipment or an air conditioner tractor (other than the faster you go, the more breeze you get type). We usually hire 2 young guys to pick and stack, but not the last cut, or the one drying in the field now. (Guess it's me and the wife this cut). I'm only 64, and hope to be off the place before my next knee gives out. Will see how that turns out
Have enjoyed all the stories of the old days, and the more recent ones as well.

All depends on how much hay you make. I just hit 600 tons with a few hundred more to go. Spend 100 days in tractors and you’ll want AC for sure.
Ever want to know what the definition of “hot” is?
A cab farm tractor with broken AC.

 

[Tx Jim]

Back in my hey day in my custom round hay baling business I was baling an average of 6000 rd bales per yr. That would equate to around 3000 tons of 4X5.5 rd bales. AC compressor failed on my baling tractor & I baled for 4 more hrs with no operating AC. When I exited tractor my shirt, pants, socks & underwear was wet with perspiration.

 

[Hay Dude]

Another day of 4x4x8 square baling. This one went good. All 6 knotters worked great and the Magnum 270 pulled that big ol 12 ton Hesston baler around like a toy. Now I need the same luck tomorrow