Bailing on steep fields

[ultrarunner]

Y

@haydude, I a, just curious, what is the barn like building across the road? It has an unusual set of doors and windows in it.

Having a skilled operator helps, as does have properly set up equipment. Have you ever seen an Aebi tractor in your area?

https://www.aebi-schmidt.com/_PDFs/1123_PFS_tt-big_aebi_slope-tractors_m_en_web.pdf

All the best,

Peter

Yep the Swiss, Italians and Austrians mow some crazy steep slopes!

Although I wonder how much it will change with some very severe AG restrictions coming into play…

Looking from the outside they must have been doing something right to be sustainable and productive often for hundreds of years…

 

[Hay Dude]

Oh yeah. When I help bring in the rounds for my friends in Pyengana, a number of fields are like this.

I typically do the 'fetch and carry' job with my little (compared to theirs) 4105; there's a LOT to be aware of when doing that. First there's the slope and 'angle of attack' of picking up the round, you have to back down the hill to the collection area. BUT you also have to be aware of where the baler is and if it's ejecting a new round... because if that round starts rolling you need to figure out where it's going and calculate/make sure you get out of its way!

Fun stuff.

Did round bales up until last year along with big square bales. Many years ago I developed the skill of dumping round bales on a hillside without them rolling away. Many times there’s nothing you can do but shuttle them to a flat spot after the alarm sounds. VERY time consuming on big hills. Large square baling eliminates this and cuts the time of the baling process in less than 1/2 on hilly ground.
Even on flat ground its much faster. Its “continuous baling” There’s no wrap cycle and no dumping. This has enabled me to take on a lot more property.

 

[Hay Dude]

@haydude, I a, just curious, what is the barn like building across the road? It has an unusual set of doors and windows in it.

Having a skilled operator helps, as does have properly set up equipment. Have you ever seen an Aebi tractor in your area?

https://www.aebi-schmidt.com/_PDFs/1123_PFS_tt-big_aebi_slope-tractors_m_en_web.pdf

All the best,

Peter

Its a huge barn built in the late 1800’s. You can‘t see it, but to the left was a railroad that ran on the berm along the left side of the property until a catastrophic flood hit our little town in 1972.
Anyway, the barn was rebuilt in early 1900’s- a steam engine delivering to my town shot sparks into the air and caught the roof on fire. The railroad rebuilt the barn for the owner.
The doors are typical sliding lower doors for the cows to go inside. Theres milking areas on the bottom. In the back there’s a huge bank and ramp up to the upper floor. Still very useable. It holds a massive quantity of loose hay or small squares. I am granted use of it, but it’s not constructed with tall enough openings for larger equipment of big bales. I can keep a few pieces of equipment in it.
It’s on the National Historic Register. Famous artists have done world renowned paintings there and there are amateur artists there at classes frequently, held by the grandson. The farm family, loved in our community, generously donated the entire property to a local Conservancy, where it can be enjoyed and preserved for eternity.
It’s a great privilege for me to be allowed to farm the property and keep it “farm” for years to come. Many old stories, both good and bad, success and failure just like any farm thats been around for centuries.

 

[ponytug]

@Hay Dude Great story, thanks!

All the best, Peter

 

[oosik]

Yesterday I made a trip down south into the Palouse - MAJOR wheat growing. I noticed that some of the fields are very steep. Not something I would take my tractor onto. I go down into this area, at least, once a month. This year I will go down during harvest and see how they handle these steep fields. I would guess it's the big units with dual tires on each corner or the big tracked units.

 

[Hay Dude]

@Hay Dude Great story, thanks!

All the best, Peter

Those tractors are very interesting. I think Europe needs them because land is at a much higher premium than in the US.
There’s more steep land in Europe. USA has more flat space than it knows what to do with.

 

[kevin37b]

Yesterday I made a trip down south into the Palouse - MAJOR wheat growing. I noticed that some of the fields are very steep. Not something I would take my tractor onto. I go down into this area, at least, once a month. This year I will go down during harvest and see how they handle these steep fields. I would guess it's the big units with dual tires on each corner or the big tracked units.

Hillside combines . They level with hydraulics .

 

[ptsg]

Bailing on hills. At one point, the baler was ready to go home.

 

[oosik]

Kevin - it's got to be something like that - hydraulically leveled hillside combines. Many of the field are so steep - I WOULD NOT take my M6040 vertically up/down that slope. They must have the some answer for the tilling and planting too.

There is a really neat thing about the area down south. Many of the farmers have gone to planting Canola - Rape. Most of these fields are already bright fluorescent yellow. So bright - you can see the color reflecting on the clouds on an overcast day. You know there is an upcoming field of Canola by seeing the color reflecting off the clouds.

 

[turnkey4099]

Yesterday I made a trip down south into the Palouse - MAJOR wheat growing. I noticed that some of the fields are very steep. Not something I would take my tractor onto. I go down into this area, at least, once a month. This year I will go down during harvest and see how they handle these steep fields. I would guess it's the big units with dual tires on each corner or the big tracked units.

I'm right in the middle of the Palouse. No really special equipment is used but farms have gotten so big and he equipment massive that the "normal" tractors can handle those hills. They used to farm them with horses!!!!

I was the header puncher/machine tender for my dad one harvest on steep ground. Supposedly the pull combine would level 45 degrees both ways. I ran it off he leveling gear rack once and still wasn't level. We quit farming that little patch of hillside and turned it into was is known as an "eyebrow" down here