2016 Hay season started for me.

[powerscol]

Got back from vacation yesterday and cut the neighbor's 12 AC today. I started with the drum mower, then decided to switch to the 9' sickle mower with Brian's hydraulic top link. What a huge difference - I was able to dial in the tilt to cut and cut and cut with no issues. It's 95 out with about a 5 mph wind - perfect drying conditions. I'll ted the lumps put tomorrow and keep checking. I dont want the big sweat like I got my first cutting.

 

[farmer2009]

Well the spring hay season is over. Finished yesterday. First time in almost 5 years we've been done before Father's Day. Last year was middle of July.
351 4x5 rolls. About 225-250 will be split between me and dad. The rest is landowners shares. Need about 100 more to go through the winter. Should be a fall cutting. As long as we keep getting a few rains.

 

[mattv1]

First field done...7 acres of Timothy/bluegrass mix. 480 or so bales, about 65 lbs give or take.. Swather and rake worked great. Fought the baler and accumulator for days. One new wiper arm, one new billhook, one new piece of all thread and several adjustments to the old farmhand accumulator and I finally got stuff working right. Or so I hope. About 70 acres to go yet..glad the first patch is in the barn.

 

[cat fever]

You need to get a bale grapple like I have :thumbsup: Its small and I can work in the barn too. - Save the back

I will be investigating my options over the winter. But something has to give, my back will not keep up with those 90 pounder's for very many years.

 

[Tx Jim]

I will be investigating my options over the winter. But something has to give, my back will not keep up with those 90 pounder's for very many years.

May I ask why you make 90# sq bales instead of 50#-60# sq bales?

 

[mattv1]

Used the old farmhand grapple to stack hay in my barn for the first time. After some learning, it went pretty well. Much easier and cleaner than throwing the bales down and stacking them manually. I need to get some more hooks for it so I don't have to pay so much attention when lining things up.

many, many bales and acres to go yet... ugh.

 

[powerscol]

May I ask why you make 90# sq bales instead of 50#-60# sq bales?

I haft to agree - back the tension off on the baler and shoot for 55 lbs.

But after picking up 298 bales yesterday and today with my grapple (twice - to load and unload) I am sold on what I got - perfect size for my use and not that expensive if you buy from the right place. :thumbsup:. Next toy is the accumulator that goes with it to speed the field pickup. I only touched one bale by hand and that was to retie it after the grapple brook the string - first time that has happened. So far moisture is good at about 10%. The bales did get a bit of rain for about 20 minutes, but no effect after a day of drying except for some surface bleaching. Now I cant rest until I have it all sold and go for the second cutting. This 298 cam off of about 12 acres the neighbor has - native grass no fertilizer. I am thinking of working a deal for him to fertilize and split costs, but then I would have 3 times the hay to deal with. Doing what I did whipped my butt - but it was 95+ outside while I worked. I was lucky and got the hay out of the field just in time for the neighbor to water.

 

[cat fever]

May I ask why you make 90# sq bales instead of 50#-60# sq bales?

Not on purpose for sure.
I adjusted twice for lighter bales during the first 10 or so bales. Thought I had it down to 60 pounders. I will not make that mistake again.

However, have any of you seen the "Rocky Mountain Bale Sweep". Mounts right on the SSQA, sure looks simple. I might invest in that, then the weight won't matter as much.

 

[Tx Jim]

I've seen several different brands of bale grapple/accumulators that mount on FEL. IMHO any type of mechanical bale handling is better than hay hauler's BACK.

 

[TomSeller]

Not on purpose for sure.
I adjusted twice for lighter bales during the first 10 or so bales. Thought I had it down to 60 pounders. I will not make that mistake again.

However, have any of you seen the "Rocky Mountain Bale Sweep". Mounts right on the SSQA, sure looks simple. I might invest in that, then the weight won't matter as much.

I remember hauling hay for various farmers as a teenager and one of them would ratchet his up for 100 lb bales. He was a big, big guy and could carry two in one hand but I was at my fighting weight of 175 lb so I got my workout in. But he paid $0.10 more an hour and sent me home with a six pack. Seemed like a good deal.