Cheapest way to try my hand at making hay?

[DJ54]

I'm not sure how late they made them, but I have a Bush-Hog brand rotary cutter that came with my '54 Farmall Super C. It has a removable side that unbolts to specfically cut hay. I've used it several times, when the haybine broke. It does a nice job, and lays it out in a neat little windrow. It only cuts it at the front, and carries it out to the side.

But then I have a tedder I got from Ken Sweet also... Best money I've ever spent!! :thumbsup:

I'll still bales 30-40 squares a year of second cutting for horsecamping, the rest is round baled. I pull a 14-T JD baler with the Super C with no problem. Yeah.., I have to run in first gear, but then I have memories of "doodleing" hay, then making a haystack too... So ridin' and guidin' is my choice..!!

 

[aczlan]

Summer 2009: L3830 with the baler and the old wagon


Summer 2010: L3830 with the baler and the "new" wagon


Somewhere we have picture of the mower conditioner and rake, but that is what I have handy.

Aaron Z

 

[Verticaltrx]

Here's my hay setup, fairly cheap and I do about 15-25ac twice a year with it:

Mower:
New Holland 451 sicklebar, 7' cut, good condition, $750. Also put a new knife in it, some new gaurds and hold down clips and a new belt, about $250 total.

Rake:
New Holland 56 side delivery. Poor condition, but it was free. Will take about $700 to fully refurbish it, good used ones go for $2-3K around here.

Tedder:
G2 brand (Italian I would guess) two rotor 3pt hitch type, broken off wheel spindles, also got it for free. Needed new tines and some welding, about $200 total.

Baler:
New Holland 268 Square baler. $1000 in excellent condition. It's pretty old though, late 60's vintage IIRC. It was in great shape but the knotters were gummed up from years of disuse, a little tinkering and adjusting and it has worked great.

So for under $4000 I have some small but good quality hay equipment. I did get some pretty good deals on stuff, but there are other good deals out there. Despite being old equipment my down time is very minimal as I go over all of it pretty well in the spring, and keep spare parts on hand. Most of the aforementioned equipment takes some mechanical knowledge to make it run properly (especially the sicklebar) however I find it pretty efficent and economical to run.

As for a tractor I use my Ford NAA for mowing and baling, and the B3200 for raking and tedding. The old ford is plenty adequate for this type of work. These smaller old NH balers don't take much power or weight as this was about the size tractor they were designed for (2-3plow tractor as it states in the manual.)