Haying

[deere4320]

Hi All,
I apologize if i put this in the wrong place. I got out of school about 2 weeks ago and i am as bored as ever. I am getting hardly any seat time and i need a summer job. I have been mowing for the neighbors but that only takes 30 minutes. I was asking around and i found a person about ten miles down the road who recently bought a farm. They didn't own a tractor yet and were not going to buy one until the winter. The farm has a 15 acre and a 12 acre hay fields that are growing out of control. They said they want a somebody to mow the lawn and hay for them all summer. I am not really familiar with haying. What equipment would i need? Would it be worth buy the equipment? How much would i charge? And do i have the right tractor to do the job?

 

[MMagis]

You would not make enough mowing the hay fields, at MOST twice each but likely only once, to justify buying a new piece of equipment. The cheapest thing you’d likely find would be an older cutter bar, but even those usually aren’t all that cheap.

 

[Baby Grand]

You have what a lot of people here dream about - a tractor, the time to use it, and the potential for a paying customer with a to-do list. No excuse for you to be bored now. From what I've heard on this forum haying (making bales for feeding cattle) requires a lot of expensive equipment, so unless you have a lot of paying jobs lined up, or access to the equipment on loan, I don't think you can justify the investment with this one job.

Maybe a brush hog to keep the field a field until they can contract a hayer to do the haying? Personally, I'd love to have a sickle bar mower and a rake for my little field - I need all the mulch I can get for my vegetable garden.

There are other uses for hay besides feed for livestock. For example, over at our place my wife picks up some of the clippings from when I brush hog our field with her lawn tractor + cylone rake. A cyclone rake or similar attachment for your machine might open some other business opportunities for you. It sure makes quick work of picking up the leaves in the fall and the mulched leaves keep our gardens snug and happy all through the Winter.

If you're really sporting for adventure of a new and different kind, try taking a scythe to that field. Just don't commit to finishing it. A competent mower should be able to cut an acre a day. The investment is minimal, you will learn to hone and peen a blade to a razor edge, develop strong arm & back muscles, you will become familiar with every plant and critter that lives in that field (mostly good if you discount the yellow jackets) and you will sleep like a log at night. You will also develop a healthy respect for the real value of a working horse or the equivalent labor that a gallon of diesel represents.

Good luck with whatever path you take!

-Jim

 

[deere4320]

You have what a lot of people here dream about - a tractor, time to use it, and a potentially paying customer with a to do list. No excuse for you to bored now. From what I've heard on this forum haying (making bales for feeding cattle) requires a lot of expensive equipment, so unless you have a lot of paying jobs lined up, or access to the equipment on loan, I don't think you can justify the investment with this one job.

Maybe a brush hog to keep the field a field until they can contract a hayer to do the haying? Personally, I'd love to have a sickle bar mower and a rake for my little field - I need all the mulch I can get for my vegetable garden.

Presently, my wife picks up the clippings from my brush hog with her lawn tractor + cylone rake. A cyclone rake or similar attachment for your machine might open some other business opportunities for you. It sure makes quick work of picking up the leaves in the fall and the mulched leaves keeps our gardens snug all through the Winter.

If you're really sporting for adventure, try taking a scythe to it. A competent mower should be able to cut an acre a day. The investment is minimal and you will sleep like a log at night.

Good luck with whatever path you take!

-Jim

Thanks for the Reply Jim!

I do have a line on a New Holland Baler.... but there poses two problems; A: Our friends who own it run the baler with a 57 HP Tractor, which the PTO is 46 i think, And B: Our friends live about 8 miles away and it is way to big to transport on my dad's car trailer.

 

[flusher]

Hi All,
I apologize if i put this in the wrong place. I got out of school about 2 weeks ago and i am as bored as ever. I am getting hardly any seat time and i need a summer job. I have been mowing for the neighbors but that only takes 30 minutes. I was asking around and i found a person about ten miles down the road who recently bought a farm. They didn't own a tractor yet and were not going to buy one until the winter. The farm has a 15 acre and a 12 acre hay fields that are growing out of control. They said they want a somebody to mow the lawn and hay for them all summer. I am not really familiar with haying. What equipment would i need? Would it be worth buy the equipment? How much would i charge? And do i have the right tractor to do the job?

You could certainly mow the hay field with your brush hog set with the rear end up and the front end down to minimize the mulching effect of the mower. You'd end up with some long-cut hay suitable for baling, some short chopped up hay that may or may not bale well and uncut hay (lodged hay) that's been smashed down by the wheels of your tractor. The hayfield would be pretty messy doing it this way.

Another option is find a used $500 6-7 ft sicklebar mower (your tractor would handle this easily) to mow the hayfield properly (all hay cut long, no chopped up stuff). The problem is that old sicklebars as a minimum need to be refurbished to get them to work properly (new sickle sections, new guards, etc). The parts are less than $200, but figure your time investment in getting the sicklebar ready to go.

The preferred way to mow hayfields nowadays is with disc or drum mowers. These run $3000 and up new and $1500 and up used.

After mowing you need to rake the cut hay into windrows for the baler. A used side delivery rake will cost $500-1500.

Finally, you need a baler. A good small square (50-60 lb bales) twine tie baler will run $1500 and up.

I'd say pass on this one.

 

[civesnedfield]

Deere4320---I'm pretty sure you have a big enough tractor to do it. ----But--- Here is basically what you are looking at. A mower/conditioner, a tedder, a rake, and a baler. Maybe a wagon or to or a trailer to move the hay. With the exception of the wagon I purchased all of this this past spring. All of the equipment was used, but in excellent shape. The grand total right around $9000.00. Add in almost another $1000.00 for tires, belts and minor repairs to get everything field ready.

I do hay for my own animals and have some hay that I will be able to sell. If mother nature cooperates.

Yes if you really look around you could find equipment cheaper, but in what condition.

Just an idea of what you are looking at. I think if it was me I would see if they just wanted to maintain the field. Get a bushog $500-$1200 and go from there.

 

[deere4320]

Well, I guess haying is off my list.......any other ideas for a summer job for a 15 year with a deere 4320???

 

[zzvyb6]

Well you might subcontract out the haying to another farmer who does have the equipment. Rent it from him just to see what its all about. Once these people see what their land looks like mowed, they will want it done regularly. You would also need a market for this hay. Sell, feed to your own animals, stack in their barn?

I don't think haying is ouit of the question, its just not now the best time to look for a mower, rake and baler. You can put the baler on the car hauler sideways, BTW. Take the tongue off and put it on with your loader. Your can tow a baler on the road., Just keep the speed below 25 mph or so. Same for a mower. You'll need some help, too to load, stack, deliver whatever you want to make of it.

For now, mending fences, grooming driveways, installing water and electric lines, cement and landscaping work might bring in some decent money. Next winter when the machinery is on sale at auctions or barn sales, you could consider a package deal. Then spend some time in the spring months going thru it and getting ready for the big one.

That's how I started. Paid for all the equipment the first year. Bought a REALLY nice boat 5 years later, just with the profit.

 

[ModMech]

I'd find a neighbor with a cute 15 YO daughter and offer to do whatever work they needed to have done.

then try no to hit any trees while doing it....LoL!

 

[Duffster]

Thanks for the Reply Jim!

I do have a line on a New Holland Baler.... but there poses two problems; A: Our friends who own it run the baler with a 57 HP Tractor, which the PTO is 46 i think, And B: Our friends live about 8 miles away and it is way to big to transport on my dad's car trailer.

Just tow tha baler behind the tractor. If they have a baler I bet they know where to get a haybine and a rake too.