Low Acreage Haying

   / Low Acreage Haying #11  
Made a little over 2000 bales last year
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Would you say it was a Good, Average, or Poor year for production?
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #12  
Well I started out with 2 acres growing oat hay, all dry land like flusher is and boy do I wish we got 15 inches of rain. Same drought. Now im up to about 60 acres and next year I secured 12 more. Time to get a better mower and rake at least, baler and bigger tractor would be nice. I have the same mower as flusher , a case 231? rake jd 214t baler. Last year I got about 30% normal and this year I was about to cry watching all my fields brown and die. Old lady muriel said she was praying for rain( stay on her good side) because we got a 3 inch rain and most came back alive and its all but 15 acres going to make hay maybe 75% of normal! Good luck it is the most relaxing thing I do (when every thing is working) jon
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #13  
square1 said:
Would you say it was a Good, Average, or Poor year for production?
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Poor, my numbers were a little off, more general statements. Our Real numbers were 25 acres and 2000 bales for 2012, all first crop, chopped all second crop for green feed. 2013 we made about the same bales (2000) however we did 10 acres of second crop and way less green chop so the production was down considerably. Also quality was down, the 10 acres we did get cut before the rain was OK, however what waited until after the rain stopped (6 weeks in july and august) was coarse and cut way too late. Also never recovered enough for a second cutting, hence the 10 acres of second crop. Good thing is all our animals got fed, sold some squares we needed to our regular customers and had to buy a few rounds to make up the difference but didn't lose any money so no harm done, actually gained a little quality because we bought wrapped bales for our cattle. Always figured if I work all day and don't go behind it was a good day farming! :thumbsup:
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #15  
You guys have some pretty nice equipment compared to what I had to settle for. The big splurge for me was a new 52" 2555 SFI drum mower. My rake is a old #5 IH 4 bar side delivery. My baler is a New Holland 269 twine machine. I've really fought the baler hard trying to get is to tie consistently and not break shear bolts. I have the plunger out of it right now trying to get bearings, knifes and the shield plate for it and I really need to cut hay "now". I had to really shop around for the parts online as the local dealer would have been prohibitively expensive. I had to settle for import bearings as they were about one fifth the price of US made. I'm just on the edge of good and broke. I don't know why I thought baling a 1-1/2 acres would be a "GOOD" idea. bjr
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #16  
bjr said:
You guys have some pretty nice equipment compared to what I had to settle for. The big splurge for me was a new 52" 2555 SFI drum mower. My rake is a old #5 IH 4 bar side delivery. My baler is a New Holland 269 twine machine. I've really fought the baler hard trying to get is to tie consistently and not break shear bolts. I have the plunger out of it right now trying to get bearings, knifes and the shield plate for it and I really need to cut hay "now". I had to really shop around for the parts online as the local dealer would have been prohibitively expensive. I had to settle for import bearings as they were about one fifth the price of US made. I'm just on the edge of good and broke. I don't know why I thought baling a 1-1/2 acres would be a "GOOD" idea. bjr
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Don't know whats good about it, I would love to have a drum mower, and your baler is 25 years newer than mine, knotters can be the most aggravating thing, I swear they are all female. :drink: (hope my wife don't see that comment)
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #17  
I hay 2 each 3/4 acre fields.... 14T baler.... 3 pt. wheel rake.... Drum mower.... Ford '53 NAA.... awesome combination... The NAA, fortunately has an over/under Sherman and Howard Under Drive...
I started with and JD 9W sickle bar.... What a PITA... wouldn't cut my alfalfa... kept balling up under the bar.... The Drum Mower is sooooooo sweet.... makes life very easy... cut perfect.... alfalfa dries fast due to the narrow swaths.... little to no leaf loss with the wheel rake...

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   / Low Acreage Haying #18  
This looks to be my first year baling. 15 acres. Have a JD 350 sickle mower, IH side delivery rake, and a Veermer round baler. All of this will be pulled by my JD 5103 tractor. Only real concern is the baler which I'm on the minimum side for horsepower and probably will have to make less than full size bales.
 
   / Low Acreage Haying #19  
RPW - with your JD 5103 you should be able to run any of the standard square balers out there . Now round balers may be an issue. Check out the in-lines, as they tend to take less HP. Also Alberta Canada government did some actual testing on balers, as well as a college in Nebraska.
 
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