What does it take to get started baling hay?

[bdog]

In my area there are a ton of people with 10-20 acres and they all seem to plant stuff on it like wheat or Sudan/sorghum. It seems everyone and their brother has a tractor, disk, and drill but the vast majority of the crops get nothing done to them. Some guys graze it but many just shred it and plow it under. These are kind of estate type places and I think the people just like the look of the crops I guess. I have only seen one guy bale his wheat but looking on Craigslist there are a half dozen ads from people looking for someone to bale their hay on a 50/50 basis or for cash per bale.

There are plenty big time farmers around here that do hay but I figure they don't want to mess with this small acreage stuff and their equipment might not even fit in these properties.

We like to run cows and need hay from time to time. I am considering getting geared up to bale hay. It only on my place but for others as well.

Back about 20 years ago I helped a guy with a lot of hay. I remember cutting, raking, baling, hauling the small bales, etc. I know the basic steps involved but have no idea what specifically to look for in equipment. I would think I could do close to 100 per year. Whatever I get the more portable the better.

 

[Tx Jim]

What part of Texas do you reside? For cutting any type hay besides grass hay one needs a cutter with a conditioner. A hay rake will speed up the haying process. If rainfall keeps it's pace one will probably also need a tedder. Are you interested in sq or rd baling? I won't bale hay on 50/50 share as one ends up with around $50 per rd bale invested in the hay.

 

[redman135]

I see you have 2 tractors.
What is the access to the potential customers paddock? ie what is the actual gate width. Around here lifestylers tend to use 10' gates then put gudgeons on the inside of the strainer giving an effective width of 9'6". They don't understand that a 10' baler won't go through a 9'6" gate.The tractor and baler are 10', which in nz is legal maximum. I drive for a full sized contractor.
How reliable is the weather? We run a dual purpose hay and silage baler due to economics.The weather means it is far easier to make silage than hay.
Equipment wise you need a mower ,a tedder (spread crop to dry), a rake (row up) and a baler. What size bales are you making? Conventional bales (man portable) are labour intensive. large round or square bales require machinery(more expense) to move them, and feed out. So loader and trailer of some type.
If something stops working do you have the knowledge to do a simple fix?
Your jd 4440 could run a 10' mower comfortably and run the baler. The kubota can run the tedder and rake easily and if the baler had a bale accumulator can load the hay onto a truck or trailer rapidly.
As you can see, cost goes up fast so crunch your numbers carefully.
There are plenty of other tbner's who can be more specific to your conditions. Good luck.

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Cutter with conditioner, preferably a discbine, a wheel rake would make things much faster preferably a merging rake. A tedder if you guys have alot of humidity or have a chance for heavy dew, A well cared for baler, and preferably a way to handle the bales without having to throw them by hand<-- this step will decide how much you want to do the hay! guaranteed. (I wouldn't say that local help can be found, its usually marginal at best)

 

[bdog]

What part of Texas do you reside? For cutting any type hay besides grass hay one needs a cutter with a conditioner. A hay rake will speed up the haying process. If rainfall keeps it's pace one will probably also need a tedder. Are you interested in sq or rd baling? I won't bale hay on 50/50 share as one ends up with around $50 per rd bale invested in the hay.

I am in the panhandle and would not be baling any grass. No one grows any type of grass to bale around here as I don't think we really have enough water to make it worthwhile. It would be wheat or haygrazer and probably roundbales to avoid all the labor of dealing with the small bales.

Rainfall likely is not a problem. I say that and it has been flooding around here this week but on average we get 18" of rain a year.

All the work I would want could likely be found within 5 miles of my house and I could probably road my equipment there.

 

[flusher]

Square or round bales? What size bales? That determines the type and size of your baler.

First problem: how to move your haying equipment (mower or mower conditioner, rake, baler, bale handling equipment) from field to field, assuming your customers are scattered around your county and that you need to move your equipment over public roads.

Post back with this information and we can go from there.

Good luck

 

[zionview]

Do you get much rain or humidity in your area? If it's been long time since you've hayed, a moisture tester may be a good investment. Spontaneous combustion is hard on the profits.

 

[Ed of all trades]

I would watch Craigslist and have a wad of $$$ or go to the dealer and have two wads of $$$ $$$. Others have told you what you need, you just need to choose how much money you want to spend. Good used equipment will do a lot of hay, and I assume you wont do a lot at least to start and you can upgrade. By the way, you WONT GET RICH, it will take years to break even.

 

[msmith]

An old man once told me, "if you get into the cattle business, stay out of the hay business". I never heeded that advice and have over $30K in hay equipment. Even with fairly new equipment, things are always breaking. It seems like it breaks when you need to get the hay up and it is going to rain lol. I would like to get out of the hay business, but I have too much invested right now. In a few years I will sell out and just buy hay. I only winter app 20 head.

 

[TractorToolsDirect]

There are a couple of things you can count on if you bale in other people's fields. 1) you will have some narrow gates, probably less than 8 feet, that you will need to get through. Make sure your equipment folds out of the way for transport. 2) Even if they tell you it is a clean field, chances are there is an old post, foundation, stump, wellhead, or something else immovable out there somewhere. Your mower will find it. So make sure you get something durable with a good breakaway system. I don't recommend anyone ever mow a strange field with anything other than a drum mower. One struck object with a disc, sickle, haybine or discbine and your profits for the year are gone.

Also, don't give up on small squares, as long as you stick with customers who will pick them up themselves. The bales are worth twice as much per ton. That means you can charge more for your service. I agree with one of the above posters that if you have to collect the small squares yourself by hand, you will regret ever getting into the business.