Bale it or not

[rocket2222]

Been mowing [ bush hogging ] about 7 or 8 acres of pasture every spring for the last few years, friends say it's not worth the effort to buy used equipment and bale it, it just seems so wasteful. It would have to be small baled if I did it as the land a little to steep in places for a round bale. What do y'all think, to small to fool with. Here's a picture I took of it, its not been limed or anything in years.

 

[grannysoo]

I don't see where it makes financial sense to buy equipment to bale 7-8 acres. How about fencing it and letting some cows mow it?

 

[mtncows]

Watch for auctions, You might just buy a sickle bar mower,Rake and square baler for a good price and then sell the hay.Or find a neighbor who needs hay and cut it on shares.

 

[tom4018]

Is there a neighbor or custom baler around that could do it?

 

[Bez+]

Watch for auctions, You might just buy a sickle bar mower,Rake and square baler for a good price and then sell the hay.Or find a neighbor who needs hay and cut it on shares.

Good advice

Mowing that grass for all those years has been good for it.

At auction last year I bought a sickle mower for about 40 bucks - an old three point hitch type - after about a hundred bucks in parts - wooden pitman arm and bearing plus knives - it runs good - we cut the laneway ditches with it, we bought an old rake for about 200 and put two used tires on it - pumped them up and took it home - one grease job and it was in use on a couple of two acre building lots we own - we used to mow them withour Rhino - the rake is still missing some teeth but it works fine and my neighbour square bales a few square bales for me on those lots for the cost of the fuel, twine, lunch and a few hours of reciprocal work at his place. In return I stand on his wagon and stack three wagons of small squares - throw them on the elevator for him and we are square. Just a couple of old neighbours getting it done on the cheap.

We have all the big equipment for round bales but my wife likes to have some small squares around - we only do about 200 a year. Too many for me - but after all these years I have learned to say "Yes Dear".

You might be surprized at how cheap it is to do if you want to do it on the cheap - hit the auction sales.

If you have a small tractor - Massey 35 or similar / better - you are in business.

Otherwise turn the cows in before it heads out.

Bez+

 

[Brandonm22]

I think you need 50 acres (at least) to justify buying equipment to bale hay. I have baled 200 acres before AND LOST MONEY doing it some years. I don't mean to sound negative but you can cut 8 acres in less than 2 hours at a cost of ~$30. I don't see a lot of potential savings in baling it.

 

[rocket2222]

I don't see where it makes financial sense to buy equipment to bale 7-8 acres. How about fencing it and letting some cows mow it?

It is fenced, I don't have enough head to keep any of the pastures eaten down this time of year, the rest of the pastures have more fescue, broom sage and weeds, but they're bigger lots, cows seem to like the bigger lots. Will mow them as well in the next couple of weeks.

 

[rocket2222]

Is there a neighbor or custom baler around that could do it?

Round here you have a few guy's that are good and reliable, but they already have more than they need work wise this time of year. The rest of them are not worth calling.

 

[rocket2222]

Watch for auctions, You might just buy a sickle bar mower,Rake and square baler for a good price and then sell the hay.Or find a neighbor who needs hay and cut it on shares.

Good advice

Mowing that grass for all those years has been good for it.

At auction last year I bought a sickle mower for about 40 bucks - an old three point hitch type - after about a hundred bucks in parts - wooden pitman arm and bearing plus knives - it runs good - we cut the laneway ditches with it, we bought an old rake for about 200 and put two used tires on it - pumped them up and took it home - one grease job and it was in use on a couple of two acre building lots we own - we used to mow them withour Rhino - the rake is still missing some teeth but it works fine and my neighbour square bales a few square bales for me on those lots for the cost of the fuel, twine, lunch and a few hours of reciprocal work at his place. In return I stand on his wagon and stack three wagons of small squares - throw them on the elevator for him and we are square. Just a couple of old neighbours getting it done on the cheap.

We have all the big equipment for round bales but my wife likes to have some small squares around - we only do about 200 a year. Too many for me - but after all these years I have learned to say "Yes Dear".

You might be surprized at how cheap it is to do if you want to do it on the cheap - hit the auction sales.
If you have a small tractor - Massey 35 or similar / better - you are in business.
Otherwise turn the cows in before it heads out.
Bez+

That's what I've been thinking, biggest expense would be the baler, just about everyone round here round bales, there should be some in fairly good shape sitting at the back of somebody's barn that they would like to get rid of, cheap. All ready have a tractor and a trailer that would be ok for hay.

 

[rocket2222]

I think you need 50 acres (at least) to justify buying equipment to bale hay. I have baled 200 acres before AND LOST MONEY doing it some years. I don't mean to sound negative but you can cut 8 acres in less than 2 hours at a cost of ~$30. I don't see a lot of potential savings in baling it.

You sound like my friends who say it's not worth the hassle, I just hate to waste.

 

[rocket2222]

Oh, and thanks for the replies

 

[1982vett]

Put an add up at the feed store, auction barn, coffee house or whatever. Maybe some small time "hobbie" farmer would be tickled to do it.

 

[rocket2222]

Put an add up at the feed store, auction barn, coffee house or whatever. Maybe some small time "hobbie" farmer would be tickled to do it.

I am a small time "hobbie" farmer :lol:

 

[tom4018]

Is there a neighbor or custom baler around that could do it?

Round here you have a few guy's that are good and reliable, but they already have more than they need work wise this time of year. The rest of them are not worth calling.

I know what you mean, round here custom balers are getting fewer and fewer. Got a neighbor that will do some for me but its hard to do his and mine at the same time. I bought an older baler a few years back to do mine, already have everything else.

 

[1982vett]

Put an add up at the feed store, auction barn, coffee house or whatever. Maybe some small time "hobbie" farmer would be tickled to do it.

I am a small time "hobbie" farmer :lol:

Jezz rocket, I meant another "hobbie" farmer that has already spent the money. But really, the only thing that caught my eye was you said it was a bit steep in places. Other than that, 7-8 acres is the size of a lot of hayfields. We just cut more than one at a time.

 

[CPL]

Do you have a local FFA/4-H chapter/club? For the past few years a local family has let our FFA chapter use her farm land. The FFA kids do most of the work (with help from our advisor) and we the equipment comes from other kids or is rented. Just thought you might think of that. It works out pretty good profit wise for us because we can get the seed, fertilizer and chemicals all donated.

 

[bigbull338]

i would have a custom baler to bale that 8acs.

 

[grannysoo]

i would have a custom baler to bale that 8acs.

That's what we all wish we could have done at times, but for 8 acres, it's normally just not worthwhile. By the time you figure moving the equipment in and out for this, it's just not worth it for the baler. I bale a 12 acre field for my brother and the only reason that I'll do it is because he's my brother. More trouble than it's worth from a business and profit standpoint.