# Red Faced Haying Moments



## askinner

Hi all,

Just come in from an interesting night baling and thought I'd share my events of the night with you all. Started out great, baling a nice field of alfalfa. Well, as the night went on, the concentration started to leave the scene, due to a few too many late nights and early starts the last week.

Running along nicley, just got the tractor going again after a seized engine, and was keeping an eye on all the gauges, when I noticed a half eaten water melon of all things laying in a windrow next to the one I was baling (I still have no idea what the heck would be strong enough to carry it there!) I thought to myself I'll pick it up on the return trip. So running along the water melon windrow, keeping an eye out for it, I turn around to check on progress behind me, not good! The pickup drive chain tensioner had fallen off the baler, stopping the pickup, and I had been dragging about 500 feet of heavy 4 into one windrow behind me!
So lifted the pickup, back to the shop to fix it. All fixed, back the field, and baling away again. Happy with the dodgy repair I'd just done, I though to myself, wow, I am baling a gear higher now, it's going great. A little later I notice the windrows don't seem to be reducing in numbers. Turns out I had been baling with the pickup still raised lol! It was still picking up enough to fill the baler, and I didn't notice, as I was still looking for that stupid melon.
Long story short, never found the melon, and must've baled the thing!

I hope y'all get a laugh out of my nights events, please feel free to post your own red faced moments, so I feel a little better!


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## Teslan

I've forgotten to put the pickup down many times. Makes me feel like a total idiot when I catch it. I've also been known to forget to turn on the head of our swather when cutting hay.


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## askinner

It amazes be no end how machines and fields you know like the back of your hand, become different critters in the dark.


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## rjmoses

Yepp! Been there, done that! Forget the pickup at least once a month. Forgot to drop the rake when raking. Forgot to drop the mower when mowing. Forgot to pickup the mower when backing.

CRS disease, AKA teenager's disease. (Ever notice how many times teenagers say: "Uhhh, I forgot."???)

Must be even harder in NSW when you have to look at things upside down.

Ralph


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## slowzuki

Twice I've run out of string and not noticed until the next pass around.


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## JD3430

Parked ez trail hay basket with about 150 bales aboard. Detached it from tractor. Didn't know it was very tippy. Got up on top of bales in bale basket to begin throwing them up in barn. Positioned my body towards back of the bale basket up about 12' in the air. Wagon tipped backwards throwing me ass over teacups onto the ground. Bales were next and landed on top of me. Felt like I was shot from a cannon. Luckily I was unhurt and wagon tailgate didn't injure me.


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## RockmartGA

[sub]Trying to beat the rain, got in a hurry, stacked an extra row on the trailer and pulled it in the barn. Barn took off the top row and the back fifth of hay.[/sub]


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## rjmoses

RockmartGA said:


> [sub]Trying to beat the rain, got in a hurry, stacked an extra row on the trailer and pulled it in the barn. Barn took off the top row and the back fifth of hay.[/sub]


There's no beating the rain!

Round baling back by the pond. Looked out on the horizon--darker than dark. About 6 windrows to go, wrapped 4 bales, didn't take the time to find a good spot to drop them. All 4 bales ended up in the pond! Still there!

And then it started raining cats and dogs so I couldn't finish the last two windrows.

Ralph


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## askinner

rjmoses said:


> Must be even harder in NSW when you have to look at things upside down.
> 
> Ralph


It's improved a lot since running helium in the innoculant tanks Ralph, keeps the hay on the ground


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## NewBerlinBaler

It's great that you guys can laugh about these things. Shows that I need to work on my attitude. Whenever I discover that I've made a few laps with the cutter bar still up, a string of expletives flies out of my mouth for 15 seconds straight.

Gary


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## JD3430

Heck I'll share 2 more red-face moment with you. 
I was baling round bales on a hill. Opened chamber thinking I was on ground that was flat enough that ejected bale wouldn't roll. Well, it did. It rolled out about 100' and then turned, rolled down the hill, into woods and into the stream. Clogged it like a cork. Incredibly, I was able to retrieve the bale, half soaked out of the stream, spread it out in the woods.
Same thing happened in another hilly field. Bale got to rolling, went down hill, through woods and all the way down to the street stopping on shoulder of road. Drove down and retrieved it pretty much in tact. Lol
I was shocked it didn't hit the side of some rich dude's 7 series looking to sue someone. Lol


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## rjmoses

JD3430 said:


> Heck I'll share 2 more red-face moment with you.
> I was baling round bales on a hill. Opened chamber thinking I was on ground that was flat enough that ejected bale wouldn't roll.


I figure if I don't lose at least 1-2 RB's into the woods or the water on each field, I ain't running hard enough.

There's an art to dropping RB's on hillsides and not having them hit 90 MPH.

Ralph


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## Teslan

I've found when trying to beat rain the faster your work the greater the chance of something happening like was mentioned above. When rain threatens try try try to work like there is clear blue skies everywhere.


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## Tim/South

I have also forgotten to put the pick up down. You wonder why it is taking so long to make a bale.

Some times the older folks have a hard time letting go. Dementia and a touch of Alzheimer's can make for some situations. My friends father decided to help him out and cut some hay. He was going around and around the field, disc mower down and the PTO disenguaged. 
The same year he raked hay the morning after it rained that night. Friend spent the rest of the day fluffing it back out. He swore up and down that it had not rained at his house 1/2 a mile away. When he saw the puddles in his drive on the way home, he said it rained here while he was in the field.








The man was in his late 80's then, had been the hardest worker any had know all his life. He is still kicking but knows his limitations now.


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## Nitram

Like not getting the gate locked on the baler and wondering why the chamber isn't filling up? Makes a beautiful windrow behind it! Martin


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## carcajou

I friend of mine's hired man was out rolling a field with a 3 unit 50 ft land roller. The hired hand phoned my friend to ask who left a roller in the field he was on, not bright enough to look behind and realize he lost it on the previous round and 4 corners later!


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## mlappin

I've had some help like that, run a disc with a bearing out and cut the gang bolt in half. Run a gang loose so long the gang bolt was ruined and they actually lost the nut, outer blade and spacer and never noticed. Ran with a wheel bearing out for so long it completely ruined the hub and spindle. Also have had them completely ruin a rim from running on a flat tire.

Turn the f*ck around in the seat and look behind you once in a while for Christ sakes.

Some "help" is only helpful in keeping the local dealers in business from replacement parts sales.

I only make x amount of hay anymore. Absolutely no more than I can do myself and not have other people trying to destroy my equipment.


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## somedevildawg

NewBerlinBaler said:


> It's great that you guys can laugh about these things. Shows that I need to work on my attitude. Whenever I discover that I've made a few laps with the cutter bar still up, a string of expletives flies out of my mouth for 15 seconds straight.
> 
> Gary


Me too, and I would bet them too...... At least under their breath! I've done lots of these same things......just amazing how stupid we can be sometimes! But I believe if my help called and asked me who left a piece of equipment in the field and it was the piece he was suppose to be dragging.......I would have to fire his dumbass, and I'd fire me for hiring him...


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## Vol

mlappin said:


> I only make x amount of hay anymore. Absolutely no more than I can do myself and not have other people trying to destroy my equipment.


Know the feeling man.....that's basically the situation here....I don't even want to attempt to work with hired help anymore.

Regards, Mike


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## Vol

Tim/South said:


> I have also forgotten to put the pick up down. You wonder why it is taking so long to make a bale.
> 
> Some times the older folks have a hard time letting go. Dementia and a touch of Alzheimer's can make for some situations. My friends father decided to help him out and cut some hay. He was going around and around the field, disc mower down and the PTO disenguaged.
> The same year he raked hay the morning after it rained that night. Friend spent the rest of the day fluffing it back out. He swore up and down that it had not rained at his house 1/2 a mile away. When he saw the puddles in his drive on the way home, he said it rained here while he was in the field.
> 
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> The man was in his late 80's then, had been the hardest worker any had know all his life. He is still kicking but knows his limitations now.


That's sad Tim.....once a adult....twice a child. Happens to almost all if you live long enough.

Regards, Mike


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## Tim/South

Vol said:


> That's sad Tim.....once a adult....twice a child. Happens to almost all if you live long enough.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Very true.
My son says he will have to hide the tractor keys when I get old.
Hopefully I will be like my father and know when my working days are over. Then I will just boss him around and second guess while he does all the work.









Has anyone ever forgotten to unplug the hydraulic lines when unhooking from an implement?
Forgot to unplug the trailer lights when unhooking from a trailer?


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## JD3430

Tim/South said:


> Very true.
> My son says he will have to hide the tractor keys when I get old.
> Hopefully I will be like my father and know when my working days are over. Then I will just boss him around and second guess while he does all the work.
> 
> 
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> Has anyone ever forgotten to unplug the hydraulic lines when unhooking from an implement?
> Forgot to unplug the trailer lights when unhooking from a trailer?


Seems like About 1/2 the time......Amazingly, they're strong enough to allow the implement to be dragged along behind the tractor without breaking!! Lol


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## foz682

Unhooked the baler and chocked the tires but forgot to spin the jack to point down and take the weight. "CRASH!" is all you here as soon as the tractor rolls ahead a few inches.


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## rjmoses

My motto is: If I ain't screwing up, I ain't doing anything!

I have lots of good experience. And a lot more bad experience! Besides, screwing up teaches you how to repair things so that when it breaks on its own, you already know how to fix it.

Ralph


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## JD3430

Never really resulted in much damage, but I always seem to have my 3pt arms banging into a pull type implement on sharp turns. More than my share of paint scuffs.


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## Tim/South

I try to fix my mishaps before anyone finds out.









Luckily age and experience has taught me to slow down and double check.
I can still remember my Dad flagging me down when a knotter quit. It is embarrassing to be young and have 15 broken bales behind you and still chugging along.
Those were the good old days and I do cherish them.
Also makes me like rolling hay a lot more.


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## rjmoses

There's a lot of goodies in this thread and I've used up all my "likes" for the day, so, for all you guys, I "like" what you're saying.

Ralph


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## slowzuki

Sheepishly I ruined a spindle on an EZ-trail style basket last summer. I saw the bearing was out but I had 2 basket loads (180 bales) left to go and rain coming. The bearing went from slightly loose to no bearing left in the races and wheel almost off in the last 100 bales (just over an acre of baling)



mlappin said:


> Ran with a wheel bearing out for so long it completely ruined the hub and spindle.


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## slowzuki

Neighbour was mowing hay and noticed that the arms were banging into the tongue so he lifted them... while they were still under the 489's tongue. Big dent in it, front end started to come up then the threaded rod on the adjuster snapped.



JD3430 said:


> Never really resulted in much damage, but I always seem to have my 3pt arms banging into a pull type implement on sharp turns. More than my share of paint scuffs.


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## mlappin

slowzuki said:


> Neighbour was mowing hay and noticed that the arms were banging into the tongue so he lifted them... while they were still under the 489's tongue. Big dent in it, front end started to come up then the threaded rod on the adjuster snapped.


I take the liftarms off all my hay tractors. I have no three point hay equipment and it tkes all of five minutes to put the ones back on my 1600 Oliver if I want to use it on the Bush hog or box scraper. I find a hydraulic bushhog for my skidsteer won't need the liftarms for that either.


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## askinner

Tim/South said:


> I have also forgotten to put the pick up down. You wonder why it is taking so long to make a bale.
> 
> Some times the older folks have a hard time letting go. Dementia and a touch of Alzheimer's can make for some situations. My friends father decided to help him out and cut some hay. He was going around and around the field, disc mower down and the PTO disenguaged.
> The same year he raked hay the morning after it rained that night. Friend spent the rest of the day fluffing it back out. He swore up and down that it had not rained at his house 1/2 a mile away. When he saw the puddles in his drive on the way home, he said it rained here while he was in the field.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> The man was in his late 80's then, had been the hardest worker any had know all his life. He is still kicking but knows his limitations now.


My late uncles father was pulling a sub-soiler to help out years ago. Uncle went to check on him after a few hrs, and here he is happily going round and round with about 2 miles of what was an underground drip system dragging behind him lol.


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## askinner

Best one I've heard is a guy that tows his bins down to the front of his property with his vehicle. One day he forgot to unhook it, left miles of trash down the road, and the only thing left of the bin when he got to town was the handle!

I had a similar moment a few weeks back. Used my 4x4 to tow a length of 6" poly suction line using a fibre sling and bow shackle on the tow hitch. Unhooked the pipe, then had to go into town. Went into the shop in town, and came back out to find I had towed the sling and shackle down the road with me. The shackle bolt had fallen out, and the sling had to be retired. Just hope the big shackle bolt didn't end up lodged in someones vehicle. I did notice people were keeping a good distance behind me though!


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## askinner

Tim/South said:


> Has anyone ever forgotten to unplug the hydraulic lines when unhooking from an implement?
> Forgot to unplug the trailer lights when unhooking from a trailer?


Yep! The heavy airline fittings on suzi coils have a distinct sound when they hit the back of a sleeper also!

Another good one is flying along in the tractor with the loader too low, makes for a sudden stop.


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## JD3430

My face will be red in the near future when one of my nice new big $ tractor radials picks up one of the tedder teeth I lost last summer.


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## Nitram

Left the Heston 1014 hooked up over night put jack down to take weight off drawbar got on tractor next day and remembered in time to have to walk back to shed for the sledge hammer to finish removing it from the frame! :-(


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## JD3430

I found leaving the jack in the down position makes a nice little furrow on customers lawns.


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## FCF

Double red face in one day: Had the wife rake hay while I worked 1/2 day and come home in aternoon to bale. She turned to short and snaped the valve stem off the right rear tire, this was the third time in 2 months. Was telling the tire repair man where the tractor was in another field when he says "There goes your wagon!" Had towed a full kicker wagon to the top of hill to a "level" spot where we had left wagons. Had unhooked but not pulled away when he showed up, rarely if ever chocked wagons at that spot. Wagon rolled backwards down the hill through 3 plank board fenced horse paddock took out 2 post when entering paddock and turn to run through opposite side fence line about in the center of the wagon taking out 3 more sections of fence. Only broke 2 boards on the wagon.

Lesson- all wagons got a chock attached to them and always used!


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## enos

Loaded old ih baler up with string, greased it and off i went. Got to feild and started baling. Ran outa string on first round. When my wife brought me some more she said it was easy to find me. Left a little blue trail from yard to feild. Back door dropped.


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## Gearclash

Was baling ditches for a neighbor the first summer that I owned my round baler. Got to the end of the windrow and started to back up to find a better line out of the ditch and onto the driveway there to turn around. There was a heavy clunk. I looked in my tractor mirrors (which, of course were there ALL the time) and an there was my neighbor, franticly trying to back away from me with the tractor and rake, as he had been rolling the next windrow for me. Thankfully his tractor had a loader on it and the arms were raised, so no damage, but I got to hammer a large dent out of the spare net roll box on my baler. I thought about replacing the net box, but didn't. Those wrinkles back there are a good reminder to my self always to be aware of what is going on around me. DUH!


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## cwright

Running along everything sounding great no clunking no clanging wonderous warm day. Turn the corner and see 25 untied bales on the ground.
To pretty a day not to be admiring it.


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## Tim/South

cwright said:


> Running along everything sounding great no clunking no clanging wonderous warm day. Turn the corner and see 25 untied bales on the ground.
> To pretty a day not to be admiring it.


Gives us a chance to get off the tractor, pull strings and kick spread the hay out a little.








if it was easy, everyone would be in the hay business.


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## JD3430

Tim/South said:


> Gives us a chance to get off the tractor, pull strings and kick spread the hay out a little.
> 
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> 
> if it was easy, everyone would be in the hay business.


Like I always said.... twice baled hay gives the customer more value for their money!


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## carcajou

One day i way spreading 46-0-0 with the terragator in a wet spring snowstorm. Allready did several hundred acres of timothy that day and all in all it was one of those days where everything just goes right. Usually i can see the 46 blowing out the booms but white on white in a snowstorm, no way. The damn flow dividers plugged on the back and before i caught it i spread 8 ton of fertilizer in a nice 3 ft band at 170 lbs an acre. End of the great day! Next week i refertilized. I won't forget that lesson anytime soon.


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