# Equipment for small alfalfa operation?



## FarmNsanity (Jun 24, 2008)

Hi all, first post. I have a small alfalfa field here in central Nebraska. I'm currently having the neighbor do the cutting and baling, but I want to do it myself next year. It's only about 17 acres.

I currently own a Ford 8N and a Ford 860. I have a 7' Ford 515 sickle mower but nothing else to do hay with. What would be a good lineup of equipment to do this small operation? I would like to do everything from cutting to baling to moving the bales myself.

BTW, the first cut on this little field this year yielded 33 large round bales and 460 small square bales (about 85 lb each). We're way behind because of the cold wet spring.


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## astropilot (Jun 3, 2008)

Why are your sq bales still in the field unstack and not covered? I can understand the rolls, but still you are killing the Alfalfa by leaving it.


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## FarmNsanity (Jun 24, 2008)

It's in the barn now.


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## downtownjr (Apr 8, 2008)

- Haybine...9 ft is what I have (NH 479)...Not familiar with your climate...if there is not much moisture the sicle should do fine...A haybine is nice to get the crimping action and it dries quicker

- Rake...I use a rollabar rake (NH 256), however because of the hunidity and mositure here, I am hoping to move to a rotary rake in the future

-Tedder...here in NC IN a tedder comes in very handy

- Baler...I am guessing you want to do small bales...get a decent one...you do not want to be breaking down. My brother has a NH 315 that is super, I have an older Hesston 4500...fighting some knotter troubles right now. Hesston makes an in line baler that seems to be real popular.

- Wagons...I would have a few decent wagons

- Storage...a barn or place you can put a tarp over the hay

- Keep some parts around...shear bolts, some chain links, sickle blades ( I do not like the rivet ones)...watch the belts on the sickles and haybines. Good grease gun around all the time...we keep a pin with each piece of equipment and an extra in the tractor...Also a small tool kit with the shear bolt size wrenches, some pliers, hammer, and a 3/8 drive rachet set in the baler. Enough twine for the job...usually goes on sale just before the season or just after.

Nice field in the pictue...by the way...do you use the hay or sell. If you sell to the certain groups the small bale size may be a little large. The horse crowd and goat folks we sell to like smaller 50 lb average bales...lots of women and younger folks that carry them.

Good luck witht he haying...lots of smart people on here that hay hayed for years, it can be fun and at times frustrating, but it is therapy for me most of the time...getting me in shape.


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## chetlenox (Jun 5, 2008)

I know this doesn't answer FarmNsanity's question... but does anybody else think the contrast between the brown hay, green field, and blue sky is cool in that picture?

I use a JD 4520 (53 hp) tractor, Frontier SB1107 sickle-bar, NH 256 hay rake, and Case (Hesston) in-line square baler (borrowed from neighbor) on my little 13 acre field. I'm not alfalfa though, Coastal Bermuda grass.

Chet.


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## ButchAutomatic (Jun 4, 2008)

I agree with Astro !!


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## FarmNsanity (Jun 24, 2008)

Thanks for the information on the equipment and the compliments on the picture. If you want to see it full size, and/or some more pictures of the farmstead, Click Here.

The reason the alfalfa is so tall around the bales is because we got a bunch o rain after it was cut, so it lay there for about a week before it was baled. The rain washed out the road to the field, so they sat there another six days after being baled until I could get a guy in to fix the crossing.

One of the reasons I want to do my own is because the alfalfa could have been baled and stacked a lot sooner. The guy who is doing it for me is not always on the ball.

Thanks,

George


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## chetlenox (Jun 5, 2008)

George,

Great pictures in your album! I really like your old Fords. That funnel cloud shot is really something as well.

Chet.


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## 4020man (Jun 21, 2008)

I run a JD 336 with a thrower because I don't need anyone on the wagon to stack bales. We have a Hesston 9 foot windrower and a tedder. With the windrows spread wide and tedding it, we have had some of the fastest drying hay we have ever had. We used to sue a side delivery rake until it flew apart, now we use an 8 wheel rake and we can rake a lot more hay in less time.


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## Farmerboy (Jul 29, 2008)

I think that the suggestions here have been excellent. I would add just one thing, if possible get an inline baler! I struggled with a New Holland offset for years and just got a Case 8555 and it works so much better.


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## NC alfalfa (Jul 29, 2008)

I have 5 acres of alfalfa 10 of fescue
Massy 7 foot haybine
pequa tedder great for keeping the leaf on alfalfa

Ford dearborne hay rake from the 50s

1955 New Holland super 66 with air bag instead of springs, plastic bale chamber liner, new knotter frames, new wadboard and a sweet Winconsin engine, spray tank for the early bale, I bale at 30% all with a Massy 28HP tractor


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## Okie Tim (Jul 30, 2008)

Is there such a thing as an all in one cutter, raker and baler for small bales?

I have about 30 acres of native bluestem grass that I brush hog each year once or twice and it just kills me to watch it rot in the ground.

I tried to get somebody to cut and bale it on a shared basis but i always get pushed back until it's so high I can't see my labs to train them. So I'm forced to brushhog it.

I have land to train dogs, not farm, but if there was a way do hay my grass all without having to invest in a fortune or have a barn yard full of equipment, I 'd bite on it.

All of my grass is pesticide free which I know creates a little more value for it, and I have a barn to store it.

I have a 34 horse Mahindra two wheel drive tractor, and know I would have to upgrade to get a full size rake or round baler, which I don't want to do.

All help is appreciated for somebody clueless when it comes to cutting hay.


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