# Women Hay Farmers



## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Is there any women on this forum that do hay farming- do not have men to help? I am drawing up a business plan and I wondered if there were any women that are doing the farming?

Thanks!


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

Just curious why not employing men is a prerequisite. I hire whoever is willing to work. Some years it's mostly women/ young ladies. Other years young men or semi retired folks. I will add the young ladies seem to have a little more initiative these days. Strength and endurance is where they start to fall apart. Spirit is willing for sure. I'm currently working to eliminate the hands on portion so that should be easier on the help and my bottom line. Don't know if that helps.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

I am definitely not female, but both of my partners and most of the hired help has been. 
Is it a thing now to separate the genders in farming?
Welcome to Haytalk. Most certainly an interesting username.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Lol, i done went and had my giggle box turned over.....welcome to haytalk...


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

No not at all- what I meant was are their any women who own their own acreage- do not have a husband or significant other that helps with their farm - and particularly in the hay production. I have a friend out in NY that lost her husband about 3 years ago and she does the haying now. But I don't know too many other women that do this by themselves. My main concern is the equipment repairs and maintenance. I have done haying off and on my whole life- but am considering buying acreage and putting up a hay mix. My only reservation is the repairs and maintenance because that isn't something that was covered when growing up or my off and on on different farms. I was handed a tractor with whatever attachments and I just went and did.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Can always buy new....get ur pocketbook....er, purse ready tho....equipment is expensive.


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## ozarkian (Dec 11, 2010)

I know two female hay producers. I don't think they see maintenance and repair as gender specific. They repair and maintain what they can and pay for the rest. As a matter of fact, that's what I do


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

Routine maintenance isnt that bad. Read the ops manual and follow it. Grease and lubricate. Keep an eye on things and get it checked out BEFORE it flys apart...


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Keep up with the maintenance and the repairs will be less. But never the less repairs you shall have sometime. If you don't want or can't do them find a good ag equipment mechanic or pay a dealership. I don't and can't do a lot of the big repairs myself. So have to call the experts.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

Yeah I don't know of any Woman hay farmers, I have three sisters that help when needed but it is my dad, brother and I that run all the equipment. I also work for local JD dealer so we fix all of our stuff. Where in MN are you?


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

An interesting story. 
Last summer, one of the gals that I mentioned was running a stacker, I was out of state, and the rear end went out of it.
We are talking shrapnel through the two speed and a broken axle.
She had never torn down a rear end before, neither had I for that matter. We talked on the phone, she came up with a game plan, and ultimately had it back in the field in a couple of days. She sourced the parts, recruited some help, and got it done.
The moral of the story is that just because you haven't done it doesn't mean that you cannot do it. It's all just nuts, bolts, hydraulics, and electrical.
People have a way of helping out when you need it most also.
You have already found one of the greatest resources around, in this website. There are people from just about every manufacturer on here, from salesmen to technicians. They have walked many people from all walks of life through many different repairs.


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## hillside hay (Feb 4, 2013)

I don't see any reason why you couldn't.


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Thanks for answering. Next question - I live in MN by the way- East Central. Does anyone use a tedder - does it cut down on drying time for you?

Also- the new NH Discbine - MaxMower. I know its not super new, but I was scoping out haybines- looks like this is pretty cool and you can kick hay out as wide as the discbine fin- which means a little less drying time. Am I seeing that right?


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Yes it does equate to better dry down with wider width....not sure about the Tedder, hay making is very regional, everyone here uses a Tedder, purty essential tool for us in the south. It will definately decrease drying time here, by 24-48 hour


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

[quote name="muffntuf" post="684514" timestamp="1493691867"]Thanks for answering. Next question - I live in MN by the way- East Central. Does anyone use a tedder - does it cut down on drying time for you?

East Central probably not terribly far from me. I wouldn't be without a tedder here. I see more and more in use every year. Still a lot of people around who do not know what one is. HERE. It takes a day or more off for me. Depending on conditions. Caveat I put a 12 foot cut into maybe a 4 foot windrow. I learned quick after I bought that mower that a tedder is a necessity for me. Youtube and sites like this are your friend when it comes to maintenance and repairs. Getting to know knowledgeable neighbors helps out too.

As long as you are smart enough to know your own limitations and when to ask or pay for help, not really sure where gender comes into play. IMHO. And I hope you aren't trying to make a small fortune making hay here. Unless you are starting with a large one!  Hay sure is cheap here these days. But, buying it isn't near as challenging and rewarding as making it.

Good luck. Welcome to Haytalk. More knowledge here than you can shake a stick at.


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Capability is more a maturity issue than gender. A female worker with child in tow plus early 20's baggage is no where near prepared as a woman who has become more organized and structured towards work. The best "hands" I've worked with is a woman that owns a dependable vehicle, kids are grown and gone, has evolved past fashion concerns and female specific monthly needs, tells the old man where the refer is in case she isn't home exactly at meal time. An all around dependable worker only can't hold up a truck by hand to change a tire!

Really who doesn't think their Mom was not the best & most capable person ever??

** note: the worst thing to happen to "workers" is the pocket Smart phone! Male, female or whatever!


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Male or female, an honest, local independent mechanic is one of the best 'tools' to have in your back pocket. Next, no matter what color dealership, a knowledgeable service manager/parts manager, would be tool #2, IMHO.

I have three older sisters that could do as much or more than a lot of other folks (male or female). Physical strength isn't the only attribute needed to do any type of farming and I would not put it at #1, by a long shot (give me a person with some common sense instead).

Larry


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## azmike (Jan 4, 2015)

Maybe Ms. muffntuf is a good fisher person??


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Testosterone doesn't automatically come with mechanical aptitude. I've had a couple of women help around the farm and I definitely call them long before I will call my brother. Being aware of what you know and what you don't makes a big difference. Many men think they must know how to fix it, after all it's got an engine and I'm a man, so therefore I know how. I believe an attitude of I haven't done a repair like this, but I sure can try goes a long way.


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Deadmoose - Thanks so much! Hay is more spendy in this state then say - New York. Very interesting -been watching markets for or 11 years now in MN and surrounding states. Very interesting. I am a hay consumer as well- and 2010 was the year of drought - my hay bill was 2.5 times the normal that year.

Tedder- yes I am thinking it could cut at least 1 day off. I also was looking at the discbine maxmower- which can cut a swath as wide as the mower- and folks say that also cuts 1 day. In our area- we need that extra time.


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Thanks again everyone!

Hey does anyone here use a 1048 New Holland Bale stacker? Or a Bale bandit. I don't think I want to do a bale bandit, two issues I see- one it only puts 21 bales in a stack and the other is the actual steel band that is used to band it together.

And are there classes around to learn about your equipment? I found one company - and no I don't remember color- but they were actually showing the gentlemen how to maximize their use of their round baler with netting - I kind of remember it being JD dealership.


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## haygrl59 (May 19, 2014)

If you're considering a bale bandit, I would go with the Bale Baron instead. Our operation started out with the Bale Bandit but we switched over to the Bale Baron a few years ago. Our mechanic is thrilled with the Baron as compared to the Bandit. We had more breakdowns with the Bandit and those steel bands come in heavy reels that almost takes two people to load. The Baron uses heavy twine and we have noticed that the bundles are much more 'square' and 'flat'. They stack way, way better. Very minimal breakdowns--actually we have not had any major issues. Just follow the lubrication schedule and you'll be fine. We can place a bundle of 21 bales in the bed of most pickup trucks. Haulers like the bundles as well--much more compact and safer than the bundles with the steel bands. Just my 2 cents....


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Haygrl59- Thanks so much for that information- I will take a look at the Baron. I am worried about someone getting smacked in the face with the steel bands. And twine sounds much more reasonable to deal with to get rid of, etc. And putting in the back of a pick up- cool news.

How big are the bales you are putting up - 35" or 42" and pounds per bale? - Thanks again!


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

How many bales/ acres/ cuttings do you plan to do?


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

It all depends on numbers Wethay- and what I can commandeer for acreage.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

I am working on a S1049 that will be up for sale soon also. 3 wide.
I can't speak to the baron/bandit conversation. I have never run one.
One of my competitors has one, and I have outbid him on every job so far. His overhead is substantial. He needs more money to break even.


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

One thing don't go into far over your head. I have seen too many people buy, buy, buy and then get in trouble.


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## Hokelund Farm (Feb 4, 2014)

I also use a tedder. We make hay about 40 miles west of Minneapolis. Last year was our first year with a tedder and wouldn't have made a dry bale without it. Just didn't have 4 days in a row without rain.

We cut and tedded the same day, rake and bale on the 3rd day. Without a tedder we would maybe rake some day 3, but most likely rake as soon as dew is off day 4, wait as long as possible to bale.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

If MN is like WI I would not drop bales on the ground to use a stackwagon or bundler unless you can get them picked up ASAP. Hay will pick up soil moisture. 
My opinion.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Okay, if you are getting into this by choice, first get a CT scan. Second if you decide on a tedder don't go small.I bought a two basket tedder, I do small, irregular shaped fields and not much hay and the budget would handle a new one. It doesn't take all that long to ted, but then again it's time that I should be mowing, or baling, or servicing equipment, or... Made hay for years without a tedder and am really glad I have one, just wish it was a 4 basket.


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Thanks everyone. Budgets- yes that is what I originally posted- I am doing up a budget. Am aware of high prices for some things. I have lived in MN all but 10 or 11 years and have worked hay from southern MN to almost the Canadian border. Where I am now - we get a lot of heavy dews- even in July and August. But the one thing I can't do is change location- that is a million dollar proposition and I haven't won the lottery yet, so I have to work with what I have.

Out buy myself- yeah that is not going to happen. If I take out a loan, it will have to fit into the monthly budget and will have to give me the option to pay it off early. I normally pay everything machinery wise off a year or two ahead of schedule. So that's what I am shooting for.

Wethay - a 2 basket tedder- that is pretty small, but if you are doing small irregular fields- can you get a 4 basket in and out? Most likely, and you can trade up maybe? Only you can answer that. 

The Bale Baron or stacker wagon - since people don't like to do physical labor anymore I have to look at something like this- I am figuring that into the budget because I have to be able to get the bales off the field and stored as quickly as I can.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

muffntuf said:


> The Bale Baron or stacker wagon - since people don't like to do physical labor anymore I have to look at something like this- I am figuring that into the budget because I have to be able to get the bales off the field and stored as quickly as I can.


Depending on the size of your planned operation, you might want to throw a grapple/accumulator in your thought process mix. Distance to barn from fields may also get involved. IMHO

Larry


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

R82230 - that is why I am looking at a Bale Baron or hay stacker wagon. Bobbie can get a grappler attachment later. Bale Baron folks have attachments that don't hook into the bales- they squeeze the stack - I kind of like that better.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

muffntuf said:


> Deadmoose - Thanks so much! Hay is more spendy in this state then say - New York. Very interesting -been watching markets for or 11 years now in MN and surrounding states. Very interesting. I am a hay consumer as well- and 2010 was the year of drought - my hay bill was 2.5 times the normal that year.
> 
> .


Hay in Mn is currently some of the cheapest in the country 1/2 of what is in NY.At current prices you can buy hay cheaper then buying land and eq and raising it here.Yea hay was higher in 2010-2012 because of the drought and $7 corn and acres going to corn.

http://beef2live.com/story-hay-prices-state-0-116222


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## muffntuf (May 1, 2017)

Swmnhay- depends on which market you are looking at- west coast or southeast is highest right now. But even they came down some - since they didn't ship out as much to the far east.


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## haygrl59 (May 19, 2014)

muffntuf said:


> Haygrl59- Thanks so much for that information- I will take a look at the Baron. I am worried about someone getting smacked in the face with the steel bands. And twine sounds much more reasonable to deal with to get rid of, etc. And putting in the back of a pick up- cool news.
> 
> How big are the bales you are putting up - 35" or 42" and pounds per bale? - Thanks again!


The Baron carries quite a bit of twine. We usually can only do about 30-40 acres at a time. We rarely run out of twine doing that. We run 1 Bale Baron and 2 balers. The balls of twine are just a little bit bigger than baler twine. The Bandit can be a dangerous machine. One of the bosses was almost seriously injured when he was working on the Bandit and a big arm came down and almost hit him--when the machine was off. Way more pluses with the Baron as compared to the Bandit. We make 35" bales and then have the Baron "squeeze" them into 32" bales. This year we have 500 acres of hay to put up--last year was around 400 acres. The Bale Baron is basically a big baler--with big needles to thread, etc. I'm not mechanically-inclined enough to explain it to you but it is a lot simpler machine to operate than the Bandit. Oh, and our grass mix bales weigh approximately 45-50 lbs. and our alfalfa bales run about 50 lbs.


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## haygrl59 (May 19, 2014)

r82230 said:


> Depending on the size of your planned operation, you might want to throw a grapple/accumulator in your thought process mix. Distance to barn from fields may also get involved. IMHO
> 
> Larry


We use grapples with our bundles. The best investment and best thing ever to handle them!


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## LukeS (Feb 24, 2015)

With all do respect. I would highly recommend you start small and every year build in equipment and land. I am only speaking from experience.


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## luke strawwalker (Jul 31, 2014)

ozarkian said:


> I know two female hay producers. I don't think they see maintenance and repair as gender specific. They repair and maintain what they can and pay for the rest. As a matter of fact, that's what I do


Yep, if you can read a manual, you can do the repairs...

The rest is just having the right tools for the job...

Just don't do like what I saw back when I was in mechanic's school...

We were in Truck Brakes and Chassis class, learning all about air brake systems, truck suspensions, chassis, axles, steering, frames, etc. We were in the lab one day and two other guys and I were a team working on air brake lines, foot valves, park valves, etc. on the front end of the chassis (stripped down truck with the relevant panels installed in the "cab" (which wasn't there) while another team of 3 worked on changing tires on the back end of the same truck chassis... their "team" was sort of the "rejects" of the class, you might say-- these two kids that looked like they were about 14 (and softies like underdeveloped video game nerds) and this "4x4" chick (as my brother-in-law calls them-- 4 foot wide, 4 feet tall LOL I had to laugh when I happened to be walking by after getting some tools we needed-- they were in the process of putting an 11.00x22.50 semi tire and rim on the back of the truck, and she says, "if you two will lift the tire, I'll put on the lug nuts..."

"Yeah-- see how far that gets you in a diesel shop..." I thought to myself...

Kinda like when I drove a school bus, and one of the women drivers said something to the effect one day that the MALE drivers should be "required" to load and unload the heavy ice-filled coolers that the teachers have the custodians load in the back of their buses on field trips... I looked at her and said, "You're getting the same pay for the same job as I am, in fact you get paid more because you have more seniority-- so why should *I* (or any other male) have to do PART OF YOUR JOB for you?? Lifting is part of the job, its in the job description... if you CANNOT do the same job I can, WHY are you wanting to be paid the same?? You're getting the SAME PAY, you should do the SAME WORK! I believe in "women's lib"... DON'T YOU??" She got in a huff and walked off...

Oh well... truth hurts sometimes. Had the same BS when I worked at the nuke plant-- get a semi-load of welding gas cylinders in, they call the guys down there to come unload them... they send the women up to count flat washers in drawers somewhere, just total powder-puff stuff... even though they're HIRED TO DO THE SAME JOB and GETTING THE SAME PAY. They SHOULD be down there risking breaking a nail and lugging cylinders off the truck, same as the rest of us...

In the end it doesn't really matter-- I'm slowing down and don't lift as much as I used to; I hurt more than I used to, and I'm more careful, slower, and more deliberate than I used to be when I was young and stupid... in the end it all comes down to "working smarter, not harder"...

Later! OL J R 

PS... I operated the farms for my Grandmother, who owned and ran them til she passed away in 06...


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## chengchaobo (Apr 20, 2017)

I am actually a female who work for an agricultural corporation. Since I have just graduated from college, I don't have much experience about it yet. So if you have some news or practical experience, I hope that you can have a talk with me. And I will do the same! Thank you!


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