# Starting small hay growing operation in East Texas



## jturbo10 (Feb 28, 2011)

Recently sold my two grain farm operations and moved back to East Texas. Our 40 acre alicia bermuda field has been a very productive horse hay operation since 2002 and I want to continue it. Haven't decided on whether I will have a cow/horse operation so I will need to sell my small square bale hay. I have plenty of tractors, trucks, sprayers, trailers etc but will need a disc/sickle mower, baler, rake and maybe an accumulator/bale wagon. I'm leaning on buying a John Deere/New Holland baler, and any good quality mower or rake brand. Would prefer to buy good use equipment. Going to a sale this weekend in Noonday Texas (Tyler) and they have some haying equipment listed. If I was to buy a JD or NH baler what size would be best for my type of operation???? I plan on buying a 9ft disc mower so what kind and size of rake would be best? Anyone had any experience with buying equipment from the Noonday boys? Any help appreciated as I don't want to mismatch my equipment.


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

it all depends on the $ you want to spend and the numbers of acres that will be done. I would recomend a center pivot disc mower (purely for productivity), and a big V type wheel rake since you are in the Texas area (dry). As far as balers go there are alot of 575s out there, but some have hundreds of thousands of bales through them, I would try not to buy a machine that was owned by a comercial operator for that reason, although there is probably a better chance of it being properly maintained and kept inside.


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## jturbo10 (Feb 28, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I'm only haying about 40 acres so productivity is not a major concern. I have been doing a lot of looking at NH 575's and I did not want one used by a commercial operator. I need equipment that is field ready as I travel a lot and can't have frequent breakdowns. We hayed a lot of acres as a kid and time was a major factor in the haying business. Haying in Texas is a full spectrum of dry conditions but where I'm at it can be very humid a lot so we can bale a lot longer in the afternoons.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

East Texas Farm & Ranch Club is having a Hay & Grazing Management Field Day, Tuesday 26 April 2011 at Vincent Haby's Sundance Ranch should interest you. 
Starting at 5 PM ending at 8 PM. BBQ supper and two speakers. 
Bring lawn chairs. RSVP by 23 April 903/597-2501 or [email protected]

Location 16907 County Road 399, Winona East of Tyler
Clarification and directions 903/504-9969

If I had 40 acres for hay I would be tempted to look for a Custom Hay Harvester. 
If I had Alicia bermudagrass I would seriously consider grazing it rather than making hay.

If a square baler has not been abused, left out in the weather with hay in the chamber it will last for ever. It is difficult to wear out a baler but they will rust out.

Bermudagrass does well harvested with a simple mower. A tedder will help. Some kind of rake though I prefer a rotory rake. It is possible to get a combination rake & tedder in one machine.

For small bales some kind of hay handling system is advised.

Grazing is a more efficient utilization of forage if managed.


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