# Best Ag Website



## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

Not trying to be an apple polisher but I think this is the best Ag website in existence. No color wars, everybody tries to be helpful without undue critical. Some of the sites are downright insulting when it comes to brands. The color wars are absolutely horrible. Seems like everybody on here realizes what works great for one is not the best for another.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Ya we like to joke about colours but I dont think there is much difference between them. This sure is a good site. Even when I was new I felt welcome.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Yes, when one starts judging someone by his/her choice of machinery color, then they are too juvenile to hang around this board. We have had very few that have went "overboard" on this color thing...thankfully, they just kinda faded away on their own. There are lemons in every color under the Sun....and the only thing that most here try to do is point out a particularly bad piece. Now, every now and then we might gig each other with tongue in cheek about this or that....but we do it in good cheer and not in spite.

Regards, Mike


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

Tractors , trucks ,kinda like brother-in-law told me his on **** dogs , if it will tree a **** ,I don't really care what color it is .


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

I agree cornshucker....but we all know green rules 

Sorry, just couldn't help it.....


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Somedevildawg I think you are colour blind. I think what you see as green is actually blue lol.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Most definitely the best IMO. Once in a blue moon a few threads go off on a tangent and should be moved into the Boiler Room forum but everyone seems to get along very well on here.

On the equipment color thing, I've always been able to get advice, help and great answers on something no matter what the color of the equipment on here. It seems everyone on here uses what fits their operation best and doesn't buy according to color.

I might bug out for a while but always wind up coming back. We've even gone so far as to let someone on here come look at something they were interested in buying just so they can see it in person before ordering.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Best website I've ever joined. Thankful it exists or I might not be where I am.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

Most user friendly forum I've been on. Can't figure out why others don't use this simple format. BTW does anybody know of a political forum where everybody isn't cussing all the time. Don't mean to hijack this thread. IM me if you wish. Thanks


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

This is a wonderful website. One you are not afraid to recommend to your friends, or have to worry about anyone looking over your shoulder and seeing a bunch of garbage.

I enjoy reading the experiences and recommendations of others.

It is also nice to see how things are done in other parts of the continent and world.

About color wars.

When I was comparing new balers it was hard for me not to go green. I had just bought a new green tractor and wanted the baler to match. I really liked another brand better, though either would have been a good choice. I was talking to a friend and he said to buy the baler I wanted and paint it the color I wanted. Made perfect sense.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Tim you should paint the tractor and baler camo. That would look cool. I think lol.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I will also echo what others have said about this site....it has been the single most influential and beneficial thing to me as a person who had no family in agriculture to advise me on starting and running my operation. I think it is great to have a place to be able to share what we have learned to be able to help each other. The amount of knowledge shared here is tremendous. I also enjoy seeing how others across the country do things and also the civilized conversation of non ag topics. I feel like you fellas that contribute to this site are my friends.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

JD3430 said:


> Best website I've ever joined. Thankful it exists or I might not be where I am.


Ditto!

Ralph

Blue is half way between red and green. First color TV systems where based off of Red/Blue/Green (RBG) electron guns.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

It is a great site fellas, and I do love the very most reading about how fellas in other areas do things. I never thought about having to wait until "the ground warmed" to get things to grow/take off....that just never occurs here once you get to about the middle of February. I do hate to see what has happened to our grains...but we all knew it was coming. Oh well, back to normal I guess. I just wish I could find a bale bandit/baron like Somedevildawg was able to locate....a buy....probably would turn the dang thing over here though.

Regards, Mike


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## bensbales (Jul 18, 2011)

I really appreciate this site. With a click of a mouse you can get and give good and honest advice from people that have a  same passion for farming. Hay talk played a pivotal role in one of my favorite vacation experiences. While visiting yellowstone national park in july 2012 we made plans to go visit a cousin in Idaho. While making final plans for the Idaho portion of the trip my farming addiction kicked in, i wanted to help make hay in idaho. But how would i find someone that would be baling hay? I posted on hay talk what i was looking for and quite a few guys responded! I ended up at Dave Bergs farm and he let me play for a day. It is a cherished memory. Thank you Dave and thank you hay talk.

Ben


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Haytalk has been a great site,and it is easy to moderate.Everyone gets along pretty well with a few jabs put in here and there to keep things a bit lively.

I've met quite a few Haytalkers over the yrs with quite a few stopping at my place.And it is on my list to see a few also in other parts of the country.I would have never met these great people if it had not been for Haytalk.

A special thanks to James & Zach Brown for creating the website.I just had e-mailed James and he told me to tell everyone Hi!!


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

Even though I like to give all you Kubota guys the raspberries, I have a lot of respect for the brand and know they have have a good product. It's just fun to give a little static once in a while!

Most of us on here are passionate about haying/baling and that helps make this a good site. In many areas there aren't many hay guys and gals around so there isn't as much community talk and support compared to other aspects of farming like row crops. Haytalk is a great source for both education and recreation!


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Heck ,what's wrong with taking a little grief about owning Kubota?
It's a moderate or lower priced tractor. I know Deere and CNH are better. I just like the money I saved. Helped me buy attachments.
I'm gonna be in a blue or green tractor once I get to making bigger coin. For now, Kubota makes a great small to mid size tractor and they are affordable.


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## cornshucker (Aug 22, 2011)

Heck JD don't feel bad about a little grief about Kubotas. On another site about 5 years ago I mentioned I owned a Massey Ferguson tractor and I felt like a virgin at an Aztec sacrifice. That's what I said about this site being so good. I understand the good natured ribbing but some of the sites get out of hand.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Kubota ? What is a Kubota ?


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

cornshucker said:


> Heck JD don't feel bad about a little grief about Kubotas. On another site about 5 years ago I mentioned I owned a Massey Ferguson tractor and I felt like a virgin at an Aztec sacrifice. That's what I said about this site being so good. I understand the good natured ribbing but some of the sites get out of hand.


Try "tractor by net"
They'll start calling your wife and kids names within about a dozen posts.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

JD3430 said:


> Try "tractor by net"
> They'll start calling your wife and kids names within about a dozen posts.


Lol I never heard of that one so I just went to look at it. It looks like a joke compared to this site. I saw some guy joined in 08 and has over 20000 posts. When the hell does he have time to farm lol.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

ontario hay man said:


> Lol I never heard of that one so I just went to look at it. It looks like a joke compared to this site. I saw some guy joined in 08 and has over 20000 posts. When the hell does he have time to farm lol.


Most of the folks over there don't farm. I think I know who you're talking about he seems to chime in on almost ever thread. I think he's a good guy, retired with not a heck of alot to do.

JD is right about the way they treat people over there, a lot post have to be deleted and quite a few threads end up getting locked down because they go too far.


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

I joined this forum about two years ago I guess. I have met several really good guys that have answered many crucial questions for me. I would also like to thank the creators and the current owners of this site for doing an excellent job. I utilize this forum as another tool for my farm, I am never ashamed to learn something from others unlike others I've met elsewhere. This forum has very good people who simply love the art of a sadly declining profession called farming!

On the tractor color issue I've had problems out of all colors at some point and I've just as well had excellent service out of the same colors. Anything mechanical will eventually tear up that's just part of it. I love them all to be honest, ever since I was a little kid I was always fascinated by tractors and the many tasks they can perform!

On a humorous side note however, I just can't believe that green paint can cost so much more?!? I own some of all colors however I really like my lil ole orange tractors!! I'm sure devil dawg will have something to say about my above statement!! I hope you guys had a wonderful holidays and I hope the same for the coming New Year!!


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

C & C Cattle and Hay said:


> I joined this forum about two years ago I guess. I have met several really good guys that have answered many crucial questions for me. I would also like to thank the creators and the current owners of this site for doing an excellent job. I utilize this forum as another tool for my farm, I am never ashamed to learn something from others unlike others I've met elsewhere. This forum has very good people who simply love the art of a sadly declining profession called farming!
> On the tractor color issue I've had problems out of all colors at some point and I've just as well had excellent service out of the same colors. Anything mechanical will eventually tear up that's just part of it. I love them all to be honest, ever since I was a little kid I was always fascinated by tractors and the many tasks they can perform!
> On a humorous side note however, I just can't believe that green paint can cost so much more?!? I own some of all colors however I really like my lil ole orange tractors!! I'm sure devil dawg will have something to say about my above statement!! I hope you guys had a wonderful holidays and I hope the same for the coming New Year!!


Lol....after a while you'll like your lil pink tractor......better keep it in the barn amap....sorry, you're right I just can't help it......hope you have a prosperous new year as well.....even a pink tractor can make money! Enjoyed you being on the forum CC


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

somedevildawg said:


> Lol....after a while you'll like your lil pink tractor......better keep it in the barn amap....sorry, you're right I just can't help it......hope you have a prosperous new year as well.....even a pink tractor can make money! Enjoyed you being on the forum CC


With all the $ I saved buying a Kubota I had enough left over to build a new shed!!!


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## C & C Cattle and Hay (Sep 6, 2011)

To be honest I don't care what color they are just as long as they are dependable and get the job done that I ask of them. Lol


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

C & C Cattle and Hay said:


> To be honest I don't care what color they are just as long as they are dependable and get the job done that I ask of them. Lol


Somedevildawg is just jealous after he bought his crappy deere that he couldnt build a shed too. Lol


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Watch it Ontario.....I own orange too.....that way I could build a barn......but I keep the Deere's in there.....the orange on stays outside where it belongs....

Sorta gets treated like the red headed step child ya know.....never seems to mind, it knows the thoroughbreds get preferential treatment


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Orange headed stepchild......lol


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Someone once told us the tractor shed here looked like a decorated Christmas Tree it had so many different colors in it. Red, Orange and Green.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Hey I know you guys are all behind the times. Its not your fault. Blame all the liberal media you get fed. This is what a real tractor looks like. Time to get out of the 70s boys. Lol couldnt resist it.


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

Ah come on hay man at least a real photo not a thumbnail from NH :lol:

Here's the near perfect tractor for tedding, raking, pulling the manure spreader and drilling grain. 










It's had front weights and mirrors added since this picture was made.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

I would have took one of mine but it was dark lol.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

I dont get why they cost 10k more for the same thing. I like john deere alright but im not breaking the bank to own one lol.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Here happy? Lol


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

ontario hay man said:


> I dont get why they cost 10k more for the same thing. I like john deere alright but im not breaking the bank to own one lol.


Resale value and the only non foreign owned US company that makes tractors are probably 2 big reasons. They also have a huge dealer network to support owners might be another.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Is cnh not us owned?


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## Grateful11 (Apr 5, 2009)

ontario hay man said:


> I dont get why they cost 10k more for the same thing. I like john deere alright but im not breaking the bank to own one lol.


She had no intention of buying a JD but the main guy from the local dealership was out because she was having trouble with a new JD Drill not drilling in like it should, the guy they sent out to setup earlier had a pin in the wrong place so the down pressure was all wrong. He told her it was a travel pin and to leave where he had it, duh. Anyway I mentioned to him when he got finished that she and our son were looking for a small tractor with a cab and he said "do we have a deal going on right now, so good that I'm getting one". They had purchased I think 18 leftover 2011 5065M's in mid 2012. Wife was busy drilling so we talked for a while and finally asked what kind of money we were talking about and he said $32K cash price and I was like we'll be up ASAP to take a look see. We were surprised that it had the deluxe dash, 16x16 trans, power reverser, 2 sets of rear remotes and loader ready. She had been looking at a Kubota 7040 but wasn't too crazy about the 8x8 trans and it just felt a tad light, she's used to running the CaseIH Maxxum 5140 and the IH 686 turbo. She and our son both liked the Deere, everything seemed to be laid out right unlike the 5000E series she had looked at before, and no one could come close to the price. We later found out it was the last run for the 5065M but knock on wood it's been a real champ and now has about 275 hours on it. Added bonus is it's got our son more interested in farming than before. He doesnt mind spending 6-8 hrs a day in it if need be and I put him a radio in it that connects to his iPhone, he likes that. If the farm is going to continue he's going to have to take over someday, it's going to be his farm before long anyway. Sadly he's the only one we have left to takeover the farm that has been in my wife's family for at least a 100 years.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

ontario hay man said:


> Is cnh not us owned?


Not anymore. Although they still operate plants in the USA under the New Holland name, they are basically owned by FIAT.

Notice no more Cummins engines in the new Case IH 100-200HP tractors? They have "CNH" engines in them, which I think are collaborations between New Holland, Iveco, Case, blah blah blah.

the closest you can get to "Case IH" today in the tractor sizes we use are McCormick. They bought the old Maxxum tooling and built some models with Cummins 5.9's and 6.7's in them back when CNH divested the Case tractor lineup. Some also have Perkins and maybe some other diesels in them.

The new Case IH mid size tractors are New Hollands painted red.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Grateful- atleast you still have one to take it over and he is motivated to farm. I know alot of kids my age that wont take over their dads farm. Most have dairy cows which up here is controlled by quota. The quota for each cow is $25k so if they take over their dads farm and sell the quota alone later on 40 cows they have a million bucks. They are pathetic. The milk market here pays very well to. They are just lazy and I cant afford to get in. I would milk cows in a heartbeat. Grandpa sold his cows and quota when I was 13 because him and my uncle didnt get along. I missed that chance by about 3 years. As for farming I cant imagine life with out it.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Im pretty much working 24/7 to make farming my permanent second career. After 30 years, I'm sick of construction, dealing with idiots, trying to collect money.

I've told my wife many times "a bad day of hay farming is better than a good day of construction".

I just wish I could make it pay more so I could cut the umbilical cord and get happy again..


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

JD3430 said:


> Im pretty much working 24/7 to make farming my permanent second career. After 30 years, I'm sick of construction, dealing with idiots, trying to collect money.
> I've told my wife many times "a bad day of hay farming is better than a good day of construction".
> 
> I just wish I could make it pay more so I could cut the umbilical cord and get happy again..


Unfortunatly there are some that don't pay or make you wait for your money in the hay biz also. 

I don't mind waiting for awhile if they are honest with me and pay when they say they were going to.

The ones that lie to me really tick me off and even after they pay up I choose not to do business with them.The ones I have given a 2 nd chance go back to the same BS.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

JD3430 said:


> .I just wish I could make it pay more so I could cut the umbilical cord and get happy again..


You have to diversify JD in farming....maybe try running some beef, raising soybeans, housing chickens or turkeys, grow wheat and bale straw...sell farm products. Maybe work part-time in Ag equipment sales. You keep knocking on the doors JD and sooner or later one will open. Here's hoping you will find your niche soon to bring more JOY to your life.

Regards, Mike


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Whats the dairy business like down there?


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

ontario hay man said:


> Whats the dairy b
> usiness like down there?


Rollercoaster.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Oh how many cows do you need to milk to make a good living?


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Vol said:


> You have to diversify JD in farming....maybe try running some beef, raising soybeans, housing chickens or turkeys, grow wheat and bale straw...sell farm products. Maybe work part-time in Ag equipment sales. You keep knocking on the doors JD and sooner or later one will open. Here's hoping you will find your niche soon to bring more JOY to your life.
> 
> Regards, Mike


Dont have the property to raise livestock.

Im really a pretty happy positive person. After only 2 full years on my own, im optimistic I will be OK.

Someone here once told me concentrate on making high quality hay and sell it for top dollar. While I wont turn down more land, I will keep striving to improve the stands I have and find more indoor storage space.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Why not run cows on the junk not worth cutting. I think i remember you said before you had a field guy wouldnt let you spray or fertilize? Throw cows out on it. Check out the price of beef. Just got back from a sale today. Stocker were high. Cows not so much. Buy long bred cows in march. Calve them then sell cow and stocker in fall. No winter work then lol. Just a thought


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

ontario hay man said:


> Why not run cows on the junk not worth cutting. I think i remember you said before you had a field guy wouldnt let you spray or fertilize? Throw cows out on it. Check out the price of beef. Just got back from a sale today. Stocker were high. Cows not so much. Buy long bred cows in march. Calve them then sell cow and stocker in fall. No winter work then lol. Just a thought


Cant put em on his property.... theres no fencing left.

I may have a possibility of raising 5-6 on my neighbors property once he decides to slow down (hes in his 80's), but I'd doubt there's much more than beer money in 6 head. I can get rid of low qual hay to the mushroom farmers.

I'd really like to just keep focused on getting up to 200+ acres and improving all the stands. I found out this year theres plenty of income possible once you get some of these horse boarding operations buying from you.


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## discbinedr (Mar 4, 2013)

ontario hay man said:


> Oh how many cows do you need to milk to make a good living?


50 head if you're good, if you ain't 1000 aren't enough.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Jd. Im sure you know this but if your seeding new hay dont go cheap on the seed. I did one year and cursed for 3 til I plowed it up lol.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

ontario hay man said:


> Jd. Im sure you know this but if your seeding new hay dont go cheap on the seed. I did one year and cursed for 3 til I plowed it up lol.


Funny you mention that. I've actually never seeded. I feel kind of like I'm doing something wrong??
I do tests over winter, add NPK as needed, topdress with mushroom soil and the existing stands seem to regrow with no re seeding.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

Depends what plants are there and what you want to grow to sell.


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## JD3430 (Jan 1, 2012)

Rolls of horse hay. Just mixed grasses. My customers seem to love it.


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## ontario hay man (Jul 18, 2013)

If thats what they want keep growing it.  If you have a market for dairy hay plow some up and plant alfalfa.


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