My Small Farm Hay setUp

ewalker · Jun 18, 2010

Thought some of you would enjoy seeing my new Hay set up, just picked up the baler a week ago (MF #3).Also picked up a Ford 501 Sickle, and looking for a Rake.

IH fan · Jun 18, 2010

What's the old Ronnie Milsap song? "Lost in the '50s" :lol: :lol: Sure brings back memories... except it was JD A and later a 60 with a NH 77 baler.

Dave H (MI) · Jun 18, 2010

You didn't say how many acres or if you were cutting it for your own use or sale. If it were me, and it WAS me ten years ago, I would ditch the Ford mower and look for a nice IH balanced head model from the late 50's or later. If you want to use that old baler find another one BEFORE you cut your hay so that you have a ready supply of parts (ditto for all your old equipment). That's a nice H and it will do the job but beware of overloading the baler and jamming it up. Clear the baler before you hit the clutch. Putting up hay is NOT fun when things start going wrong repeatedly and you have no parts, etc. It is VERY enjoyable if you have things set up right and can rely on your equipment. You have some real nice stuff there. Only things I would change are the aforementioned mower and independant PTO.

Charlie M · Jun 18, 2010

Your operation sounds quite similar to mine - I do about 1200 bales each year. I bale with my M on an IH46 baler. I cut with a 9' haybine and I can tell you it beats a sickle bar mower any day although they can be tough to justify the cost on only a few acres. I rake with a couple of steel wheeled rakes. Concerning the age of your equipment, all I own is stuff made in the 50's and early 60's, including my haying equipment. I have very few problems with breakdowns. The trick is to know the condition of your equipment and be pro active on the maintenance. The more wear the more breakdowns. Stuff doesn't just wear out over night - it can be seen and dealt with before a breakdown. Good luck with your haying season - the only real reason to farm small acres with the old equipment is because its fun, not because we expect to get rich.

John in Ct · Jun 18, 2010

Nice H! I was wondering if you will be cutting with the H? If so, could you post a couple of pictures of the 3-point hitch with the mower?

IndianaRed · Jun 18, 2010

Don't know that I've seen an H with the alt on that side. Something else in the way on the other side, or just wanted it there?

Farmallb · Jun 18, 2010

Our first bailer was a NH, but im not sure about the numbers. 77 sounds good. It had a wadboard that came out past the bailer a good foot or more. After the safty shield fell off, If you didnt see it afore hand that thing would cave in your pelvic bone. One side never tied right. I had to walk beside it and tie one side. That wasnt so bad, but it cut the string just short enough to make a machanical knot, and not near enough to make a hand tied one. I hated that thing. I had wanted to get an old IHC with motor, like my grandad had had, but my brother wanted this one, and it wasnt worth a darn. The bearings in the wheels wore out, and it sashayed like Gypsie Rose Lee going down the field. Or someone on a 3 day drunk lol

IH fan · Jun 19, 2010

Hit the wrong button.. how do I delete?

IH fan · Jun 19, 2010

(quoted from post at 14:04:18 06/18/10) That's a nice H and it will do the job but beware of overloading the baler and jamming it up. Clear the baler before you hit the clutch.
Only things I would change are the aforementioned mower and independant PTO.

That's certainly the drawback of an older tractor and PTO baler. Our NH had a Wisconsin V-4 and as a 10 to 12 year old kid, I still broke a lot of shear pins before I could pull the clutch on those JDs. With a PTO machine and no IPTO, I would have had a lot of plug-ups. Dad would have been even madder.
This was "back in the day" (early '50s) when not every farmer had his own baler, so Dad did a lot of custom baling. $.10 to drop'em on the ground, .11 if he brought his 2 hayracks and they provide the labor to load behind the baler, and .12 if I came along to drive and Dad loaded. Needless to say, it was a bargin for 12 cents, so I got a lot of baler time, starting at 10 years old (Like a lot of farm kids, I can remember time by what tractor we had. Dad bought his first JD 60 in '53 when I was 11 and I had one year on the old A).
Like I said, that picture sure brought back memories.

wijim · Jun 20, 2010

Nice set up, I use a 350u NI mower NH 404 crusher to cut. And a 46 JD A with a NH 67 hayliner to bale everything works great. I grew up baling with the A so I dont mind not having IPTO.Jim

ewalker · Jun 21, 2010

The Alternator was there when I bought it.

ewalker · Jun 21, 2010

My nephew and me have about 18 acres between the 2 of us that we will be baling for personal use and sell what we do not need. We might pickup a few small fields (2-4 acres) for people around that the larger guys don't want to mess with. Seems to be a need for small operation in the area. We do have a couple of guys on speed dial just if needed.

My Small Farm Hay setUp

ewalker

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IH fan

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Dave H (MI)

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Charlie M

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John in Ct

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IndianaRed

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Farmallb

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IH fan

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IH fan

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wijim

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ewalker

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