[gwpoky]

Hi Dan,

Yep, that’s what I am looking at, the cylindrical scraper type. Looks pretty simple and handy.
Hope things are good in your neck of the woods.

Thanks

[gwpoky]

I am surprised they did not have the wheel weights on the cart and that was a big baler I wonder if it would better on a smaller baler? I would love to get ride of my motorized baler, but when you look at how little fuel I used to run the baler vs. buying one of these carts, neat as they are, even when fuel hits 10 dollars it would take many years to pay it out just on the baler. Besides we are moving towards more loose hay.

P.S. It still has a very high cool factor:-)

[gwpoky]

We are transitioning to loose hay here, I have two McCormick loaders that need to be mated, hoping by spring to have one good one. We do some loose now by pitching but the loader will make it much better. The only squares we will be doing will be enough for travel and when we have someone doing chores for us. Loose hay makes high quality feed, the only down side is it is hard to sell off the farm and we don’t sell any hay so loose works well.

[gwpoky]

Very interesting, I am curious of the cost vs efficiency compared to the turbine Erik built?
Thanks for sharing.

[gwpoky]

Bob, I saw a picture of the Bale Master in one of Lynn Millers books, but I have never seen it work. If you could post some pics/video that would be great. I agree moving several at a time would be handy. This field is about 30 acres and up on top of the ridge so I was just moving them of the field, we will bring them down with a flat bed trailer. It sure would be nice to do it all in one fallow swoop with the horses though.

[gwpoky]

You guys are all making me feel a little better, it looks like we might get a four day stretch of good weather, but with the moisture in the fields and the ground it might take an extra day to dry. I going to have some tonnage but quality may be a little low. Best of luck to you all.

[gwpoky]

I am in Wisconsin, its tuff here, but I will check a little deeper. From the research I have done it doesn’t look good for the one to ten head herds.

[gwpoky]

My brother in law runs about 1500 acres very “conventionally” so I called him and asked what his cost/acre of inputs is looking like this year, he said to get 180 bushel per acre yield average it costs him anywhere from $300 to $500 dollars per acre depending on crop planted seed type and amount of tillage and chemical necessary on that particular ground. so $390 isn’t to far off I don’t think. he has also contracted allot of his corn crop above $6 per bushel, but said with these prices he should make out okay this year. I know a few guys around here that have $300+ just in seed.:eek: What we need is allot more smaller mixed crop/livstock farms 10-200 acres and less huge mono/bi-crop farms.

[gwpoky]

Google “Silky Cow” he built locking head gates on an old wagon running gear.

[gwpoky]

Erik,

Very well put. We are always analyzing this question of energy: cost vs. efficiency vs. conscience ect. Even with the draft power on our farm it would be cheaper and less hassle to use tractors in the short term but using draft power is really not any more hassle than fixing a tractor or not getting it started when needed, over time with self replacement, manure nutrients, and the longevity of horse powered equipment figured in horses are cheaper. This is not figuring in the benefits to one heart, sole, and closer relationship to ones work and existence that comes with working draft animals. This is a tough one at times how to get it all sorted out. Thanks for the insight and conversation. Hope all is well with you and yours.

[gwpoky]

Thank you all for your ongoing input, I see many of have thought allot about this as have I. We currently have four drafts but no tractor and I am reluctant to buy a tractor again as I would have to sell one of my teams to do so. If I where not renting land from and putting up hay with my neighbor I think I would go to pretty much all loose hay except for what we have custom round baled. Although rounds are convenient I am usually disappointed in the feed quality, but at this point in time I am limited by labor. Thanks again for all your input we will keep on think’n:confused:

[gwpoky]

Currently we hay about 28 acres with a neighbor (who bales with a tractor) he cuts and we rake with the horses then bale with the tractor. We run another 15 or so acres with just horses and put the hay up loose, but we have had some problems with that in our wet wet area. I would like to have most in bale form if I can. We do not own a tractor and I really don’t want to buy one again. So I thought baling at the barn might be a good compromise as time goes on, but I not sure. Currently I am paying my neighbor to do the baling, which is a huge expense I would love to be able to do all but the round baling ourselves, we only round bale 3/4 of one crop a year, not worth owning the equipment for that little bit. I like the stack and then bale idea, which I may do at the barn the problem is the 28 acre piece is very difficult to get to in the winter as it is way up on a hill where our farm is in the valley. If this was a 100% our own land I may do it a little different but we rent part of the 28 acres from the neighbor who is doing the square baling. Crazy, I know but to move to a more sustainable future on our farm this is the way we must go. The neighbor is a great person, he still thinks we’re nuts, but non the less he is a great neighbor. Thanks again and keep the ideas coming:D

[gwpoky]

Dan,

That is cool a three wheeler is on my list of projects. Are you going to be going to the sale in St. Charls in May, if so we should meet.

[gwpoky]

I going to put it on a JD 24T, I will post pics as it progresses.

[gwpoky]

Well,

I bought the Yanmar so we shall see how it goes. It is currently set at about 17 “Fake HP”:D but after a little research I found that they can easily be turned up to 23-30. With the torque of the diesel and some gear reduction it should do the trick.

Snowing a bit here in Wisconsin, looks like spring is on hold for a few days.

Cheers

[Author]

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