[near horse]

Hi blue80,

I’ve looked at k-line also and just am not sure about the feasability (we don’t have any water/irrigation setup). My understanding is that you run a main or feeder line and then the k-lines hook up to that – just drag them to where you need them and tap in – does that sound right?

I would be interested to hear how your new buddy uses it as well as what you think would work. Especially interested in pump/well setup ..

Thanks.

[near horse]

Two thoughts come to mind after just seeing the still photo – first, I imagine there were some underwear that needed to go to the laundry after this one. And second, “sometimes s–t happens BUT some folks seem to be living on exlax!”

[near horse]

LStone – the equipment you’re talking about is called a “hay slip or sled” out here or a “bale buncher”. Drag behind the baler and bales drop in up to 6 or 8 then you pull the rope to trip the back gate. Can be rough on bales, depending on the ground, since they are kind of dragging along inside the slip. What I’m talking about is a big basket (at least 6 or 7 feet tall) w/ wheels – will hold about 80-100 bales I think. It has a trap door back end that just dumps them out on the ground. I can’t remember the manufacturer but it was demo at Horse Progress Days a few years back.

This might be stating the obvious but for those making carts or other implements and needing seats, call a couple of junk yards and see if they wreck busses – I found bus seats pretty cheap – like $25 ea and upholstery completely intact.

[near horse]

In our neck of the woods we’ve had the mildest winter in a long time – last year at this time ~ 90+ inches of snow. This year maybe 12 total and none on the ground in the last month. All melted and now the puddles have even dried up. I’d take this weather in mid April. Some folks already seeing robins in their yards!

What next?

[near horse]

Well, I guess my problem is I’m putting up hay alone, for the most part. So crews on the wagon etc isn’t going to happen.

But, more generally, one needs to organize priorities – for some of us it might be important to get in as much hay as possible as quickly as possible. For others, like me, I’m leaning toward getting in as much as hay as I can without having to use gas/diesel etc – no engine. It looks like a certain trade off – lower efficiency but one I’m willing to make (at least right now).

BTW – have any of you seen the “bale basket” that runs behind your baler and catches bales coming off the chute? I think it holds around 100 sm squares. My question is ” are you supposed to unhook the basket hitch and then tow it to your barn each time it gets full?” I guess that would be alright if you don’t have any help at all.

Donn, I agree that moving and loading bales from the ground to wagon, trailer or whatever is agonizing – the worst.

[near horse]

Loose hay can also be put up using a side delivery rake to windrow it and then a loose hay loader (if you can find one) to load a wagon. Haul it to the barn and load away. So why not just unload at the baler?

With regard to feeding a stationary round baler, and I don’t have much experience with them, isn’t it pretty critical to have steady and even feeding of hay into the bale chamber or maybe that’s more of an issue with square bales.

Why is everyone caught up on pulling a wagon behind the baler? Has anyone tried using one of those old ground drive “popup” bale loaders with a teampulling a hay wagon? They’re usually used on trucks but why not bale and let the bales drop in the field then come back with your team and pick them up with the popup? The only reason I can see for baling directly into the wagon is getting out of the weather ASAP.

Anyway, if you’re really into hay stuff, check out “hay talk” online – mostly commercial guys but you can get some good technical info and equip reviews if you’re interested.

[near horse]

Hi,

I don’t know if this “fits” with the thread title but I ran across this article while looking for something else (ahh, the internet) http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3235140

In Cuba, the ox is mightier than the tractor.
Animal viewed as way to ramp up food production while conserving energy

Perhaps, as many have mentioned in other threads, it will take a real economic shake-up to get people to recognize the value of animal power.

As an aside, here are a couple of links to draft power websites in other countries. Keep at it!

http://www.atnesa.org/ (Animal Traction Network for Eastern and Southern Africa)

http://www.recta.org (Cuban Network of Animal Traction)

http://www.animaltraction.com/

http://www.mitamadagascar.org/ (Madagascar Network for the Development of Intermediate Means of Transport) mainly French

[near horse]

Hi John,

Not sure if the SFJ picture is the same one, but there’s a pretty decent view of the drive wheel and gears (a bit harder to see) on the John Deere baler in Lynn Miller’s book, “Haying with Horses”. It sure seems like that baler is almost defying some laws of physics 🙂 but it seems to work.

I have a friend who’s tracking down an old stationary baler that he wants to rebuild. Have you seen those things? I think you haul loose hay to the baler which is powered by horses walking in a circle attached to something similar to a “hot walker” – you lay pieces of pre-cut wire into the bale chamber and then add the hay – horses’ action drives the plunger to compress the hay – twist the wires to tie off the bale. Repeat.

Good luck.

[near horse]

I’m with Donn as well – just slide them over their head. They’ll learn to push through like everyone has mentioned but one of my horses is a fat head – literally – so you do have to start with the throat then the top – or imagine putting it on at about a 45 degree angle with the top tipped forward and the bottom inward.

My fat head has a pretty thick neck so no rotating the collar once it’s over his head.:eek:

Like most stuff with horses, do it easy and gentle at first so it’s not too scary and then repeat, repeat, repeat ……

[near horse]

Hi Tim,

I know it can be “buyer beware” but I got a really nice team through http://www.draftsforsale.com Here’s an example of something on there right now.

Candy and Connie are a well matched team of grade Belgian Mares; 8 and 10 yrs. old, Red Sorrels with stripes, Broke
Connie is on the Right side; stands 16 H’s carrys a 23 inch collar, works on the right or left and is well broke; Candy is on the left side; 16.2 H’s carrys a 25 inch collar, works on the right or left, and is well broke; Candy has a small white spot in her right eye that does not affect her vision. These grade Belgian mares worked their whole life working on an Amish farm and were well cared for, They have been used on all farm equipment, are traffic wise. I have not used them in town, have not driven them single and have not ridden them.
We have been using them as our chore team and hauling lots of manure. We have lots of snow and cold weather, these mares tie into the load, are willing workers and hard pullers. We are asking $ 2,500 for the team. My phone is 612 735 6550 Partial delivery is a possibility

Good luck.

[near horse]

Interesting conversation so I’d also like to share some of my thoughts.

First, I do understand the reluctance of many to “join” or “jump on the bandwagon” of SFC based on previous bad experience(s) with group endeavors. But, even with all the value we place on independence, humans are social animals and are capable of acheiving so much more as part of a group (community, church or whatever) than we are as individuals – the sum is often greater than the parts. But how do you work with/help/rely on your neighbors when they think all of this stuff we do is laughable? You end up looking far afield for like-minded folks but that’s not the community we all romance about.

I think that farming has evolved over the decades into an “individual” undertaking where it used to be a community one (out of necessity). Think self-propelled combines vs stationary threshing units.

To Lynn Miller, with whom I don’t always agree, kudos for your effort trying to launch SFC. It’s going to be like herding cats but as the saying goes – “There are those that make things happen. Those that watch things happen. And those that wonder what happened.” Thanks for trying to make something happen.

So, if we want to see some changes or have a hand in directing the inevitable changes, we need to put together a strong voice. Otherwise, our little individual voices will remain unheard.

[near horse]

Donn Hewes had some nice pictures of his V-plow setup on his picture site: try this site.

http://www.picasaweb.google.com/mulemandonn

[near horse]

I’ll add my greetings as well – to all on this board, have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

And remember: “Eat it up, wear it out, make it do, or do without.”

[near horse]

Hi James,

Is the combine you’re looking at an AC “all crop” – like a model 60, 66 etc? If so, check out this website that specializes in AC All Crop combines – some parts. Seems the choices for power are: PTO driven or separate motor drive.

http://www.yazallcrop.com

All the best

PS – check to make sure that it was cleaned out before it was stored – otherwise you might have mouse/rat urine causing some rust issues – not the end of the world but certainly brings down the price.

Good luck.

[near horse]

Time, I think is the big problem for most people. There is a conventional wisdom that supposes that we have better things to do. THEY, whoever they are, have done a fantastic job of down-playing our physical capabilities, to a point where most people truly doubt that they can personally accomplish anything physically.

Carl

I agree with this point. Your time is truly something that you own – no debt, no one can take it from you without your consent, etc. Economists consider the time you could be spending earning lots of money off the farm as “opportunity costs” and should be weighed against the profit you make from farming (or logging). Oh come on.

Then they head of to their air conditioned gym to expand a hell of a lot of energy on excercises which are 100% inefficient as they don’t create anything at the end…….

Then there are the people who won’t run outside and prefer to run in an air conditioned room on a treadmill, which needs electricity derived from oil to operate. Why can’t they just exercise outside and reduce their carbon foot print?

They need to be running on one of those treadmills that run a PTO or a generator and are still built by the Amish. At least they could produce electricity for the AC they’re using 🙂

I like to hear about it when folks get into their cars and drive to a place where they can then run. What? How about just running there in the first place?

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