Bale my yard?

[tractorenthusiast]

What would I have to do to make my yard into something worth bailing, outside of plowing and planting it? I have WAAAAY too much yard, and wouldn't mind subsidizing my mowing. I know, I'm dumb, let me have it.

 

[bp fick]

Many people find themselves with way, way too much grass to mow. It's an American thing, it seems. Turning a 5+ grass mowing headache into something less time consuming, fuel consuming, machinery eating sinkhole is something many might consider. Options include pasturing animals, tree farm, allowing it to return naturally to woods with the help of some tree planting, prairie land redevelopment and so forth.

A haying operation on a few acres is iffy, but you never know if a neighbor might have an interest. Best regards.

 

[Egon]

What acreage do you have in mind for baling and what is presently growing there?

 

[flyingcow]

Also, what size is your tractor?

 

[tractorenthusiast]

What acreage do you have in mind for baling and what is presently growing there?

I've got about 6 acres that I really don't want to mow any longer. As for whats there now, thick, thick green grass, with a lot of clover. I don't want to get rich, I just ultimately want to spend less $$$$.

Here's a pic.

 

[tractorenthusiast]

Also, what size is your tractor?

Farmall M, That needs to be run more often.

 

[flyingcow]

A bush hog style mower doesn't give you the clean cut as a finish mower, but i do my fields(20 acres or so) twice a season(keep in mind we have a short season up on this end of the country).

Looks good, some yrs only do once. You should be able to put a 5ft mower behind you, take 4 maybe 6 hours to do the 6 acres. I know it's not bailing hay, but that gets expensive in equipment.

A tag along bush hog does a very neat job for the money. Will,last forever jsut mowing fields, with no bushes or trees.

A Farmall M is a nice tractor. Narrow front end or wide?

 

[tractorenthusiast]

A Farmall M is a nice tractor. Narrow front end or wide?

Its a narrow. I'm thinking of something similar to a woods D80. Though I may just let it go wild.

 

[nwbearcat]

Depends on the area...I'm in a predominatly row-crop (corn and soybean) area and have a couple guys that are lined up for my 3A hillside. I'd leave it as is, with some fertilizer, it will grow up enough to be hay. What my guy did was put up an electric fence, and pastures sheep on it all summer, works for him and works for me. No mowing that way, and it stays clipped off pretty well all summer long. He usually gives me a few bucks rent even.

 

[tractorenthusiast]

What my guy did was put up an electric fence, and pastures sheep on it all summer, works for him and works for me. No mowing that way, and it stays clipped off pretty well all summer long

Sheep, I like it.

 

[flyingcow]

My thumbs still ache a little from yrs ago driving a narrow front end.:thumbsup:

 

[nwbearcat]

Sheep, I like it.

It works out pretty well. With hay, you'll be letting it grow up and get tall, then it will be mowed down, this way, he turns in around June and they're here all summer, and it stays reasonable looking. Ask around at a feed store, or post an ad on a few bulletin boards around, maybe someone will be interested. I figure even if I didn't charge him, it's still a few hours of my life every couple weeks and several gal of gas that it's not costing me this way. Plus, I've got an old manure spreader, and he lets me come get sheep poo from his barn to put on our flower beds at n/c. A good deal for all.

 

[Egon]

Cost of equipment would probably kill the baling plan. Making hay using old fashioned equipment would be possible but it's loose hay and difficult to transport for any great distance.

If you could find a good baler at a reasonable it may be viable! But think sore back.

Plant a few trees, shrubs, fruit trees and such like and just let it go natural?

Animals would work but they require shelter, water and fences plus lots of attention.

 

[bdeboer]

There may be some tax advantages in you're county by placing the land in CAUV. If you have over 10 acres total, you do not have to report income. There may also be some wetland programs available. I have about 8 acres that a neighbor bales, and have this land in CAUV.

 

[AKfish]

Have a neighbor that uses a NH 273 square baler behind his M. Works very well. He's got a nice side delivery rake that he uses, too.

Never seen him mow with it though...

I'd guess that you'd get 2 cuttings at least and very likely 3 per season. If you averaged a ton/acre (that's probably very low for your area) with each cutting and baled 50 lb square bales that would be 40 bales per acre or 240 bales each cutting and 720 bales for the season (assuming 3 cuttings). If you've got horse people in your area and good grass (orchard, timothy, etc.) you could likely get 4-5 bucks a bale.

Not exactly the path that Warren Buffet follows.. but it might interest someone that already puts hay up on a few small fields within 20 miles of you.

Put a post up in the local feed store or on Craigslist.

Or you could get a leg of lamb or two every year... :thumbsup:

AKfish

 

[kyspartan]

pygmy goats will take care of it and look cute doing it