Making Hay 101

[piller]

I'll jump in with a different perspective. Why do you want to make hay and store hay and feed hay? If you look at the costs, the real costs, you will likely find that you could purchase hay for less than you can make it. UT has hay budgets available here: The University of Tennessee | Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics | Budgets

If you choose to make hay you will have some of your pasture tied up in hay production.

Finally, if you manage your pasture properly you may not need to feed much if any hay at all. I have cattle and horses on my East TN farm, I don't feed hay. I rotate pastures, I stockpile fescue/clover in the fall. I might keep a small amount of hay available in the event that we would get an ice storm. In fact, in the winter of 2010/11 we had some snows and put out some hay. The animals laid down on the hay but did not eat it, they preferred the stockpiled fescue/clover.

I understand the desire to make hay, we made hay the first couple of years on our place, we even sold some hay, but at this point we have no plans to make hay.

 

[smstonypoint]

I'll jump in with a different perspective. Why do you want to make hay and store hay and feed hay? If you look at the costs, the real costs, you will likely find that you could purchase hay for less than you can make it. UT has hay budgets available here: The University of Tennessee | Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics | Budgets

<snip>

I understand the desire to make hay, we made hay the first couple of years on our place, we even sold some hay, but at this point we have no plans to make hay.

Chip,

Watch out, you are treading on dangerous ground.

As an economist, I have pointed out on various TBN threads the need to estimate the costs (including opportunity costs) of prospective enterprises, projects, etc. I get the impression that many folks don't want to know what their projects, hobbies, etc. really cost.

 

[aczlan]

Finally, if you manage your pasture properly you may not need to feed much if any hay at all. I have cattle and horses on my East TN farm, I don't feed hay. I rotate pastures, I stockpile fescue/clover in the fall. I might keep a small amount of hay available in the event that we would get an ice storm. In fact, in the winter of 2010/11 we had some snows and put out some hay. The animals laid down on the hay but did not eat it, they preferred the stockpiled fescue/clover.

That might work in TN, but not so much in places where we have a real winter with snow.

Aaron Z

 

[crowbar032]

your mx5100 will pull a 7ft or 8ft disc mower no prob.an a old side delivery rake will do raking hay,unless you find a good deal on a wheel rake.now if you have help you could go sq bales.but your tractor would also pull a 4 by 5 baler if you watch what you get.

I've got a neighbor that pulls a Hesston 540 round baler with a Kubota MX5100. The tractor seems to handle it well in all terrain. And he has had it on some big hills.

 

[Avodah]

Great replies, equipment advice & alternative perspectives.

I've looked into the economics ... I agree the numbers simply don't add up to buy the equipment - at least if one has faith in The Fed & status quo economics. (Economics 101 will have to be another thread!) I'm learning more & more about limiting hay consumption by extending the foraging season too. Tough year for me to implement anything with very little rain. I can't help but think that having my own equipment means I can control quality, which will come at a cost. I don't use chemical fertilizers but a lot of my hay-growing neighbors do ... and that comes at a cost too. I may end up getting a bit more for pastured beef if I can show customers that the cattle's winter feed is all-natural & right off the farm ... those types of figures aren't worked into most assumptions/calculations.

Sorry for the slow responses ... just had to revert to dial-up - hopefully temporarily!

 

[hunterbrooksfarm]

Glad to see a fellow coastie on here. I'm still Active duty, and looking to retire in about 7yrs to farm fulltime. For now when my duty stations permit I get to go home and work my 117acres, and keep it somewhat cleared for when that day will come. I always hate trying to get a celestrial fix, or LAN for that matter, trying to figure out which stars your looking at was always fun. Thank goodness for stella, even though thats not to helpfull at times. Either way No matter how many times I try I can only get so close.
I'm running a New Holland TC35 for now. I picked up a New Idea 6 wheel pinwheel rake a couple years ago. I just found a john deere #5 sickle bar mower in the bushes out behind my new place(currently stationed away from my land) thats gonna be dragged to the garage and rebuilt this winter. I'll be looking for like a JD24t or something similar to do about 30acres on my property when I retire. I've never done any haying before either, I've been trying to learn where ever I can. I've been trying to buy older/used equipment that needs alittle bit of work to tinker on. That way I know how it works and can rebuild it. Not to mention I like working on the equipment, not to mention with 13yrs of painting experience the paint jobs don't turn out to bad either. Got to make sure that the mil thickness of each layer is applied right, humidity was within spec. Nothing like making sure your 5 and 6 yr old sons are doing their PPP's correctly.