The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

I did round bales for 15 years. Very challenging on hilly ground. Switched to big squares 4 years ago.
Time consuming too. Once a bale is wrapped, it must be ejected, but if you are on hilly ground, you need to drive the tractor & baler somewhere to eject it.

Square baler justr keeps on baling. Bales can be dropped on steep ground.

Some of my fields take 1/2 to 1/3rd the time they used to take. Time is precious when baling in my area when its rainy.

 

[dodge man]

An obvious thing but I never considered the problem of them rolling around when they pop out. Good ground around here is almost always used for corn, soybeans or a little winter wheat. The ground used for hay is usually the hilly or poorer soil ground. I’m not sure if it matters what it’s used for but the majority of the hay would be used for cattle around here.

 

[Hay Dude]

An obvious thing but I never considered the problem of them rolling around when they pop out. Good ground around here is almost always used for corn, soybeans or a little winter wheat. The ground used for hay is usually the hilly or poorer soil ground. I’m not sure if it matters what it’s used for but the majority of the hay would be used for cattle around here.

Thats because the row crops pay a lot more per acre than hay.

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Thats because the row crops pay a lot more per acre than hay.

Yeah, and unless something has changed, there aren't any government subsidies for hay farming, if you don't make it you just don't make it , there is no one to bail you out.

 

[dodge man]

I took a bicycle ride today and rode by this stack of large rounds. There is also one of those big white tubes full of silage next to the hay. These guys are large cattle farmers.

 

[scootr]

They're feeding a bunch alright.

 

[Hay Dude]

Yeah, and unless something has changed, there aren't any government subsidies for hay farming, if you don't make it you just don't make it , there is no one to bail you out.

Yeah, I have been trying to pound that into the heads of a few of the more obtuse ones here that try to imply I’m subsidized.
Turbocharged Dolts.

 

[Hay Dude]

I took a bicycle ride today and rode by this stack of large rounds. There is also one of those big white tubes full of silage next to the hay. These guys are large cattle farmers.
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I’d never store feed round bales that way

 

[LouNY]

I’d never store feed round bales that way

In my area that would make them candidates for your mushroom growers,
quickly molding and slowly rotting.

 

[Hay Dude]

Everywhere those round bales touch will quickly turn to mushy, moldy rotted hay.
There is the possibility the cattle operation is so enormous, that those bales would be fed in a few days, but highly unlikely.