The Official Farming Thread...

[huskihl]

I miscounted. Had 51.

I’d blame the greasy finger

 

[Mastermind]

I’d blame the greasy finger

Good thinking.

 

[SpaceBus]

Seeing all these high bale yield from relatively small lots makes me want to get a baler! In a few years I might have some nice pasture established.

 

[Mastermind]

Seeing all these high bale yield from relatively small lots makes me want to get a baler! In a few years I might have some nice pasture established.

I started out with a small tractor, and a sickle bar mower. Then I wanted a disc mower...and a bigger baler. So I needed more horsepower....

 

[Only the Tony]

Bearing gave up the ghost on the starter roller yesterday. So after work headed to dads and finished tearing it down. Easy fix if he can find where the chain is this morning, otherwise he will pick up a new one when he gets bearings. Part of it, things break in hay season.

 

[Steve]

Bearing gave up the ghost on the starter roller yesterday. So after work headed to dads and finished tearing it down. Easy fix if he can find where the chain is this morning, otherwise he will pick up a new one when he gets bearings. Part of it, things break in hay season.

Had to put starter roller bearings in our baler this winter. Grandpa was a never fix it right when I can fix it cheap kind of guy. Well, he got us again! The tapered key fell out so instead of running to the dealer and picking one up he welded the sprocket to shaft.


No matter what we did it would not slide off. Wound up having to cut off a $550 gear.

 

[Hedgerow]

Bearing gave up the ghost on the starter roller yesterday. So after work headed to dads and finished tearing it down. Easy fix if he can find where the chain is this morning, otherwise he will pick up a new one when he gets bearings. Part of it, things break in hay season.

The guys that put up 2000 plus bales a year have gone to keeping count on the balers year to year, and when they get close to 12,000 bales, they trade em in and get a new one.
This year, in all its weirdness, 2 neighbors went in and bought a third baler identical to theirs, as a spare...
Parts shortage, and they both nearing 15,000 on their machines.
Strange times.... I called S&H about a new 50hp utility tractor for the kids, and got told they had none... might be a couple months before they get some in, and several are already spoken for..

 

[SpaceBus]

I started out with a small tractor, and a sickle bar mower. Then I wanted a disc mower...and a bigger baler. So I needed more horsepower....

View attachment 298610

We only have 5-10 acres of land that could ever be used to make hay/pasture, so unless I buy some land just to grow hay on it I *should* be fine with my 45hp tractor. At some point I'd like to find someone that can upload the 60 HP tune, but that's not something I *need*.

 

[Mastermind]

We only have 5-10 acres of land that could ever be used to make hay/pasture, so unless I buy some land just to grow hay on it I *should* be fine with my 45hp tractor. At some point I'd like to find someone that can upload the 60 HP tune, but that's not something I *need*.

I have a New Idea baler that makes a soft core, low density bale. A 45 - 50 hp tractor runs it fine. I used a New Holland square baler behind a 50 hp tractor and that was ok. It's that disc mower that takes a lot of power. But.....using a sickle bar mower sucks.

 

[Steve]

We only have 5-10 acres of land that could ever be used to make hay/pasture, so unless I buy some land just to grow hay on it I *should* be fine with my 45hp tractor. At some point I'd like to find someone that can upload the 60 HP tune, but that's not something I *need*.

Problem is that compact tractors do not have the good old low end torque because of their small displacement turbo engines. Also keep in mind tractors are rated differently now. Your 45 hp tractor is 45 brake hp. Not PTO HP. The tractor I use for hay making is a 45 HP tractor but is rated at the PTO. If I get in some real heavy grass with the haybine you can hear it work. Same with a full bale chamber going up a good grade. Your tractor may be anemic to pull a 3000lb implement as well as drive it too.

 

[Mastermind]

Problem is that compact tractors do not have the good old low end torque because of their small displacement turbo engines. Also keep in mind tractors are rated differently now. Your 45 hp tractor is 45 brake hp. Not PTO HP. The tractor I use for hay making is a 45 HP tractor but is rated at the PTO. If I get in some real heavy grass with the haybine you can hear it work. Same with a full bale chamber going up a good grade. Your tractor may be anemic to pull a 3000lb implement as well as drive it too.

Good point Steve. My little tractor is a John Deere 1120. 51hp at the pto.

 

[dall]

Good point Steve. My little tractor is a John Deere 1120. 51hp at the pto.

also need to remember about weight of the tractor when pulling something and ability to hold it back going down hill

 

[Steve]

Good point Steve. My little tractor is a John Deere 1120. 51hp at the pto.

Yup, my new compact is a 40hp tractor but rated at 32hp at the PTO.

 

[Steve]

also need to remember about weight of the tractor when pulling something and ability to hold it back going down hill

Also another good point often overlooked. My 45hp PTO tractor is just under 6k so I'm good there for my equipment. My 40 brake hp tractor is 2700 with a loader and 4x4!

 

[SpaceBus]

My tractor weighs 3500 lbs without equipment/attachments and Kioti used to rate the PTO HP but now doesn't list it, I think it was 35-38 PTO HP. If I could find someone to tune the tractor it would be significantly higher. There are some Chinese made small balers available on the web, but they sell new for the price of a decent used baler, but like you guys said, the use baler might be too much for my tractor. I'm just dreaming right now anyway, the only open flat ground is swampy and the rest is covered in trees. I am thinking about getting a few truck loads of soil brought in this fall and trying to dry out the swampy area.

For whatever it is worth my tractor powers the Shaver SC-50 34" stump grinder just fine. There are times I wish for a bit more power to take bigger "bites" but it does pretty well.

 

[dall]

Also another good point often overlooked. My 45hp PTO tractor is just under 6k so I'm good there for my equipment. My 40 brake hp tractor is 2700 with a loader and 4x4!

I didn’t want a compact being that I have the little Massey
I think it’s about 11000 pounds with loader and 7 foot brush hog
Has wheel weights inside and out the rear centers that are solid and rear tires are filled

 

[Steve]

View attachment 298635
I didn’t want a compact being that I have the little Massey
I think it’s about 11000 pounds with loader and 7 foot brush hog
Has wheel weights inside and out the rear centers that are solid and rear tires are filled

Nice rig! Does that quick hitch require bushings?

 

[dall]

Nice rig! Does that quick hitch require bushings?

it’s a category 2 hitch but yes it is supposed to
But on the brush hog and box blade fits good without them

 

[Steve]

it’s a category 2 hitch but yes it is supposed to
But on the brush hog and box blade fits good without them

I bought one of those speeco cat 1 hitches that doesn't require bushings. It is the single best invention in agriculture ever! With the exception of the tractor.

 

[dall]

I bought one of those speeco cat 1 hitches that doesn't require bushings. It is the single best invention in agriculture ever! With the exception of the tractor.

mine is a kodiak by paladin