[AT] Small square hay bales?

[Spencer Yost]

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR  ***********

On 4/8/2004 at 9:55 AM Robinson wrote:

>When I bale hay I tend to make fairly large "very" 
>tight bales. I haven't ever weighed any of them but suspect 
>most run around 70 to 80 pounds or more out of the baler. 
>Maybe I'll go weigh one this evening after I get done 
>planting some hay.
>     I was just curious what size small bales any of you 
>that bale are making? What length do you shoot for? And how 
>much do they weigh.

For length, cross stacking is what I care about.  36" is the  width of two bales but in practice two bales side by side are about 37-38".  Since tension and packing changes length once they are out of the chute, exact length is tough.  I set the baler up to create bales that measure 32" in the chute.  That way I seem to get 36-39" bales depending on temp, and other factors.  I swear even air humidity will change how hay packs.

Like you, hay bales seem to be getting heavier as I get older.   I guess the grass is better quality these days and just heavier (-;  However, denser is better received by most customers but consistency is tough in this regard unless you get off the tractor 20 times a day to compensate for these changes in temp, humidity, windrow size, etc.  Many of my customers are horse women and most of them, not all, prefer bales to be a bit looser and lighter so they can handle them easier.  So I just stick with one setting and let the heavier bales go to those that want them and the lighter bales to those who want them.

>and texture difference. I used the grain drill to seed the 
>oats but my drill was purchased for drilling soybeans and it 
>does not have a grass seeder on it. I have a fertilizer/lime 

My Massey Harris Drill, turned all the way down in rate and hopper size, drilled grass seed perfectly - About 45 -50 pounds an acre in one seeding.   You might have been able to drill it.  Also, separation isn't a factor if you don't overfill.   I just bought a pasture maker mix (orchard, bluegrass, timothy) added clover and additional orchardgrass to it, mixed it, but then only filled the hoppers about two thirds full.   About the time it looked like it might have started to separate the hopper was empty.   In addition, the round clover seed was the only seed that acted like it would try to separate a bit.

Hope this helps,

Spencer