Mystang's Homesteading Circus

[farmerjan]

That's great that you got the baler set a bit better to have the bales tight. We have to fine tune ours every year. One thing, it may seem counter intuitive, but you should unwind the tighteners for the winter. Uncrank them as it saves on the springs. Just count how many times you unwind them and then next year start out with them wound up that many times. Then it is easier to get them fine tuned to where you want. I am sure that their being wet is why they are so heavy. That is one of the ways we can easily toss aside any sq bales that we are loading to sell. The weight is a dead giveaway that there is/are wet or moldy spots in them.
Congrats on getting this all working for you. I still feel bad about advising the wheel rake when I didn't realize that it was the type it was. You will also find that it will pick up better with first cutting as the stalks of hay are longer and will "roll/turn" over in a more consistent manner.

Have you had any cold weather yet? Read where a farmer in Minn has had their first frost on another cattle forum. We have cooler off here a bit, beautiful weather for the last 2 days. We have about 25-30 acres of 2nd cutting on the ground and my son may cut another 10 acres or so this evening. We only have a 20% chance of some showers on Sun-Mon then sun until probably Thurs when we might see some after effects from Dorian. NOT READY for any winter type weather.

 

[mystang89]

That's great that you got the baler set a bit better to have the bales tight. We have to fine tune ours every year. One thing, it may seem counter intuitive, but you should unwind the tighteners for the winter.

That's a great idea! I was thinking because of how tight those springs were and wondering how long they would last being as tight as they are. I think I'll take a piece of tape and mark when they are set currently do when I need to set it next year it will be much closer to the spot.

Have you had any cold weather yet?

No cold weather yet. It gets down into the 60s but you into the 80's and 90's during the day. You can tell that cooler fall weather is right around the corner.

Hope the rain stays away and let's you get the hay done! Either that or I hope you have A REALLY big garden.

 

[Bruce]

@mystang89, I want to say thank you for all of your hard work and dedication that you put in day to day. I know that things have been harder than usual lately on the farm but your strength and encouragement is why the rest of us will "keep on keeping on". I love you!

Thanks hun. I love you much! I'll make some chicken just for you when you get home.

Are you two in the same room when you post?

I think I'll take a piece of tape and mark when they are set currently do when I need to set it next year it will be much closer to the spot.

I was going to quote part of Jan's post and suggest that. I KNOW I would unwind X times, telling myself I will remember next year and nope, I wouldn't have an idea 9 months from now.

 

[farmerjan]

Anyway that you can remember approx where the "right spot" is will work. We have a system here for it so it always is the same year after year. And you can always write it on a a piece of the baler twine paper, and then next year look at it and say..."what are those numbers for?????"

I got about 20 acres raked today. It is pretty light, and put 3 windrows together. The advantages of the big wide V wheel rake that adjusts with the hydraulics. Took about 4 hours or so. Everything that is down is raked. My son was going to mow some more this evening, but after getting the tractor moved there, had to do a couple other things, so is saying he might start mowing early tomorrow. This is a place we do on shares. I'd like to get it done and out of the way for the year. He has a friend coming to work tomorrow, he likes to do some side work. So things that they will be doing will be stuff that needs both. One is the sq baling, as this guy can ride the wagon and stack hay as it is being baled.

No I don't want a garden to put the wet hay bales on so I will be very glad if we don't get any precip any time soon. I actually go around early in the spring and clean up where we have stored the round bales. There's often some that comes off the bottom of a bale and such. And there are about 10 really old falling apart round bales in the woods area of 2 places that would be great mulch if I can figure out where I am going to be next year. And if we can get them picked up without falling totally apart.
I think of @Baymule every time I see some falling apart old bale on the one farm we rent. Some of them have been there since time began and are all but disintegrated... Hey, that's an idea @Baymule , know anyone who stores round bales in the area?.... ask to clean up the area after they have fed out the rolls of hay. Take a pitchfork, and chunks can go on the trailer or in the back of the truck. I usually collect a couple small p up beds full for the garden if I don't get him to deliver me an old one to use. Didn't do a garden this year.... got alot of stuff from some other's gardens given to me so had fresh stuff to eat. Got my tomato sandwich fix this summer that was important!!!!!

 

[Baymule]

I think of @Baymule every time I see some falling apart old bale on the one farm we rent. Some of them have been there since time began and are all but disintegrated... Hey, that's an idea @Baymule , know anyone who stores round bales in the area?.... ask to clean up the area after they have fed out the rolls of hay. Take a pitchfork, and chunks can go on the trailer or in the back of the truck. I usually collect a couple small p up beds full for the garden if I don't get him to deliver me an old one to use. Didn't do a garden this year.... got alot of stuff from some other's gardens given to me so had fresh stuff to eat. Got my tomato sandwich fix this summer that was important!!!!!

Good idea! I take the dead hay from around my round bales and spread it on my so called pastures. It has helped, just not enough of it. I like your idea of clean up of where they are stored. I can do that! I am currently tossing dead hay in the sheep lot and barn. They poop and pee on it, I toss in more. We'll dig it all out and spread it as far as it will go on the ground we just had forestry mulched.

 

[mystang89]

Does anyone know if there is a way to make the baler but the twine shorter or if the twine is pre cut?

 

[farmerjan]

Precut twine that is knotted together, won't go through the guides and feed into the knotters . I have tried for years to try to figure out a way to "reuse" the twine. The flow from the bales of twine needs it to be a very smooth passage and it will even get screwed up if there is a clump in the twine from the factory. I make lead ropes and such from my twine from the square bales we use. Keep several handfuls in every vehicle so that if I need something quick to tie things together, I have it. Braid it to make stronger lead ropes. Trying to find some way to make it into a "throwaway" mat to wipe feet on at the door. Some sort of weaving, knotting, braiding combination.
Balers are preset so to speak, so that certain models make bales that are certain sizes. You can tighten them down to make them more dense and heavy, but no way to shorten the bale. I don't know of anyone who has "altered" the size of the bale, just the density/heaviness of the hay in it.

 

[mystang89]

Perfect, that's exactly what I needed to know. Thank you. With that knowledge I know my limitations from that baler and what to expect from it.

The reason for my asking was because after picking up some of those bales today they seemed really packed and extremely heavy yet when I carried then by the twine it would "stretch" a bit making the twine loser. Now, I think the weight is very well be accounted for in the water that was already in the hay when it was baled and the down pour we received yesterday. Perhaps that's also why it seemed to stretch as I know water expands what it is absorbed by.

Either way, next season I'll be able to verify if that is the reason or not! Never been so excited for spring to come and it's not even fall yet.

 

[Bruce]

Trying to find some way to make it into a "throwaway" mat to wipe feet on at the door. Some sort of weaving, knotting, braiding combination.

Oh that would be slick! "Free" door mats.

 

[mystang89]

Update... School started the end of last month. School, school school school and more about.
In the midst of school both mowers broke down on the same day, the refrigerator door feel off, the dishwasher and the vacuum continues to degenerate, and I'm still fighting with the insurance company.

Life continues, school continues.... In fact, paper was just turned in. Time to grade. This will be my life for the next 6 months so not much is going to be updated lol.