(Archive) Baling Hay 2017

A blast from the past! Hit/miss footage from our 2017 haying season, which was a monumental year in a few ways.
Covering about 20 acres, and making 2875 bales, 2017 was my first year with the bale thrower upgrade (a NH 70 thrower, mounted on the trusty Massey Ferguson 124 baler), which was a game changer for how many bales we could put up in a day.
However, 2017 also saw more breakdowns than any other season to date, including PTO clutch pack issues on the MF 165 that resulted in being without our (then) main tractor for six weeks during prime haying season. Later that year was also when I upgraded our tedder and rake, as each respectively started having bearing and belt (tedder) issues.
Despite all of the challenges, 2017 ultimately saw some important equipment upgrades that spring-boarded my haying business into a larger scale in 2018 and beyond.
~~~
(We are a 53-acre haying operation in Conway, MA - making all small square bales for the local food, fiber, and livestock community. Learn more about our farm at windrowfarmconway.com, or follow us on instagram @windrow.farm)
Equipment List (2017):
Massey Ferguson 165 Tractor
Massey Ferguson 135 Tractor
John Deere 1140 Tractor (Borrowed)
New Holland HM234 disc mower
Grimm Tedder
(Vicon RS410T Tedder)
Massey Ferguson 20 hay rake
(New Holland 256 hay rake)
Massey Ferguson 124 baler (with New Holland 70 bale thrower)
Two kicker wagons

[@rickkearn7100]

Awesome episode, WF! Love that old Massey with the double feed forks. Spent many a summer day/evening haying with my grandfather or for his neighbor across the street at the other farm when he was haying. Had to hand stack the bales from the New Holland, it didn't throw. Nothing finer than taking a cool bath after supper and crawling into bed with a fan in the window (cool night air pulled in, "farmer's air conditioning" as they used to say). Then the next morning, as soon as the dew was all gone, we'd start all over again. At least we had a bale lift for the lofts in the barn! Love your channel. I'm a subscriber and have commented before. Good stuff. Cheers!

[@windrowfarm]

Thanks so much! I have good memories growing up doing the same also, glad it resonates!

[@farmingforfunandprofit940]

Video popped up so I took a look see......... My Son and myself Re- activated the small family farm in 2010.... He planted Cotton and migrated in the years that followed with Peanuts.... After many years of mediocre far, We were coersed into taking over a large acreage of established hybrid Tifton 44 Bermuda grass, after a few years of only 4x5 round bale sales, We were fortunate to buy a complete Re-baling operation to supply small squares to TSC stores in our area.... Last year(2023) those sales alone were slightly under 50,000 bales.....

[@windrowfarm]

Thanks! And wow, that sounds great!