Cutting Hay the Antique Way - Sickle Bar Mowing Long Play - MF 50 Diesel, & 32 Pitman Sickle Mower

[@allanlavallee7171]

I have used a sickle mower all my life and still do at 72. Best combination I ever used was a massey harris mower with a 22 massey harris tractor. Ground speed and revs mated so well. Still have the 22 and am fixing it up for use again.

[@robertrhodes9123]

That's the way we knew how to cut hay back in the 50's & 60's. We had a Ferguson 20 a 6' Dearborn sickle bar. 👍👍🍺🍺

[@kensmith8832]

The first sickle mower I remember us using was a MH that we converted to work with our Oliver tractor. Then we got a Ford sickle mower after the first season of mowing hay. I would mow during the week and Dad would bail on the weekend. It was a steep 20 acres! There were some areas I could only mow with the bar uphill of the tractor. The funny part was the eruption of bugs when you got down to the last cut in the middle!

[@davidwinthrop7077]

Lovely, lovely video. MF 50 and the cutter bar mower a beautiful outfit making a fine job of dropping the crop. Could almost be a promo video from the late 1950s/ early 60s. Beautiful!

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thanks & thanks for watching...👍

[@robbiefarmer9243]

That's a good looking tractor and a dialed-in sickle mower. Impressive job. Brings back some really good memories for me. We had a 50 and a Ford pitman rod mower when I was a bay. I wish I could go back! Thanks.

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thx for watching…👍

[@GeigerFarm]

I love the sickle bar👍🏻. I was out mowing under fences with mine yesterday. The pitman Masseys were rare here 🙁. Thanks!

[@fritzhawes1784]

It looks like you have a really nice rig for mowing! Mowing hay with a sickle bar brings back memories when I put up hay with my grandpa back in the 60’s and 70’s!😊

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thanks!

[@Dan-qy1rg]

Your sickle bar mower MF 32 is doing a great job on the Model 50 MF tractor. Sometimes I wish things were back to the simple way of life in the 60's and 70's. Looking good there, enjoyed watching, have a great day!

[@hattcreekfarm]

That’s ho I mow hay today, I just like the neat & clean cut of a sickle mower, why I use the Ford 501 wooden pitman!!!

[@jvin248]

Clever skid panel under the mower to keep the hay out. Too many years back but my father used an AC WD with AC mounted sickle mower and I don't remember any shield like that but it would have been a good idea. I used to sharpen the knives.

[@kcphillips1000]

Back in the 60s I used a reciprocating finger-bar mower just like this one behind an MF35 (4cyl).The combination of a quiet tractor and mower was in complete contrast to the noise that present day machinery makes. Also any wild life had time to get out of the way as mowing speeds were slower . Farming was definitely better in those days than it is now .

[@davidward8682]

Takes me back to my youth on the farm 1950-1960s. Good times.

[@BigfootBuilders24]

I have a 1961 Massey Ferguson 35 diesel and just picked up a Massey Ferguson 32 sickle mower from a guy down the road. Can’t wait to drop some hay with it!

[@truethought369]

Nice to see someone who knows how to mow, right revs & speed. Lovely, thanks for the video. 👍

[@southtexashay777]

Thanks for bringing us along, That's set-up is working really nice on that hay field . Have a great independence day!!

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thanks!

[@southtexashay777]

@@HumbleHaymakers Have a great 4th!!

[@briankilcourse1737]

My 7 year old son saw our sickle mower and asked if we can cut our own meadows with it. It’s in good condition, just needs sharpening. Hopefully we get the weather and he can see how it usta be done. He’s been inspired by your video and others like it on utube. Thanks for the video and keeping some of the old ways alive

[@bracedh3722]

Mowing hay and sounding like a mad rattle snake. Awesome!

[@farmerpete]

Nice! That's the way it was all done years ago. We used sickle mowers (AC & IH) to clip the pasture back when we were rotational grazing a dairy herd.

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thanks!

[@lazio7495]

Awesome video. I'm getting ready to cut my hay with my Ford 3600 diesel tractor and Ford 501 sickle mower. Can't wait 👍🏾👍🏾👍🏾

[@scrambler69-xk3kv]

Back in the 1960's we had a Farmall H with a sidemount sickle bar mower. When it got really hard to get parts for it, I remember going with my dad to the local Ford dealer and buying a new three point sickle bar mower to use on our 8N ford. He never liked it though. He always complained about having to look back at it. Even though he looked back at the rake and baler.

[@getulioantonior.decampos3695]

I have one Massey 50 made in 1963 in nowdays yet at work.

[@jtx-tube]

If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Nice!

[@mattboswell5392]

I have Massey sicklebar mower. Used it for the first time today. I had replaced about 12 sections. Straighten / adjusted the gaurds, hold Downs. Put new wear plates. Went to mow and it just kept wadding up and missing a bunch. You make it look easy sir.

[@HumbleHaymakers]

You’ll get it. Via your top link, tilt the cutter bar up a bit, make sure the grass is totally dry, run 540 PTO rpm’s, go fast enough the hay will fall off the bar quickly, but not so fast it will clog or cause the breakaway to open. The MF manual is pretty good at instruction, you can download or order a copy online from Agco.

[@hayfarmer98]

Great video HH! I use the MF 31 and 32 sickles. Great pieces of equipment!

[@Fredo321]

Beautiful!

[@dehavenfamilyfarm]

I have a sickle bar for my H I would like to play with some. Nice video!

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Thanks!

[@hattcreekfarm]

What do you use for the driveline shield? I use ta use a burlap sack but ya can’t find them for under $40 now cause folks using them for decorations!! Their not fool proof but keep your driveline from getting wrapped up with hay!!!

[@HumbleHaymakers]

Use a truck mud flap.

[@hattcreekfarm]

Hey you are a hotshot engineer aren’t you? Lol

[@double-h-farms]

Believe it or not but cutting hay with a sickle bar leaves nearly 70% more nutrients in the hay than a haybine or discbine because it doesn't crack the stems or leaves allowing the nutrients to seep out or dry up and the nutrients also keep making there way into the leaves as it's drying..

[@EoineyMTX125]

What about turning the hay will that not break the stems anyway?

[@vernonearl]

I can see you've been having trouble with the grass catching under the mower. Try shortening the top link. That might help.