Hay making on our smallholding homestead in the UK summer

[@jewelcitizen2567]

Really great upload, rockin a tractor, drone and a roll-up simultaneously, now that’s what I call multi-tasking… *Subscribed…*

[@truethought369]

Lovely to see the hay being made, one thing I did notice, was you where going to fast for your baler to keep up. If you dropped down one gear, and raze the engine revs by say 200 RPM, your baler wont have a build up in front of it as you go. I don't know about Kubota tractors, I always used MF Tractors when I was young like yourself. If you have two rolls of string being fed at the same time, then you need to adjust one of the string/bail twine, tensioners so that your bails come out evenly. This contributes to keeping the bails nice strait, unlike your banana shaped ones. No, only having a laugh with you! One other tip, always give your flail mower blades the once over with an angle-grinder, before mowing. Hope this is helpful to you, and keep up the good life work.

[@fredbaker3822]

Hi there, Fantastic video mate, just a quick question where do you buy all the used hay equipment from? thanks

[@davidsmith663]

I used to use a Vicon Acrobat to do the first turn day after mowing, then using the haybob the day after that. Gives a far better "fluff" when you use the haybob. They are as cheap as chips and do a great job.

[@mycountrylife810]

Thanks David. I will have a look out for one of those. They sound like they do a good job.

[@simontaylor1276]

@@mycountrylife810 I agree with David, we use an acrobat after baling with a new holland 276, bring the whole of the field into one row and you can get ten extra bales per acre

[@ElCorozo]

Loving all your videos mate!!

[@mycountrylife810]

Thank you that's very kind of you. A

[@captainclarke]

Looks like some nice hay, well done! One good saying somebody told me for remembering the Haybob settings is "Down and out for tedding out, up and in for rowing in". Down and up referring to the wheel setting, out and in referring to the tines and the gates. You can also set the gates up so you row up to the left side of the machine, so you can go up one way, down on the other so it throws the rows next to each other, then you can just about row two rows into one if the crop is really light to help the baler - I ended up doing that this year! I also used to have a similar McCormick baler, that was also a pain - They don't like the modern thin poly twine much, make sure the knives are good and sharp. You can get a '10000 Hay Twine' from the likes of Tama etc, which is a little thicker than the usual 12000 stuff which seems to run nicer in the older small balers, better still the proper sisal twine they were designed for if you can get hold of it.

[@mycountrylife810]

Thank you. Some great tips there. I will try to look out for some sisal twine - I've heard also, that may be better. My haybob also needs some attention now too - I have some bent or broken tines (from getting too close to gates and fence posts!!). I like your rhyme for remembering which position the tines and wheels need to be in.

[@jondaniel540]

I really enjoyed your presentation. I am about to buy a few acres of land in Lincolnshire and would love to make hay. I want to do it purely for the love of farming. I do however want to ask you if there is a market for selling hay on a small scale as I don’t plan to have livestock of my own. Any suggestions? Thanks

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. I know several smallholders near us that also make hay like we do. They seem to have regular customers who buy hay for their sheep or horses. Horse people tend to be a bit more fussy over the type of hay but other livestock owners just want meadow hay to get their animals through winter. You could also sell small bags to pet owners too. I know this goes for quite a bit in pet stores.

[@thisorthat7626]

Grace Daniel, May I ask why you don't want livestock? I think if you add up all the equipment that is needed to make hay, you might be better off leasing your land to a farmer to run livestock on it. Or you can hire someone to harvest your hay and pay them in hay. Good luck with whatever you decide to do. More people caring for the land is a good thing. Blessings.

[@jondaniel540]

@@thisorthat7626 Thanx for your message. I’m thinking of raising livestock. I realise that animals really tie you to your land but then again, isn’t that why people farm in the 1st place. One of my concerns especially with bigger animals are vet bills.

[@jondaniel540]

@@mycountrylife810 Thank you for your reply. I enjoy all your videos. A quick question regarding your sheep. What do you have planned for them? Are you selling their wool? Are they being reared for resale?

[@thisorthat7626]

@@jondaniel540 Vet bills, ah yes. They aren't mentioned often in videos which is a shame. Whatever you end up doing with your land, I hope that you enjoy the work and the reward. Stay healthy.

[@alfier5207]

Watching this now, if I will say you need to drive slower, and have the revs higher. I bale with a case 5150 so the revs are not an issue lol. Also, like some people say you will need to strike out first then drive on cut rows. Good video though.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. Thank you for your comments. I agree with you. I also need to make my rows higher and thicker too. Hopefully this year will be better.

[@alfier5207]

@@mycountrylife810 thanks and yep you'll do alright with some more rpm

[@fredbaker3822]

@@mycountrylife810 when the next vid i love your channel you are a very knowledgeable contrymen!

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

We find hay making fascinating

[@mycountrylife810]

Hehe. Fascinating is not the word I use when the baler goes wrong. But normally I would agree with you😃😃

[@ThatBritishHomestead]

@@mycountrylife810 ahh no that sounds frustrating

[@stevefroslie7845]

Seems to me that with all that tedding, you are knocking off all the nutritious leaves?? Plus the stems got beat up so much the baler teeth had nothing to latch onto. Good Luck.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi Steve. It does look like quite a violent process but we have finally learnt that the real secret to good baling in the height of the windrows. This particular baler needs to grab lots of hay in order to work properly and hopefully in a video coming shortly this will demonstrate this. Oddly enough most of the nutrition is in the stems rather than the leaves. More sophisticated balers actually crimp these stems on purpose to help dry the stems out faster but that is way above our budget. The sheep don’t seem to be too fussy when winter comes around, although they go mad for nuts…

[@ujkhan1]

How much it cost to buy a small holding like you?

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi Usman. That is a very difficult question to answer as you will find that houses with land in the south of England would run into millions, but in the midlands, north and smallholdings in Wales are much cheaper from £200k upwards for a few acres. I can't really give you an accurate answer I so sorry.

[@Nellyontheland]

Hullo. Newly subbed, can I ask what you use the bales for? Cheers

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. We use the bales for our sheep in winter. Even though the fields are still green, the summer hay is far more nutritious at this time of year.

[@Nellyontheland]

@@mycountrylife810 thank you, but I was wondering for how MANY animals too. I'm looking to understand requirements.

[@hamishkay3010]

Just subscribed 😊😊😊

[@parmjeetsingh7469]

I need to get a agriculture job

[@Don_key89]

dont continually run on the grass when your mowing it.... only once round the outside headland and once when you split the field your just trampling grass into the floor which doesnt mow cleanly and you end up with green live strands in your hay increasing the risk of fire from heating.

[@mycountrylife810]

You're absolutely right. I am very bad at that I must confess.

[@hubertjohnsen2795]

Nah i reckon 8-10 headlands is good then you have plenty space to turn

[@Mayydayy]

That’s such a sweet little tractor! What kind is it? I don’t think I’ve seen too many like that.

[@mycountrylife810]

Hi there. Its a little Kubota tractor L series. I think they originated in Japan in the 1960s, but are sold now all over the world. Lovely little tractor and ideal for our small holding.

[@Mayydayy]

My Country Life Thank you for replying I’ve been looking for a smaller model as I’ve downsized my land and one of these seems perfect so I’ll definitely be checking that out! Thanks again :)

[@vkeshelya]

Hi what is the horse power on this tractor please

[@fredbaker3822]

@@vkeshelya 35

[@ujkhan1]

Lol 3 points driving and flying together

[@mycountrylife810]

Its really hard to make hay and fly a drone at the same time. I think I nearly crashed the drone into tree on more than one occasion!!

[@ujkhan1]

Hahaha

[@DarrenMalin]

well that would take a lot longer with my flymo :)

[@mycountrylife810]

Haha. I think it would be an all round year job...

[@ruedaricardo]

Get a straw hat as soon as you can. And some sunscreen.

[@gman007ize]

Hello, I you ever need any help with your hay making. feel free to get in contact with my business Maton Paddock Care, I travel all over the place! Thanks.

[@mycountrylife810]

Thank you George. I will make a note.

[@gman007ize]

@@mycountrylife810 No problem, Or Hedgecutting etc, have a look on my business page on fb if you have 5, I like your videos btw they are interesting

[@parmjeetsingh7469]

Dear sir

[@parmjeetsingh7469]

Hlo

[@heartscards6335]

that music sure does suck

[@dm55]

Nice comment. You must be very happy with yourself.

[@oldmanonamission8055]

You should never connect anything to a PTO when the tractor is running.

[@mycountrylife810]

Good tip. Thank you.

[@oldmanonamission8055]

@@mycountrylife810 I have seen the damage to a person when the PTO kicked in and took a man like a rag doll. Love the video's, but you can't make them from a hospital bed or the grave. Always think on a farm as they are dangerous places very few people around when you get in trouble. 👍