Steamed Bermuda + Steamer Explained

[@drbrickner]

My first experience baling was almost 70 years back. I was responsible for catching and tying the wires on a Case Hand tie wire baler. To say it was a dirty job is an understatement. Each stroke of the plunger left you covered in chafe and dust. I sat behind the pickup next to the bale case. My Dad was on the other side of the bale case where he set the needles in a tray and threaded both ends of the tie wires. We didn’t even think about adding steam. It never occurred to us. But a drink of water was sure welcome every half hour or so. BTW, we wore leather gloves for handling the wires. We could get almost 500 bales out of a pair.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Dave Brickner that is incredible!! It would have been great to see that, however, I’m happy to be baling the way we do now. The steam will be a game changer for us for sure!! We are excited!

[@Summitclym]

I left the farm just as harrowbed’s came out. Thought we were in haying heaven. Just now getting back to it and I feel like Captain Kirk on my tractor. 😂

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Rick Nielson Lol

[@drbrickner]

Trevor - I set you a message. Couldn’t find your email address so I sent it to your store hope you got it, Dave

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Dave Brickner I didn’t see it. My email is [e-mail]

[@Summitclym]

Had a brush fire burn my buddy’s tractor, steamer and baler to nothing this summer $800k burned up along with most of his first crop alfalfa. Staheli’s have been good to help him with a loaner so he could put up second and third crops. They are Good people!

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

That’s terrible!!! They are such good guys!! I’m so excited to be doing business with them. Great dudes!!

[@tylerdunning7363]

Glad to see channels like this on youtube of farmers and or hired hands making content explaining what they are doing why they do it this way apposed to other methods or even down to why and how they spray herbicides and pesticides alot of people in urban areas just believe what ever they see on tv from some celebrity thats never set foot on a farm or simply don't live near farms to see where their food comes from

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Tyler dunning I agree!!! And, every farm is different!! The way we farm is so different from the way other guys farm across the country!!

[@tylerdunning7363]

@@BalesHayFarmandRanch even in the same valley you will run across farms and ranches that grow the same items but may do things differently than each other and it can be from simply cost or they are marketing to simply different markets that cant or wont except certain things done if that makes any since lol but still nice to see/hear from people who are doing it for a living

[@vernt4583]

Thanks for your in depth look at the steamer!! Will be interesting to see how cost effectiveness it is. Enjoying the videos!

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Vern T thank you for watching!!!

[@jasonbenton5884]

We bought a Steamer in 2016. Best investment we have made for our farm. Made baling hay in South Central Colorado so much easier and enjoyable. You can't go wrong with one in your operation.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Good!! They are game changers for sure!!

[@jessaryenterprises]

Nice informational video Trevor. Good job!

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

J Essary Farms thank you!

[@mathiggins4264]

That cool I have never seen a steamer on a baler

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Mat Higgins it’s going to be handy!!

[@delbutler885]

Everyone in our area that's running steam has cut down on the amount of balers that they are running. They are getting 2x more baling time per setup.

[@calebthacker9654]

Like the 🇺🇸on the baler nice setup also neat haven’t seen anything on the east coast like that interesting idea 👍

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

You probably won’t lol. It’s for places with very very low moisture.

[@calebthacker9654]

Bales Hay Farm and Ranch yea that’s what I figured pretty cool...have a good one Trump 2020 🇺🇸

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Caleb Thacker trump 2020 and maybe a different trump 2024??

[@ArizonaKid]

Got the hat and shirt !! The shirt fits awesome. Will be buying more , and I did shout out about your channel on last video of mine . I don’t have lots of subs , but I couldn’t help talking about your channel . It’s awesome . Hope you don’t mind the shout out . Keep videos coming

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Arizona Kid thss as t’s awesome!! And thank you!!!

[@jtn-minn8105]

Really neat set up...You need steam to wet the hay...We buy acid by the tote to preserve the hay.lol Dark 30 (30 min after sunset) were heading home heavy dew jumps the moister 12 to 25 in a few rounds.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

JTN FisherMan it’s crazy how different places farm, when farming the same thing.

[@billbooth4147]

Nice ,I’ve been trying get hay dry enough to bale,we are definitely moist

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Bill Booth isn’t it funny, how different the climates make farming.

[@massmanfarms9927]

You put steam on like we in the midwest put preservative on. Different worlds.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Sooo different.

[@RandyKildow]

Trevor..Nice flick...keep it up...

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Randy Kildow thank you! Trying to get better!

[@deerezilla7013]

The 3 tie steamer must be cheaper than the 3x4x8 steamer I was quoted over 250k just for the steamer. With the big bale steamer you have to wait 24 hr before you Can stack it. Is the 3 tie that way Also?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Deere Zilla yes, it’s a lot cheaper. The $300k is new tractor + new baler + all add ons + steamer. No, not 24hours. Maybe 5 tops.

[@jeeprose4712]

That machine is broken anyway, have them bring it back when the condenser is added. How else are you going to make moonshine?

[@wingnutwelding]

what is the heat source that creates the steam?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Diesel fueled boiler pot.

[@wingnutwelding]

Bales Hay Farm and Ranch vary interesting! Where I’m at In Minnesota we don’t see 3 string balers, people baling at night and definitely not seamers. So it’s all vary interesting! Thanks for Sharing.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

wingnutwelding good!! I’m glad you enjoyed it! I was just talking with my wife. Everyone farms differently across the country! It’s fun to see all the different ways.

[@perforator1609]

Hey Trevor, I grew up on a farm here in western Canada during my teenage years in the 80's, and double stacked enough square bales(from the field to the barn) by hand to last my desire to ever do it as a full time job haha. I have never heard the "flaking". What are you referring to?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Perforator that sounds TERRIBLE!!! The flake is from the plunger. Every time is rolls forward and the chamber fills with hay, the plunger then rolls back to pack the bale being created. The flake is the hay from one plunger motion. The speed of the tractor compared to the size of the windrow, determine the size and number of flakes to a bale. With good moisture, the hay will be nice and solid.

[@perforator1609]

Ah ok now I know what your talking about. I don't ever remember using that term, but its been a few years so I most likely forgot.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Perforator I guess a guy could call them strikes? But we call them flakes 🤷🏻‍♂️

[@michaellliteras146]

How does it heat the water to make the steam?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

A big diesel powered boiler.

[@robertfranssen]

Come on 10 k subs

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Whoop whoop! Lol thank you!!

[@johnhlubik297]

We’re more worried about getting it dry enough without adding moisture that’s neat setup how accurate is that moisture sensor looks a lot more complex then the systems that have the buttons that bolt inside the bale chamber thanks for the video

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

That’s what makes this so interesting to most of the country. “Adding moisture??” Lol. Yes, it’s a wild complex set up.

[@GerraldFarms]

That’s a nice setup. We bale coastal bermuda here in South Carolina. I’ve seen one of those inline Massey balers with 1.8 million bales thru it. Have a good one

[@perryschultz2468]

Good video. Like how you explained how it all works together. Very nice setup! Nice looking hay!

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Thank you! I’ll try to keep them getting better.

[@redeemedfarmer2670]

If you did just fine without steam in the past, then what has changed that you now need steam? Are the improvements worth the money? Just wondering.....

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

It is difficult to plan ahead. We never know how many tons we will have of any given quality. Some years there is a lot of dry low quality hay. Other years, we have a lot of good quality hay. We’re hoping this helps create more, better quality hay.

[@lancelee5601]

Do you sell you hay close to Flagstaff or Winslow here up north ??

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Not that direction.

[@mrmikeyd2]

Great video.....kind of went into black out half way through it with my drinking game every time you said "Bales"......got a hangover as I type this!😣🤢

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Do I apologize or say you’re welcome?? Lol.

[@RightfullyTactical]

Do you guys already own one and were trial running this one? I thought I saw one a few weeks ago.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

RightfullyTactical this video is from the same trial, we just didn’t want to bore you guys with too many steamer videos in a row. We have never owned one.

[@RightfullyTactical]

@@BalesHayFarmandRanch Do you think it would be worthwhile to purchase one for leaf retention and overall bale quality for customers?

[@Summitclym]

RightfullyTactical My buddy bought one couple years ago and his big square bales of alfalfa went on average 50-70 lbs heavier and probe tested a very consistent 16% moisture. They are pricey but at that rate pays for itself in 5 seasons.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Yes, two ways for us. 1st the cosmetic side of things. Seeing the leaf! 2nd getting more weight per acre. Aka more leaf.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Some AZ guys are getting 100 lbs per big bale gains.

[@farmboy5622]

Hi Trevor,.....couple of questions,.....does the steamer use regular tap water, or does it have to use deionized/demineralized water, OR is the water treated with something, to keep the spray nozzles and piping from building up deposits of calcium, lime, and rust. Last question (I think), do you have to worry about Ash content in your hay? Some people think that wheeled rakes kick up too much dirt, and that gets into the hay, and raises the Ash content.

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Farm Boy bingo!!! It depends on the water. There are places in the county that have very clean water and they only use a chemical the helps with rust. Our farm has extremely extremely salty water. It will definitely go through a RO system. Ask lots of questions!! We do not have a problem with ash. The driver needs to pay attention though. You can let the wheels get too low and dig dirt. That is bad. Just need to keep an eye on things. Which is another conversation lol.

[@farmboy5622]

@@BalesHayFarmandRanch Thanks for replying. I also noticed that you use Massey Ferguson mowers/swathers and balers. I read an article that said Massey Ferguson haying equipment helped to score high (as in good), in various testing of bales of hay. They contributed to having a low Ash content, and solid bales, among other things, like crimping, leaf retention, nice flakes. Is this why you use Massey Ferguson haying equipment?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Farm Boy we use the swather for the double conditioners, and the uniform swath path that it leaves. Plus is cuts smooth and runs fast. We’ve tried others and this is our favorite. We ran the freeman balers years ago, the in-line Massy bale looks different, however it’s a less expensive baler that’s easy to work one with an in-line system. There is one less step in getting the hay into the chamber. That helps keep leaf.

[@jasonkotara2135]

That's why you should never demo something your not going to buy! It definitely works for your operation and now your sending it off! What gives?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Jason Kotara Lol. We may or may not have two ordered. 😉😉

[@jasonkotara2135]

@@BalesHayFarmandRanch that would have been my next dumb comment. What is one going to do? Lol

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Jason Kotara right? Hahaha. Right. Just 1 isn’t enough.

[@strongrivercattle2643]

What variety of Bermuda do you grow?

[@BalesHayFarmandRanch]

Strong River Cattle good question. I don’t know. It’s giant and common. But what variety, I don’t know.

[@strongrivercattle2643]

@@BalesHayFarmandRanch lol