What sort of idiot still does small square bales?

[lino6]

Our hay season finished today with the last of the 317 small square bales carted in with the tandem and DMax (is there anything these machines can't do  ). Me and Nay-DMax got them all in today with the exception of the 2 loads we did yesterday, not a bad effort for a unfit bloke an a short girl  . These will keep us going about 3 years I reckon so all up a good result.

But.......... How much easier would it have been if they were rolls! No carting that by hand 

Perhaps as it is unclear if my baler will do another season as the bloke who serviced it for me was surprised it got through this one, I might just get it rolled. Then I will have to buy a new tractor (keeps getting better!!) with a loader to handle them 

Anyways to those who offered to help cart our hay (a total of 1 not even on this forum) thanks but we have it under control.

Now for a well earned 

[Bird]

42

[Sir Kev + Darkie]

Small square bales although repetitive in loading are a much better bale IMHO. Much better to portion feed stock and bloody lighter. You can not fit as much baled hay in the shed with round bales as well so you will need a bigger shed also 

[Swogjb]

Idiot cubes we like to call them down our way!!

Brings back memories of when I used to take harvest leave off of school to help the old man cart our hay and roustabout in the shearing shed.

Just over 10,000 bales was the most we ever baled. Down right depressing I can tell you.

How times have changed.

Took delivery of new baler and tractor this week. Punches out 600kg bricks

[Nay-DMAX]

Small square bales although repetitive in loading are a much better bale IMHO. Much better to portion feed stock and bloody lighter. You can not fit as much baled hay in the shed with round bales as well so you will need a bigger shed also 

I agree you lose more feed with round bales and horses small squares I can feed the amount I want. I am glad they are all in now though back is feeling it.

[lino6]

This might be overkill for our 8 acres!

Bigger shed, better tractor, still looking for the bad part 

Yep small squares have their place, just wish after today it wasn't at mine 

[6knights]

.
But.......... How much easier would it have been if they were rolls! No carting that by hand 

Perhaps as it is unclear if my baler will do another season as the bloke who serviced it for me was surprised it got through this one, I might just get it rolled. Then I will have to buy a new tractor (keeps getting better!!) with a loader to handle them 

.

of the
You could get a set of forks that go on the three point linkage of the tractor and you could cart the round bales that way and you wouldn't need a front end loader, you could also get them baled in a smaller size say a 4x4 foot bale rather than a 5x4 or 6x4 that way they would be lighter and possibly  more suited to your needs.

just my thoughts
Trevor

[lino6]

You could get a set of forks that go on the three point linkage of the tractor and you could cart the round bales that way and you wouldn't need a front end loader, you could also get them baled in a smaller size say a 4x4 foot bale rather than a 5x4 or 6x4 that way they would be lighter and possibly  more suited to your needs.

just my thoughts
Trevor

Trying to arguments FOR a new tractor 

More likely what will happen is I'll continue to use my baler till it explodes and then go to a clearing sale and find another one fingers crossed. Mine is not worth fixing as the bale chamber is out of shape and needs some serious work before doing up both knotrers. But anyway, back to the 

[6knights]

I am sure that there is a lot of  swaggers that could help you out with the positive side of the argument about buying a new toy , for starters you can do almost anything with a tractor and loader with a few attachments on the front that would go well beyond shifting hay, also would save your back, my back screams NO WAY  every time I look at a small square bale,

[Nay-DMAX]

I am sure that there is a lot of  swaggers that could help you out with the positive side of the argument about buying a new toy , for starters you can do almost anything with a tractor and loader with a few attachments on the front that would go well beyond shifting hay, also would save your back, my back screams NO WAY  every time I look at a small square bale,

When we have less debt he can get a new tractor he knows that haha.  So will just keep paying the bills for now we have been very lucky with our current farm equipment that has belonged to family and being able to borrow a mower keeps the cost down and makes it worth doing it ourselves. One day there will be a new tractor 

[Burnsy]

We will probably end up with around 1200 at school this season, 500 carted Thurs and Frid arvo will knock the rest off tomorrow and tuesday. We get to use child labour, 15 year olds as big or bigger than me but I still end up throwing half of them

[Mace]

I will have nitemares tonight just thinkin about this thread, I had forgotten I ever had to cart squares. Started at 12 years old at $0.06 per bale. Yep, 3 cents a bale to pickup, and another 3 cents to chuck into the shed. Nearest thing to slave labour I ever did.

And yep, have done it with wire strings  as well, that contractor never got asked back.

[Brumbypt]

Everyone should cart hay, its good experience...  NOT


I did it for one season, did a few truck loads, the bloody grass seeds get in everywhere, then the dust gets all over you when loading in the shed. That's if you survive not stepping on a snake or you can bounce back from falling off the truck when the bales start getting wobbly when the trucks nearly full..
THe owner of the property usually drove the truck.

These days its big money, big tractors with air conditioning picking up the bales onto big expensive trucks. THe farmers kids have no interest int he farm and are in the mines or the cities working.

then you hear about the hay shed fires, so after all that work and expense they loose it all..

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[KingBilly]

We get to use child labour, 15 year olds as big or bigger than me but I still end up throwing half of them

Throw the bales or the kids?   

KB

[TC Cocky]

Why does anyone do little bales? because it builds character!! We used to do 3000 when I first came home 10 years ago, the 'idiot bricks' are a pain in the backside but so good for shy feeders or for starting out mobs on smaller rations. We just carted 370 on Saturday, mind you with the truck and a bale conveyor thats only two loads.The rest of the hay is done into 8x4x3 squares.A smidge smaller than the exports but they fit better onto the back of a ute to be slabbed out. That's always been my argument against rounds, sure they roll out easy but you get more spoilage from hooves when the hay is in one long line rather than slabbed out into a trail of piles.

I take my hat off to you lino6, I shudder to think of how many loads it took you and all without the help of a bale loader.

Brumby, not to sound like a whinging farmer, but a big part of the reason that farmers children don't come home is that the margins today are extremely slim and often the farm can't afford to pay the wages of that extra generation. Sure some of it is that the gen Yers today really don't seem to like the hard work but a big part of it is that they can't see a future in it. I disagree with them (as do most of my mates around the district, and we're all Gen Y) but can understand their logic, especially when you see the big pay packets they can earn elsewhere for less work, less responsibility and less risk.

[whitey1]

Brumby, not to sound like a whinging farmer, but a big part of the reason that farmers children don't come home is that the margins today are extremely slim and often the farm can't afford to pay the wages of that extra generation. Sure some of it is that the gen Yers today really don't seem to like the hard work but a big part of it is that they can't see a future in it. I disagree with them (as do most of my mates around the district, and we're all Gen Y) but can understand their logic, especially when you see the big pay packets they can earn elsewhere for less work, less responsibility and less risk.

Yeah that's dead right. But it's not about the money though is it, it's really all about the lifestyle why people love farming. I've just quit my job panel beating to go drive a harvester for a couple of months. I love being out there not only operating a machine but doing whatever jobs need to be done. So much better than being stuck in a workshop all day.
I've also worked for a hay contractor for several seasons doing round bales, much easier to handle than small squares(if you've got the gear). I'm sure you can get an attachment for a front end loader to handle small squares as well.

[lino6]

Hats off to the guys that used to do this by the thousand every year. Its a lot like living without mobile phones and the internet, just how life was.

As for building character, I hope I am enough of a character not to need to build more!!  . I do have an elevator, but because I don't have a truck or a trailer with a high enough rope rail I can't use it (plus its missing a hub and wheel but that's a different story!).

I remember carting heaps in my early teen years. Thankfully I was too small in those days so the only job I could do was drive the truck around the paddock while dad and the brothers stacked with the elevator. The only stacking I did was in the shed when they needed someone small enough to get the last row near the roof!

As for the new tractor, there was a local guy who done up an old 9G Chamberlin to tow a caravan up to the gulf I think it was, maybe SWMBO would agree to hook the camper up to a front wheel assist Case and we could do a lap in that  . Wouldn't worry about a lift kit or anything then!!

[hainess]

I will have nitemares tonight just thinkin about this thread, I had forgotten I ever had to cart squares. Started at 12 years old at $0.06 per bale. Yep, 3 cents a bale to pickup, and another 3 cents to chuck into the shed. Nearest thing to slave labour I ever did.

And yep, have done it with wire strings  as well, that contractor never got asked back.

Wire strings...Sheesh...No thanks.

Always thought the hammermill was worse than throwing bales.

Rod
.

[lindamc]

Hay season was one of my favourite times of the year growing up on the farm, when the local farmers would help each other out. On our farm there would be between 6 - 8 guys working with raking, baling and throwing and stacking. My job was driving the tractor with the bale escalator. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of all the banter going on amongst a lot of physical work, and mums sangas and home made lemon drink being brought out to the paddock and the smell of cut dried out grass....aahhhh the good ol' days. Bring back the square bales (well rectangle really)

[Brumbypt]

Brumby, not to sound like a whinging farmer, but a big part of the reason that farmers children don't come home is that the margins today are extremely slim and often the farm can't afford to pay the wages of that extra generation. Sure some of it is that the gen Yers today really don't seem to like the hard work but a big part of it is that they can't see a future in it. I disagree with them (as do most of my mates around the district, and we're all Gen Y) but can understand their logic, especially when you see the big pay packets they can earn elsewhere for less work, less responsibility and less risk.

I agree, also the kids like to leave the farm to get their own experience, see the world or get a degree or apprenticeship or what ever the reason. Then some times after about 10 or so years they come back to help on the farm. thats whats happened around here quite a bit.


When I say kids I mean 18 to 30 year olds..




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[lino6]

Hay season was one of my favourite times of the year growing up on the farm, when the local farmers would help each other out. On our farm there would be between 6 - 8 guys working with raking, baling and throwing and stacking. My job was driving the tractor with the bale escalator. I absolutely loved the atmosphere of all the banter going on amongst a lot of physical work, and mums sangas and home made lemon drink being brought out to the paddock and the smell of cut dried out grass....aahhhh the good ol' days. Bring back the square bales (well rectangle really)

It was out in the paddocks I learnt to drink tea without milk and sugar! When dad would be at the neighbours helping out with what ever they were working on it was often a fire with an old plough disc over as the BBQ. Sausages in bread and warm/cold tea! Fun times.

[lindamc]

oohh yeah, very lucky to have been raised on a farm.

[barnray]

I just missed out on driving the truck to bring in 300 bales. Mind you I have had the grandsons out at the mates farm helping to bale the hay and they had a ball. It is an education for them at that age seeing what real life is about. B

[_Gecko_]

did some time stooking (spelling?) years ago.
Is that still done anymore?
Gecko