still like the way we used to do it ,towing a flat wagon behind the baler and someone on wagon stacking the bales worked great for years with just two of us,back to the barn,up the elavator in the barn ,done
I am going through my dad's old accounts due to his passing last month after a long fight with stage 4 cancer, and he was a big fan of yours. when he was doing well, we would all sit around watching youtube with him. Thank you for your content, and keep it up. This channel and your projects were often the best part of my dad's day as he was going through a rough time.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out to me. I'm so very sorry to hear about your dad and his passing. I'm glad I was able to at the very least bring a smile too his face! I wish you and your family peace as you travel through this difficult time!
With my square baler and accumulator I found it easiest to take three circles around field then make all passes for remaining field end to end. Bale the three outside passes first and then skip two rows on each back and forth pass always turning right. My field is a very irregular shape with lots of trees and found this method worked well for me.
As a kid in the 50's in up state NY we used hay hooks and took the bales directly from the baler and stacked them 8 bales high on usually two wagons at a time and then took them to the loft. The hay was super dry as wet or damp hay or straw would burn a barn down. In the spring after plowing we kids would walk beside the rock boat and gather rocks out of the fields. You would think that after years of this there would not be any more rocks but like radishes they just kept coming to the surface. Most had sea shell impressions on them and we were at 1100 feet above sea level in the finger lakes region of NY. The advances in almost everything is amazing. Only wish we could be equally amazing in being kind to one another. Love your channel. Mike
I'm very happy for you guys that you chose this type of system. It's what I recommended (seems like) a long time ago. It is such a simple system. Easy to fix. And it does away with 85% of the labor. Not perfect. In those little fields, it is probably the best to run the accumulator separately. Out here in the Plains, almost NOBODY feeds small squares anymore. Other than horse people around the cities, and racetracks. There is just so much round bale and BIG Square hay....even alfalfa. (In the rural areas) Fairly cheap too! It was good seeing an accumulator work again, Suzanne!
Figured out long time ago, hey I think I know what a farmer is, the person who is always wishing it would either rain or stop raining. Best wishes and best of luck to you.
Great video. Seems if the field is big enough pulling the accumulater behind the baler is the way to go it eliminates a step. With gas/deisel more than doubling in price for next year anything you can do to save time and hours on the tractor will help out.
we had something to accumulate bales but I think it was called a buncher , would hold 6 or 8 bales for stooking or less stops to load the trucks . Looking good guys . Haven't even started haying fields are too wet bad year here in northern Ontario Canada
Watching those bales come out of the baler brings back years and years in the hay field. Long hot sweaty days that kept you in shape and felt wonderful when all was in the barn. Then a hot shower and good meal. Slept solid. The best life. Knotters seemed to work pretty good. Your a good mechanic getting those previous bugs worked out. If those last alfalfa bales were damp there is a good possibility they will get dusty and not healthy for horses
I agree on the solid sleep situation! Keeps you in good shape! The knotters did not give me issue even once! I was a bit worried since they were not perfectly aligned, but . . . if it aint broke, don't touch it, hahaha! The alfalfa bales were for cows and goats. But I still don't like making bales like that.
Viewed 3-6-22 from Illinois Hi Sue The accumulator you were trying out would NOT be my choice. Baler alignment to accumulator an issue, bales not falling into correct position requiring stop to reposition, plus bales curl up meaning another stop. Stay with the accumulator you currently have :)))
Counting aunts, uncles, and kids, we had an 8 person crew to bale hay. We could do 1200 bales a day, baled, and placed in the mow. Our NH baler worked like a champ.
Great job getting it baled👍we have very similar in UK for a long time usually 8 bale's but some are ten better in bigger field go around outside 2 or 3 time's first then you have room to turn the grab is also the same but as you say you can not reverse with it 😬 Thanks for the video 👍 Take care stay safe cheers 🐜
Check out Hoelscher hay equipment. They have a system- don't know anything specific about it, but it might be worth a look. The system you tried in this video seems to work well, and the price isn't bad when compared to the Kuhns system. I am just not a fan of dragging bales all over the ground 🙂
this is the first one of these I have ever seen, only accumulators I have ever seen are pulled right behind the baler, if there is a price difference in this to the hook up type, it would be ate up in having another tractor, and fuel, only to have to go back again and pick it all up too, I have not crunched any numbers, this is all off the top of my head.
They ahve a nice system we found a used one locally (along with a very nice 575 baler too!), but they stack on edge, and not sure how that would behave in the barn if they'd fall over when I walk on them . . .
HI!, good to see You folks again, I subbed up a few mins ago, and I hope to see more from You, your fields look pretty good when you finish baling, a sign of a good stands, that is a lot of money to spend on a small operation, but it can repay well when you really learn how to take full advantage of it's capabilities, as you noted the strategic layout of the field is essential, Best of luck to You in all you do.
We would like to stay around the $10K mark for anything new as far as an accumulator goes. We did find a nice system (used) for $8,000 for an accumulator and second grapple though, so might consider that and get rid of the bale carts . . .
Brilliant design on that wide mouth accumulator. The only thing they need too add are some replaceable rubber strips where metal hits metal to reduce noise. It may not be that bad in person when you're surrounded by the noise of whatever you're driving but the up-close video of the bails being fed in would get real old real quick.
Hello Suzanne, best working system I have seen U use yet. Looks like the bales need to be tighter though. Thx 4 this video today. Maybe sell off the machinery no longer used & that will pay for this system.
I think it IS time to sell off the bale carts . . . that would be an easy $5K . . . but we keep them for the "just in case" moments. Although they do require a different set-up, so it's not like we could just drive over, grab one and put it to use, lol!
I've ran a cooks sledge in the uk for years I brought a new one while ago. I found after the first 1000 bales when paint come off it run so much better
That system looks good. Looks like there is a extra piece of metal on the first gate that's catching the bales. I use one very similar in the UK but it holds 8 bales and we call them a flat 8 sledge and grab. There are a few videos showing them working.
We would always wait for hay to be properly dry even if it meant another raking and often did. Longer bales would not clog that accumulator as badly. That field seems to be much more than 1.5 acres. No way does getting rained on reduce bale price by 25%! Wait for another day IMHO. I would have been told to go back and cut the strips missed!
When it's top quality horse hay, it does :( I currently have customers fighting over this year's prospective crop because last year's was so nice. Rain cuts the sugar down in the hay, which for everyone else is a good thing. But my hay is already very low sugar, so any rain will take out the bit that's there, the the horses will refuse to eat it. No one will pay $8/a bale for hay their horse turns their nose up at ;)
@@This1LifeWeLive OK then. I didn't know horses were so pickey. I can understand people fighting over You, but not Hay! It will likely go to 10U$ a bale with the lack of moisture currently in effect.
Greetings from the UK! Those kind of tow-behind-the-baler accumulators (we generally refer to them as 'sledges') are pretty much standard kit for anyone making small bales over here. They can be a bit of a nightmare if you don't have your baler set up properly, but once you get up and running they're pretty reliable. In my experience it's pretty normal to have a few get stuck on the way through (I've had a few angry conversations with my sledge in the past!) The other thing we come up against is that if you have a bit of an odd-shaped field, where your rows end up in a "fun" pattern, the sledge will sometimes drop a stack right in the way of where you need to be the next time round... it certainly makes you concentrate on how you rake! After a while, you just get used to driving it as a part of the baler. I've just bought a different model for haymaking this year... so hopefully I won't regret the change! Take care!
I love this video. When we were able to pull the wagon behind the baler, it was a game change for us. It beat pitching onto the wagon. I would be curious how this equipment works on hilly fields, and ravines. It's a big investment for a small farm.
That was the same way I did hay, back in the early and mid 60's. I rode the wagons, stacking hay. (We had 2 wagons, only used 1 when close to barn.) We put up around 3000 bales a year.
As you said Your varieties of grass requires you to leave at least 4 inches of stubble height, where as our southern grass is cut down to the ground.....because the regrowth comes from under the ground, not from what is left on the surface.....We can back up with the Baler/ Baron system......Being as we supply TSC Farm supply stores in our area with contract deliveries it is more fesible to get as many bales possible in a 53ft trailer as quick as possible.... Another plus of a Baron over a Bandit is it will bundle a shorter bale (32in vrs 36in)......meaning it takes less hay to make a Baron Bundle.. There are producers in our area that do more for less....... We do less for more..... Everything under our shed was " buy it then try it" sort of like a striptease show No free looks
@@This1LifeWeLive Well Little Lady......... stay tuned a Bandit we already got...... the Hyddralic drive unit with Baron should be here in April.....And the Massey 1840 is under the shed
But how do you stack 1500 bales by yourself?? LOL I don't think we've ever been able to bale and stack more than 400 at a time before the dew hits and the sun fades :( (of course in year's past we always had baler issues too . . .)
I checked this out recently, thanks for the review. I just can't see dragging my premium horse hay across the field. My soil is sand so can't see how it will not load the bales up with said sand.
Good baler with a kicker into a wagon. Is the fastest. I have done for many years. I have a the equipment for sale right now cause I'm going to small rounds. Seem like the bales sliding across the ground be picking up dirt and moisture. I will answer questions on hay making.
I'm partial to new Holland bale wagons. I was a one man operation though and found that worked best for me. I was looking at bale accumulators and I think I found one that is a accumulator/grapple combo that mounted on a tractor or skid steer.
That's what we have been using. It works, but still twice as slow as having an accumulator on the back. For us, we have a very small window in which to bale hay, so we gotta gett everything off as fast as possible.
@@This1LifeWeLive I didnt see any videos with a "New Holland"bale wagon. I may have missed it. May also be called a harrow bed. They're very popular out west. I would look also look into a accumulator/grapple combo or if you want to spend the big bucks there's a machine that bundles several bales together and bands them together.
U have to do ur fields in long rows!! But remember little slants in the ground and small hills cause the bale not to work like it should but it should straighten itself out!! It's spendy!! But the back breaking work of doing it buy hand is somewhat gone!! 80 acre fields it is wonderful on!! Wind rows need to be straight but u need more space at the end of them so cut the crap grass down by the woods so u have turning space!! It takes time to get use to the equipment but it is faster then hand doing everything!! Grapple saves so much time especially stacking in the barn!! If ur barn was set up so u can stack bales straight into it!! Love the vidio girl!! Moving on up in world of haying!! ❤❤❤❤❤❤
Love your videos, we live just in 45 minutes north of where you're at in Michigan and do about 60 to 120 acres of hay a year give or take depending on other things we're doing. Looking for same thing as you for square bale handling equipment when we're not round baling. Looking forward to next video.
That looks like a pretty simple system being ground driven. I've seen a bunch of trailers where the hay goes up a little elevator and then slides down diverters to be organized into groups like that. I'm sure they are more expensive systems, but they would allow backing up and probably not curl the bales. I live in eastern Michigan and I would love to have a small hay operation one day. I already have a tractor, I just need to buy more land. The neighbors probably think I"m nuts mowing my 1.5 acres with a 46 HP tractor.
OMG,such blasphemy, actually touch a bale. Enough sarcasm,we still use kicker wagons,it allows me and my son to load wagons and back them into the barn immediately, in the last twenty odd years I've lost count how many times I've been chased back to the barn with rain. None of these systems can do what we need and that's fill the barn to the top wether it be the vapor barrier or the hay car track.
@@tomreisinger6220, we have 4 barns we fill with square bales. We bale a total of around 30,000 square bales any given year. Plus around 150 to 200 big round bales. We have a 300-head cow herd plus 50 sheep we feed. I got 7 brothers and we all farm together.
@@morse2795 300 cows, that'll keep u guys busy, the old farmstead we bought 7 yrs ago only has room for 50 maybe, we only have 7steers and 1pen of pigs (6) and 1 mom cow, we started getting some cows to feed the chaff to , people won't handle loose hay even giving it away, the amount of sloth today is unbelievable, good luck to your operation, always something to be learned with cows and hay.
Just a few Acres Farm did a good evaluation of hay chemistry in layman's language. An retired Architect farmer looks closely at what's important in hay
We have a similar accumulator that’s about ten years old then the parish. I like how they are combining the guides as actuators to move the bales thru the system. Does it’s need 18x18x36” bales and a heavier bale (75-80#) to work best?
bale size yes, but heaviness no. Mine are 40-55lbs and it did ok. Biggest obstacle is grass variety. some types don't allow bales to slide over them well
@@This1LifeWeLive ours is mainly Alicia and Bermuda varieties so they slide fairly well. It has arms that hang down to actuate the guides. But to turn the back bales they need some weight to turn them. But it beats loading them one at a time by hand anyday!
There is al old slow motion knotter video of a new holland baler tying a knot. Pretty much it has two "fingers" the pinch hold of one line end and when it needs to tie, it does a little spin which catches the second tie and as the bale gets pushed out, it pulls the knot tight and the cutters cut the ends. It does a very fast release and re-feeds one end back into the fingers to hold and wait for the next not. Pretty cool stuff!
I've never seen that before I have seen the one that picks them up and shoots them in back of a huge trailer. But I guess if your a farmer what ever works better for you. Nice 👍🏼
I've only done large round bales, so I really have no experience in square bales like yours. IMHO, based on your videos, I think the pull behind works extremely well compared to your first accumulator you bought. The original one you bought appeared to be on the short side in length and it always looked like it was barely holding on to the front bales. The unit they brought along with them to put on the front of the tractor was notably longer and appeared to hold the bales much better. Again, just observations. Sometimes it's hit and miss with equipment and until you really get into using it, you'll never know the ins/outs. So, don't beat yourself up if you're regretting some of the equipment you have. No accumulation equipment is perfect, but the little details with them can make a world of difference. Also, I think the pull behind worked best just by itself, rather than behind the baler. I think it's just too much of a "train" to have to worry about.
Do you have any clips with a side view of the bailer/ accumulator? The flipping around due to bouncing seems like the resolution would be a short slide as long as it clears the frame of the accumulator.
Looks like a really good system but with things you point it out like backing up for example there are those times where are you mention you find a necessary time I have the option to back up but with the system you cannot back up so I think for that one thing there there’s still some development for the product otherwise I think it’s really good Susie what do you think
@@This1LifeWeLive susie cute as I think you are all kidding aside if these people learn from what they observed on your farm I’m assuming other farms as well they would take whatever Information back from their observations and hopefully make a better product
Not going to comment on the system itself because all that type of work i did was minimal back when I was young and dumb and could take the punishment of stacking by hand. I will say if some company wants to work with a farmer on doing some testing/showing their product they need to be watchful of the weather, showing up willy-nilly when its suppose to rain can ruin a harvest that the farmer has to incur the cost. I enjoyed the video though, anything mechanical gives my weary bones a sigh of relief these days. Take care.
agreed on all points. While we ARE young enough yet to stack, we don't have the time to stack. The longer the hay sits on the field, the lower the quality and the lower the price. So it's worth shelling out a bit extra $$ for bales off the field and stacked fast! I currently have customers stacked up eagerly ready to fight for this year's harvest, and that's a GOOD thing, hahaha!
From when you are picking up the bales, they are being dragged across the field loosing all the leaves that makes for lower prices per bale cuz you are loosing the nutrients. That's my opinion
@@shanerowland3715 they are very hard to get a hold of, but the phone number is on the side of the machine in the video 😊. I think if you go to their website they might list their vendors?
In the 1980’s in SE Minnesota a young man dropped out of high school at age 16 and started a hay hauling business including buying and selling hay. He once was featured in a newspaper article. One of his billboard ads was “Hay Ewe”. I don’t remember his name and I wonder if he is still in the business?
Another awesome video keep the great content coming 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻Is there a way to manually trip it to release the bales out of the accumulater ? I know you don’t want to leave partially accumulated pile around the field but there’s got to be a way that you could back it up without disconnecting it or pulling up your posts… Not all farmers have perfectly straight fields there’s allot that are just like yours🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🚜🚜🚜🚜 Stay Safe and God Bless
I think that was the BIGGEST drawback to this system. While you can manually trigger the unit to empty, you'd still have to drag away those bales before you could back the unit up. You'd pretty much need a flawless set-up . . .
i did not see where you addressed transport procedure of the accumulator field to field etc as low as it is, it seems like it could be a issue ......and no havent seen that specific drag accumulator system before......have to say your third cut hay sure produced nicely looked very good IE: 10$ a bale hay
Was it easy to use? How much of a headache did it give y'all and it is easier than walking picking up the bundles but I never had to go to the gym to get a work out. What are you going to do about making maple syrup this year? Or have y'all given up on it?
It was easy to use overall, biggest ting is planning your raking job. We are going to do ONE cook this year. I put out 20 buckets behind the house in an area that doesn't flow very heavily. Without a sugar shack, we cannot afford to leave our expensive equipment outside, hence the one and done cook, lol!
We run 12 acres of alfalfa over 5 small fields and small square bale it all. I'm in the market for an accumulator system and would love to hear an updated opinion on this one. I'm running out of gullible nieces and nephews to get to come "experience the farm" on the hay rack.
I hear ya, we are there with you. this one seemed ok with alfalfa, but the biggest obstacle is making sure your path is cleared so you don't catch stuff. it's also quite long whch makes running it on small fields impossible (again, because you need a clear path to run it). I have seen models overseas that look perfect, but are not available in the US. Personally, I'd like to just make my own according to my own specs. But the time is an issue ;)
I've got nothing bad to say, I was hoping you'd get to try a good collection system, I'd never heard of this brand, but it certainly performed well, I think there was a system built by Salen, I think, they may not even be in business anymore, it's more of an above the ground trailer, and dumps the groups out , you seemed to like it, how did Erik like it? Sure seems that's a worthy addition if you can get it, fantastic video, Suzanne, except for the rain of course
That type of system will save you a massive amount of time especially loading the trailer by tractor and unloading/barn stacking by tractor. That type of system has been in the uk since probably the 1970s but with 8 bale systems but still the same principles. The hay equipment company definitely has a few things to change on the accumulator and the tines on the grab from what I can see. The accumulator should work in any crop but the new paint and poor bales( too heavy, too light, fluffy bales etc) won’t help. You can get used to it in small field (I’ve been in 1/2 acre fields before) but as you said, you weren’t sure what to expect 🙂. Hope that all makes sense (and not too negative) and not to rambling 🤣. I can explain more if needed 🙂
Cooks have done a flat 10 system from about the 80s one place I worked they had a cooks sledge with conveyor belt in so the bales weren’t dragged on the ground
No apology needed and I wasn’t trying to make you seem uninformed I was just trying to pass on my knowledge the same as you we sometimes forget that not all parts of the world have seen or use farm equipment we take for granted
Actually, there are a FEW companies overseas from America that make some very nice systems like what you are talking about, but they DON'T sell them overhere :( maybe I should build a knockoff version of them just for myself over here ;)
I bought a used Steffens System because of terraces in my fields. It carries the bales instead of dragging them. I felt every time I crossed a terrace with this style accumulator it would lose the bales and make a mess. In light hay you drag the bales a long way on the ground. I did heavily consider this system but ultimately decided against it in favor of the Steffens System. The Steffens affords the opportunity to back up and selectively drop the 10 bale packages out of the way on end rows.
I put up hundreds of hay bales as a kid. Crew of 4 thowing on a sled and stacking. A dime a bale. Per each guy. Never ever grass hay. Clover and alfalfa. Three cutting a year. If it rained enough.
Your system works, but to much equipment,slows down the operation. I also went through those growing pains to find a workable system. Now I bale with a 4590 Hesston 1/4 turn chute and just drop in the field.we pick up with a old but in nice shape new Holland 1000 bale wagon 56 bales per load when getting to the barn we use a 8 bale grabber on a skidsteer 773g bobcat. Raise up the load to just under 90 deg and off load 1 layer at a time straight into the hay shed stacked 6 tears high and back to the field. Reload to customers same as unloading .our fields are all within 1/2 mile or so Enjoy your vids. I love haying my whole life. .
I am bad for this, in the 60's and 70's the bailers were essentially the same, but the accumulators and stackers were neighbors run off bar-b-que, beer, and 25 cents a bail. The Music was far better back then though, because it involved mostly teenagers and young adults (parents were usually the driver) the radio station was set to FM playing Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, The Doors. . . TBH I think I would still prefer the 60's and 70's, it always became a party after bails were in the barn. Do public schools still even have agricultural days off?
Nowadays you get caught feeding alcohol to teenagers in the after work party and you'll have more problems to worry about than getting the bales in the barn lol
Yeah..... no. Dragging the bales around the field can cause a few problems. A couple I can think of are, a chance of pulling up moisture out of the stubble &/or inadvertently running through mud or a puddle. Another thing that stands out are the dinky little wheels. They're fine until you find a chuck hole. The framing of the accumulator looks to be a little rickety & I would not be a fan of pulling it behind the baler. Seems that it could be prone to fumbling bales & doesn't seem to turn as tight as, say, a hay wagon if you were throwing them or had someone stacking. It also looks like the accumulator might be bending some of the bales as you drag it along. That could potentially pop one open, which may end up being a pain in the neck. One thing I did not see you do was back the unit up empty. Wondering how easy or difficult it would be to back it into a barn or shed for storage. So overall, I'd give it about 2 stars. Not really impressed with it. My thought & suggestion would be to try out a NH bale wagon. Easy to load, there are two options to unload which make it faster & there are a few less steps to take to get the hay in the barn. When constantly haunted by the prospect of rain, quicker is indeed better. If you stack them with the bale wagon, you don't really need to lay a finger on them. Just my $0.02. Have a good one & wish y'all a successful year. Regards!
It behaves nearly identical to a bale cart as far as manuverability behind the baler. On a tractor it's much tighter. But this is also very light and easy to move around by hand too. The bales that were damp were the ones curling. The problems with the Maxilator are the same ones with this accumulator. Damp/wet conditions cause curling. But with the Maxilator you can at least grab the bales quick to travel over problem areas like puddles or windrows. Dry bales didn't have issues curling.
As a farmer my self I no lot of fields are not perfect meaning rough fields and unless they are worked up and smooth out it won't be good around here and woodchuck don't help ether with that said it will just wreak havoc on the hay bales and the small tires going into a woodchuck hole might do lots of damage to that equipment
We used giant bale carts for several years. I can't even imagine a kicker on the back of a baler . . . a missed knot and hay flying everywhere :( The bale carts put a lot of stress on the baler, LOTS of back pressure, and any missed knots ended up inside the cart. Then you STILL have to stack the hay instantly in the barn and HOPE you had people on hand to help. We couldn't get anyone to reliably show up, so we switched to the grapple accumulator system. I love it so much more. I HATE the Maxilator though (what we currently use), it's a pain. But being able to grapple and pickup a stack of 10 and re-stack in the barn in tight blocks is great!
These systems that drag bales all over the field just can't be good. Dragging a bale over the field picks up extra moisture and junk. Not a fan. You would be way better off putting a kicker on the baler and attaching a wagon behind the baler. Yes--you would have to hand stack afterwards but there is always a tradeoff. $8 a bale for horse hay? Seems way over the top to me!
we didnt sell a bale of high quality grass hay this year under 8$ ...and up to 10$....(sold out quick).all had been drug over the field with no ill effects ....all did not have to be hand stacked .....but there are always those that sell in the 3-6 range less than premium hay
Pure orchard bales out here were selling at $8 each before we bought the farm. That was one reason why I chose it. it costs the same time/labor, why not gain a better profit in the end?
I looked at those units and not a big fan of dragging the bales on the ground also looked at the accumulator/grapple units Finally decided to buy the Kuhs's/Norden accumulator and grapple and last fall I bought their tie grabber also I am a one person show here
Our hay was pretty good, but I was concerned the neighbor's would be too high (a few bales we brought home got HOT). But his barn survived, and I guess that's how he normally puts up his hay, so I guess as long as he's happy ;)
still like the way we used to do it ,towing a flat wagon behind the baler and someone on wagon stacking the bales worked great for years with just two of us,back to the barn,up the elavator in the barn ,done
I am going through my dad's old accounts due to his passing last month after a long fight with stage 4 cancer, and he was a big fan of yours. when he was doing well, we would all sit around watching youtube with him. Thank you for your content, and keep it up. This channel and your projects were often the best part of my dad's day as he was going through a rough time.
I really appreciate you taking the time to reach out to me. I'm so very sorry to hear about your dad and his passing. I'm glad I was able to at the very least bring a smile too his face! I wish you and your family peace as you travel through this difficult time!
The accumulator systems are very cool. Lots of changes since the late 70’s early 80’s when I walked miles in fields being the manual accumulator! 😂
yeah . . . those accumulators you had to feed and keep full of beer . . . ;D
Dang skippy! 😂
With my square baler and accumulator I found it easiest to take three circles around field then make all passes for remaining field end to end. Bale the three outside passes first and then skip two rows on each back and forth pass always turning right. My field is a very irregular shape with lots of trees and found this method worked well for me.
We like the accumulater grapple system. No pulling something behind. Bunches best and liftes with one system.
As a kid in the 50's in up state NY we used hay hooks and took the bales directly from the baler and stacked them 8 bales high on usually two wagons at a time and then took them to the loft. The hay was super dry as wet or damp hay or straw would burn a barn down.
In the spring after plowing we kids would walk beside the rock boat and gather rocks out of the fields. You would think that after years of this there would not be any more rocks but like radishes they just kept coming to the surface. Most had sea shell impressions on them and we were at 1100 feet above sea level in the finger lakes region of NY.
The advances in almost everything is amazing. Only wish we could be equally amazing in being kind to one another.
Love your channel. Mike
I'm very happy for you guys that you chose this type of system. It's what I recommended (seems like) a long time ago. It is such a simple system. Easy to fix. And it does away with 85% of the labor. Not perfect. In those little fields, it is probably the best to run the accumulator separately.
Out here in the Plains, almost NOBODY feeds small squares anymore. Other than horse people around the cities, and racetracks. There is just so much round bale and BIG Square hay....even alfalfa. (In the rural areas) Fairly cheap too! It was good seeing an accumulator work again, Suzanne!
Merci de nous avoir fait connaitre ces innovantes machines je trouve très pratique pour ramasser les bales de foin
Figured out long time ago, hey I think I know what a farmer is, the person who is always wishing it would either rain or stop raining. Best wishes and best of luck to you.
On one farm they hope for rain, on the other they pray for it to hold off, lol! Both can't win!
Spike is super nice to talk with. They make great hay equipment
I like the accumulator behind the baler. I can see it saving time with the loader tractor.
That's the goal!
Glad to see the system work. You are definitely the prettiest equipment operator I have ever seen. 😆
We love you too you little Cutie you always tug at my heart strings every time I see you and your videos
The ones I've seen on TH-cam work great! As long as you don't have to drag the hay bales for miles.
My neighbor had a Hoosier accumulator and what I liked was that it didn't drag the bales on the ground, they were up on the table until dumped
I'll check them out!
Great video. Seems if the field is big enough pulling the accumulater behind the baler is the way to go it eliminates a step. With gas/deisel more than doubling in price for next year anything you can do to save time and hours on the tractor will help out.
No doubt there!
we had something to accumulate bales but I think it was called a buncher , would hold 6 or 8 bales for stooking or less stops to load the trucks . Looking good guys . Haven't even started haying fields are too wet bad year here in northern Ontario Canada
Watching those bales come out of the baler brings back years and years in the hay field. Long hot sweaty days that kept you in shape and felt wonderful when all was in the barn. Then a hot shower and good meal. Slept solid. The best life.
Knotters seemed to work pretty good. Your a good mechanic getting those previous bugs worked out.
If those last alfalfa bales were damp there is a good possibility they will get dusty and not healthy for horses
I agree on the solid sleep situation! Keeps you in good shape! The knotters did not give me issue even once! I was a bit worried since they were not perfectly aligned, but . . . if it aint broke, don't touch it, hahaha!
The alfalfa bales were for cows and goats. But I still don't like making bales like that.
Another interesting and informative video.thanks.
Viewed 3-6-22 from Illinois Hi Sue The accumulator you were trying out would NOT be my choice. Baler alignment to accumulator an issue, bales not falling into correct position
requiring stop to reposition, plus bales curl up meaning another stop. Stay with the accumulator you currently have :)))
Counting aunts, uncles, and kids, we had an 8 person crew to bale hay. We could do 1200 bales a day, baled, and placed in the mow. Our NH baler worked like a champ.
That's the way to do it! Unfortunately, in our area people don't even want to work at mcdonalds for $15/hr and do an efficcient job :P
@@This1LifeWeLive we tried to hire a couple of city kids a couple of times. They usually didn’t make it thru the morning.
I guess everything worked out alright for you with this trial! Good job WT farm girl!!
Great job getting it baled👍we have very similar in UK for a long time usually 8 bale's but some are ten better in bigger field go around outside 2 or 3 time's first then you have room to turn the grab is also the same but as you say you can not reverse with it 😬
Thanks for the video 👍
Take care stay safe cheers 🐜
Check out Hoelscher hay equipment. They have a system- don't know anything specific about it, but it might be worth a look. The system you tried in this video seems to work well, and the price isn't bad when compared to the Kuhns system. I am just not a fan of dragging bales all over the ground 🙂
this is the first one of these I have ever seen, only accumulators I have ever seen are pulled right behind the baler, if there is a price difference in this to the hook up type, it would be ate up in having another tractor, and fuel, only to have to go back again and pick it all up too, I have not crunched any numbers, this is all off the top of my head.
They ahve a nice system we found a used one locally (along with a very nice 575 baler too!), but they stack on edge, and not sure how that would behave in the barn if they'd fall over when I walk on them . . .
HI!, good to see You folks again, I subbed up a few mins ago, and I hope to see more from You, your fields look pretty good when you finish baling, a sign of a good stands, that is a lot of money to spend on a small operation, but it can repay well when you really learn how to take full advantage of it's capabilities, as you noted the strategic layout of the field is essential, Best of luck to You in all you do.
We would like to stay around the $10K mark for anything new as far as an accumulator goes. We did find a nice system (used) for $8,000 for an accumulator and second grapple though, so might consider that and get rid of the bale carts . . .
Another great video stay safe and healthy and warm 👍
Brilliant design on that wide mouth accumulator. The only thing they need too add are some replaceable rubber strips where metal hits metal to reduce noise. It may not be that bad in person when you're surrounded by the noise of whatever you're driving but the up-close video of the bails being fed in would get real old real quick.
That's a nice idea!
Good job Suzanne and Erik, nice stuff , its all new to me,👍🙂
Hello Suzanne, best working system I have seen U use yet. Looks like the bales need to be tighter though. Thx 4 this video today. Maybe sell off the machinery no longer used & that will pay for this system.
I think it IS time to sell off the bale carts . . . that would be an easy $5K . . . but we keep them for the "just in case" moments. Although they do require a different set-up, so it's not like we could just drive over, grab one and put it to use, lol!
You did a good job very impressive
I've ran a cooks sledge in the uk for years I brought a new one while ago. I found after the first 1000 bales when paint come off it run so much better
I love those sledge systems you guys have!
That system looks good. Looks like there is a extra piece of metal on the first gate that's catching the bales. I use one very similar in the UK but it holds 8 bales and we call them a flat 8 sledge and grab. There are a few videos showing them working.
I like the systems you ahve in the UK, I feel they are almost better than what we ahve available in the US :(
Ha!That accumulator is amazing.
Obviously the lack of floor makes it unsuitable for all situations but it's a great system for some.
We would always wait for hay to be properly dry even if it meant another raking and often did. Longer bales would not clog that accumulator as badly. That field seems to be much more than 1.5 acres. No way does getting rained on reduce bale price by 25%! Wait for another day IMHO. I would have been told to go back and cut the strips missed!
When it's top quality horse hay, it does :( I currently have customers fighting over this year's prospective crop because last year's was so nice. Rain cuts the sugar down in the hay, which for everyone else is a good thing. But my hay is already very low sugar, so any rain will take out the bit that's there, the the horses will refuse to eat it. No one will pay $8/a bale for hay their horse turns their nose up at ;)
@@This1LifeWeLive OK then. I didn't know horses were so pickey. I can understand people fighting over You, but not Hay! It will likely go to 10U$ a bale with the lack of moisture currently in effect.
It would be nice to have but everybody around here has gone to round bale's. Take care and have a blessed day and I'll see you on your next vidja.
Greetings from the UK! Those kind of tow-behind-the-baler accumulators (we generally refer to them as 'sledges') are pretty much standard kit for anyone making small bales over here. They can be a bit of a nightmare if you don't have your baler set up properly, but once you get up and running they're pretty reliable. In my experience it's pretty normal to have a few get stuck on the way through (I've had a few angry conversations with my sledge in the past!)
The other thing we come up against is that if you have a bit of an odd-shaped field, where your rows end up in a "fun" pattern, the sledge will sometimes drop a stack right in the way of where you need to be the next time round... it certainly makes you concentrate on how you rake! After a while, you just get used to driving it as a part of the baler. I've just bought a different model for haymaking this year... so hopefully I won't regret the change! Take care!
I love this video. When we were able to pull the wagon behind the baler, it was a game change for us. It beat pitching onto the wagon. I would be curious how this equipment works on hilly fields, and ravines. It's a big investment for a small farm.
Hills I think would be ok, but ravines, not sure, lol!
That was the same way I did hay, back in the early and mid 60's. I rode the wagons, stacking hay.
(We had 2 wagons, only used 1 when close to barn.) We put up around 3000 bales a year.
As you said Your varieties of grass requires you to leave at least 4 inches of stubble height, where as our southern grass is cut down to the ground.....because the regrowth comes from under the ground, not from what is left on the surface.....We can back up with the Baler/ Baron system......Being as we supply TSC Farm supply stores in our area with contract deliveries it is more fesible to get as many bales possible in a 53ft trailer as quick as possible.... Another plus of a Baron over a Bandit is it will bundle a shorter bale (32in vrs 36in)......meaning it takes less hay to make a Baron Bundle.. There are producers in our area that do more for less....... We do less for more..... Everything under our shed was " buy it then try it" sort of like a striptease show No free looks
ohhhh, ok that makes sense! I have seen both the Barons and the Bandits, but haven't looked at them in a while!
@@This1LifeWeLive Well Little Lady......... stay tuned a Bandit we already got...... the Hyddralic drive unit with Baron should be here in April.....And the Massey 1840 is under the shed
You got nice flat fields. How well would it work on hills?
I would assume it would be fine. I don't think the bales would slide since they are being pulled to the rear anyway . .
I like my john deere kicker baler pulling hay racks get the hay off the feild in one pass i use10 hay racks con bale about 1500 bales a day
But how do you stack 1500 bales by yourself?? LOL I don't think we've ever been able to bale and stack more than 400 at a time before the dew hits and the sun fades :( (of course in year's past we always had baler issues too . . .)
@@This1LifeWeLive we got some good neighbor kids to hire to help unload wagons store loads in shed unload next day
@dennistembreull2718 so how much are you paying your neighbors?
If you get 10 years out of this equipment it costs 1000 a year plus your maintenance.
Nice new stuff.labor saving.used to think.what ya gojna do with like that little red tractor.i see its quite a nice workhorse
We had 50 hours on her by second cutting, lol!
I checked this out recently, thanks for the review. I just can't see dragging my premium horse hay across the field. My soil is sand so can't see how it will not load the bales up with said sand.
Good job Sue glad it worked well for you and Erik, you both seem so much more laid back than I. 👍👍
LOL I cut edit out all the bits of Erik swearing, hahaha
it's just my wife and I here in hot texas . I can work from my tractor seat I'm 69 .so it makes it possible for us to keep baling . I love ours
Good baler with a kicker into a wagon. Is the fastest. I have done for many years. I have a the equipment for sale right now cause I'm going to small rounds. Seem like the bales sliding across the ground be picking up dirt and moisture. I will answer questions on hay making.
I'm partial to new Holland bale wagons. I was a one man operation though and found that worked best for me. I was looking at bale accumulators and I think I found one that is a accumulator/grapple combo that mounted on a tractor or skid steer.
That's what we have been using. It works, but still twice as slow as having an accumulator on the back. For us, we have a very small window in which to bale hay, so we gotta gett everything off as fast as possible.
@@This1LifeWeLive I didnt see any videos with a "New Holland"bale wagon. I may have missed it. May also be called a harrow bed. They're very popular out west. I would look also look into a accumulator/grapple combo or if you want to spend the big bucks there's a machine that bundles several bales together and bands them together.
Over in the UK, accumulators are very popular and most people who run a small baler use one or a bale baron
U have to do ur fields in long rows!!
But remember little slants in the ground and small hills cause the bale not to work like it should but it should straighten itself out!!
It's spendy!!
But the back breaking work of doing it buy hand is somewhat gone!!
80 acre fields it is wonderful on!!
Wind rows need to be straight but u need more space at the end of them so cut the crap grass down by the woods so u have turning space!!
It takes time to get use to the equipment but it is faster then hand doing everything!!
Grapple saves so much time especially stacking in the barn!!
If ur barn was set up so u can stack bales straight into it!!
Love the vidio girl!!
Moving on up in world of haying!!
❤❤❤❤❤❤
Agree on everything!
Next year you should try hooking that accumulator on to the back of the baler ,you will do two jobs at ounce , i have done it before it works great
To me that accumulator on the back of the baler in certain cases would save on fuel. I do like it
Well now there's a valid point considering prices on fuel, lol!
Love your videos, we live just in 45 minutes north of where you're at in Michigan and do about 60 to 120 acres of hay a year give or take depending on other things we're doing. Looking for same thing as you for square bale handling equipment when we're not round baling. Looking forward to next video.
I would think the Kuhns System would work better for you with that much acreage?
I see that it works but it does have issues. Glad they let you try it out.. Cost may be a factor but Steffens maybe a better option.
Love new equipment
That looks like a pretty simple system being ground driven. I've seen a bunch of trailers where the hay goes up a little elevator and then slides down diverters to be organized into groups like that. I'm sure they are more expensive systems, but they would allow backing up and probably not curl the bales. I live in eastern Michigan and I would love to have a small hay operation one day. I already have a tractor, I just need to buy more land. The neighbors probably think I"m nuts mowing my 1.5 acres with a 46 HP tractor.
we have a neighbor across the street who mows his large yard with a tractor (finish mower) too!
The best way yet is to just pull a hay rack behind the baler and load as you go. We have a total of 9 hayracks we use when baling square bales.
OMG,such blasphemy, actually touch a bale. Enough sarcasm,we still use kicker wagons,it allows me and my son to load wagons and back them into the barn immediately, in the last twenty odd years I've lost count how many times I've been chased back to the barn with rain. None of these systems can do what we need and that's fill the barn to the top wether it be the vapor barrier or the hay car track.
@@tomreisinger6220, we have 4 barns we fill with square bales. We bale a total of around 30,000 square bales any given year. Plus around 150 to 200 big round bales. We have a 300-head cow herd plus 50 sheep we feed. I got 7 brothers and we all farm together.
@@morse2795 300 cows, that'll keep u guys busy, the old farmstead we bought 7 yrs ago only has room for 50 maybe, we only have 7steers and 1pen of pigs (6) and 1 mom cow, we started getting some cows to feed the chaff to , people won't handle loose hay even giving it away, the amount of sloth today is unbelievable, good luck to your operation, always something to be learned with cows and hay.
Hey Zanny just a thought but what if you talked to them about making one half as wide. You know one that does a five stack.
New holland used to make an accumulator that hooked on behind the bailer that did the same thing We baled 30,000 bales that year using the system
Really! I have not seen such a creature! I'm goin to have to do some looking now!
Just a few Acres Farm did a good evaluation of hay chemistry in layman's language. An retired Architect farmer looks closely at what's important in hay
We have a similar accumulator that’s about ten years old then the parish. I like how they are combining the guides as actuators to move the bales thru the system.
Does it’s need 18x18x36” bales and a heavier bale (75-80#) to work best?
bale size yes, but heaviness no. Mine are 40-55lbs and it did ok. Biggest obstacle is grass variety. some types don't allow bales to slide over them well
@@This1LifeWeLive ours is mainly Alicia and Bermuda varieties so they slide fairly well. It has arms that hang down to actuate the guides. But to turn the back bales they need some weight to turn them.
But it beats loading them one at a time by hand anyday!
Could you take off the end tray on the baker and drop the bale in front of the acumilater to improve bale alignment into the acumilater?
I don't think that would make a difference on a turn, but I'm not sure if it would drop at the right point anyway without the tray/chute ;)
I would like to know how the hey baler ties the string on the bails and keeps it tight?
There is al old slow motion knotter video of a new holland baler tying a knot. Pretty much it has two "fingers" the pinch hold of one line end and when it needs to tie, it does a little spin which catches the second tie and as the bale gets pushed out, it pulls the knot tight and the cutters cut the ends. It does a very fast release and re-feeds one end back into the fingers to hold and wait for the next not. Pretty cool stuff!
I've never seen that before I have seen the one that picks them up and shoots them in back of a huge trailer. But I guess if your a farmer what ever works better for you. Nice 👍🏼
Looks like it could be a good investment for the right size fields
I've only done large round bales, so I really have no experience in square bales like yours. IMHO, based on your videos, I think the pull behind works extremely well compared to your first accumulator you bought. The original one you bought appeared to be on the short side in length and it always looked like it was barely holding on to the front bales. The unit they brought along with them to put on the front of the tractor was notably longer and appeared to hold the bales much better. Again, just observations. Sometimes it's hit and miss with equipment and until you really get into using it, you'll never know the ins/outs. So, don't beat yourself up if you're regretting some of the equipment you have. No accumulation equipment is perfect, but the little details with them can make a world of difference. Also, I think the pull behind worked best just by itself, rather than behind the baler. I think it's just too much of a "train" to have to worry about.
Do you have any clips with a side view of the bailer/ accumulator? The flipping around due to bouncing seems like the resolution would be a short slide as long as it clears the frame of the accumulator.
Looks like a really good system but with things you point it out like backing up for example there are those times where are you mention you find a necessary time I have the option to back up but with the system you cannot back up so I think for that one thing there there’s still some development for the product otherwise I think it’s really good Susie what do you think
I agree . . . not being able to back up is a big disadvantage . .
@@This1LifeWeLive susie cute as I think you are all kidding aside if these people learn from what they observed on your farm I’m assuming other farms as well they would take whatever Information back from their observations and hopefully make a better product
Not going to comment on the system itself because all that type of work i did was minimal back when I was young and dumb and could take the punishment of stacking by hand.
I will say if some company wants to work with a farmer on doing some testing/showing their product they need to be watchful of the weather, showing up willy-nilly when its suppose to rain can ruin a harvest that the farmer has to incur the cost.
I enjoyed the video though, anything mechanical gives my weary bones a sigh of relief these days. Take care.
agreed on all points. While we ARE young enough yet to stack, we don't have the time to stack. The longer the hay sits on the field, the lower the quality and the lower the price. So it's worth shelling out a bit extra $$ for bales off the field and stacked fast! I currently have customers stacked up eagerly ready to fight for this year's harvest, and that's a GOOD thing, hahaha!
From when you are picking up the bales, they are being dragged across the field loosing all the leaves that makes for lower prices per bale cuz you are loosing the nutrients. That's my opinion
In alflafa, yes that's a great point! Our hay is all leaves, so for us it's not an issue ;D
It would be handy for the person that run a small baler.
steffen systems makes A good set up but, I do like the equipment you demonstrated because It is all mechanical
That was one thing we liked too . . .
What Hp is the red tractor? I think the grab will work on my 55 hp McCormick
Is there anyway I can get in touch with the people that build or sell this system?
@@shanerowland3715 it's 55hp with third function on the loader. Plus loaded tires 😊
@@shanerowland3715 they are very hard to get a hold of, but the phone number is on the side of the machine in the video 😊. I think if you go to their website they might list their vendors?
I’m going to stick with new Holland 1033 bal picker it was made the 70s it pikes stacks halls 106 bales and unloaded a nice stacks
It’s a neat idea but if you’re going to have one you might as will stick to the one you can just pull right behind when you’re being Bailing the hay
Hummm...
Good morning everyone 🌎🌞🌞🌞👍😊
In the 1980’s in SE Minnesota a young man dropped out of high school at age 16 and started a hay hauling business including buying and selling hay. He once was featured in a newspaper article. One of his billboard ads was “Hay Ewe”. I don’t remember his name and I wonder if he is still in the business?
Another awesome video keep the great content coming 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻Is there a way to manually trip it to release the bales out of the accumulater ? I know you don’t want to leave partially accumulated pile around the field but there’s got to be a way that you could back it up without disconnecting it or pulling up your posts… Not all farmers have perfectly straight fields there’s allot that are just like yours🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🚜🚜🚜🚜 Stay Safe and God Bless
I think that was the BIGGEST drawback to this system. While you can manually trigger the unit to empty, you'd still have to drag away those bales before you could back the unit up. You'd pretty much need a flawless set-up . . .
i did not see where you addressed transport procedure of the accumulator field to field etc as low as it is, it seems like it could be a issue ......and no havent seen that specific drag accumulator system before......have to say your third cut hay sure produced nicely looked very good IE: 10$ a bale hay
The bales must be pulled out before switching fields, but the accumulator has wheels so you just drive it down to your next field :)
Was it easy to use? How much of a headache did it give y'all and it is easier than walking picking up the bundles but I never had to go to the gym to get a work out. What are you going to do about making maple syrup this year? Or have y'all given up on it?
It was easy to use overall, biggest ting is planning your raking job. We are going to do ONE cook this year. I put out 20 buckets behind the house in an area that doesn't flow very heavily. Without a sugar shack, we cannot afford to leave our expensive equipment outside, hence the one and done cook, lol!
We run 12 acres of alfalfa over 5 small fields and small square bale it all. I'm in the market for an accumulator system and would love to hear an updated opinion on this one. I'm running out of gullible nieces and nephews to get to come "experience the farm" on the hay rack.
I hear ya, we are there with you. this one seemed ok with alfalfa, but the biggest obstacle is making sure your path is cleared so you don't catch stuff. it's also quite long whch makes running it on small fields impossible (again, because you need a clear path to run it). I have seen models overseas that look perfect, but are not available in the US. Personally, I'd like to just make my own according to my own specs. But the time is an issue ;)
@@This1LifeWeLive I was just dreaming about making my own, but I woke up and also realized that I have no time. Or fabrication skills.
I've got nothing bad to say, I was hoping you'd get to try a good collection system, I'd never heard of this brand, but it certainly performed well, I think there was a system built by Salen, I think, they may not even be in business anymore, it's more of an above the ground trailer, and dumps the groups out , you seemed to like it, how did Erik like it? Sure seems that's a worthy addition if you can get it, fantastic video, Suzanne, except for the rain of course
There are a few systems that dump the hay off a sled, the better ones are only available overseas sadly :( But we will keep looking!
Yeah, no doubt, like I said, I don't know what your future plans are, but that rig certainly performed well, I thought
If possible, add the second half of the chute, and have it drop down a bit closer to the accumulator. Might save a few bales, and a bit of time.
That type of system will save you a massive amount of time especially loading the trailer by tractor and unloading/barn stacking by tractor. That type of system has been in the uk since probably the 1970s but with 8 bale systems but still the same principles. The hay equipment company definitely has a few things to change on the accumulator and the tines on the grab from what I can see. The accumulator should work in any crop but the new paint and poor bales( too heavy, too light, fluffy bales etc) won’t help. You can get used to it in small field (I’ve been in 1/2 acre fields before) but as you said, you weren’t sure what to expect 🙂. Hope that all makes sense (and not too negative) and not to rambling 🤣. I can explain more if needed 🙂
Cooks have done a flat 10 system from about the 80s one place I worked they had a cooks sledge with conveyor belt in so the bales weren’t dragged on the ground
@@jasonharnett4911 yes your right… my apologies… I’d even been looking at one for sale with a mate🤣🤦♂️🤦♂️
No apology needed and I wasn’t trying to make you seem uninformed I was just trying to pass on my knowledge the same as you we sometimes forget that not all parts of the world have seen or use farm equipment we take for granted
Actually, there are a FEW companies overseas from America that make some very nice systems like what you are talking about, but they DON'T sell them overhere :( maybe I should build a knockoff version of them just for myself over here ;)
@@jasonharnett4911 it’s ok, no worries, I’m not offended at all 🙂
I bought a used Steffens System because of terraces in my fields. It carries the bales instead of dragging them. I felt every time I crossed a terrace with this style accumulator it would lose the bales and make a mess. In light hay you drag the bales a long way on the ground. I did heavily consider this system but ultimately decided against it in favor of the Steffens System. The Steffens affords the opportunity to back up and selectively drop the 10 bale packages out of the way on end rows.
We have considered the steffens system too :)
Hello it's Mark from before I use a tablet now
why not one right behind the pres we yused it in small straw bales in the past
Can you unload the hay with it
The grapple, yes. The accumulator no, lol
I put up hundreds of hay bales as a kid. Crew of 4 thowing on a sled and stacking. A dime a bale. Per each guy. Never ever grass hay. Clover and alfalfa. Three cutting a year. If it rained enough.
Your system works, but to much equipment,slows down the operation. I also went through those growing pains to find a workable system. Now I bale with a 4590 Hesston 1/4 turn chute and just drop in the field.we pick up with a old but in nice shape new Holland 1000 bale wagon 56 bales per load when getting to the barn we use a 8 bale grabber on a skidsteer 773g bobcat. Raise up the load to just under 90 deg and off load 1 layer at a time straight into the hay shed stacked 6 tears high and back to the field. Reload to customers same as unloading .our fields are all within 1/2 mile or so
Enjoy your vids. I love haying my whole life.
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I wanted to show you something new on the homestead but I can't get a picture to upload
I am bad for this, in the 60's and 70's the bailers were essentially the same, but the accumulators and stackers were neighbors run off bar-b-que, beer, and 25 cents a bail. The Music was far better back then though, because it involved mostly teenagers and young adults (parents were usually the driver) the radio station was set to FM playing Led Zepplin, Pink Floyd, Aerosmith, The Doors. . . TBH I think I would still prefer the 60's and 70's, it always became a party after bails were in the barn. Do public schools still even have agricultural days off?
Nowadays you get caught feeding alcohol to teenagers in the after work party and you'll have more problems to worry about than getting the bales in the barn lol
Yeah..... no. Dragging the bales around the field can cause a few problems. A couple I can think of are, a chance of pulling up moisture out of the stubble &/or inadvertently running through mud or a puddle. Another thing that stands out are the dinky little wheels. They're fine until you find a chuck hole. The framing of the accumulator looks to be a little rickety & I would not be a fan of pulling it behind the baler. Seems that it could be prone to fumbling bales & doesn't seem to turn as tight as, say, a hay wagon if you were throwing them or had someone stacking. It also looks like the accumulator might be bending some of the bales as you drag it along. That could potentially pop one open, which may end up being a pain in the neck. One thing I did not see you do was back the unit up empty. Wondering how easy or difficult it would be to back it into a barn or shed for storage. So overall, I'd give it about 2 stars. Not really impressed with it.
My thought & suggestion would be to try out a NH bale wagon. Easy to load, there are two options to unload which make it faster & there are a few less steps to take to get the hay in the barn. When constantly haunted by the prospect of rain, quicker is indeed better. If you stack them with the bale wagon, you don't really need to lay a finger on them. Just my $0.02.
Have a good one & wish y'all a successful year. Regards!
Thought same thing used 1034 before going to all round bales. 1 problem I see how no damp or wet spots to drag bales threw
It behaves nearly identical to a bale cart as far as manuverability behind the baler. On a tractor it's much tighter. But this is also very light and easy to move around by hand too. The bales that were damp were the ones curling. The problems with the Maxilator are the same ones with this accumulator. Damp/wet conditions cause curling. But with the Maxilator you can at least grab the bales quick to travel over problem areas like puddles or windrows. Dry bales didn't have issues curling.
Brother in law used to use a new Holland bale wagon but went to this type of system because wagon didn't work that well in several of their fields.
Do you have any puppies for sale? French tons
Not yet, but we will later this summer :D usually 6-8 :)
As a farmer my self I no lot of fields are not perfect meaning rough fields and unless they are worked up and smooth out it won't be good around here and woodchuck don't help ether with that said it will just wreak havoc on the hay bales and the small tires going into a woodchuck hole might do lots of damage to that equipment
That's always worth taking into consideration for sure!
They they need to take and go back to the drawing board because you shouldn’t have problems with The bales being directly pulled behind you
I think you would be more happy with a Kuhn
Don't you think a Bale Wagon would be better.
We used giant bale carts for several years. I can't even imagine a kicker on the back of a baler . . . a missed knot and hay flying everywhere :( The bale carts put a lot of stress on the baler, LOTS of back pressure, and any missed knots ended up inside the cart. Then you STILL have to stack the hay instantly in the barn and HOPE you had people on hand to help. We couldn't get anyone to reliably show up, so we switched to the grapple accumulator system. I love it so much more. I HATE the Maxilator though (what we currently use), it's a pain. But being able to grapple and pickup a stack of 10 and re-stack in the barn in tight blocks is great!
hoelscher and rebel accumulators
I haven't heard of rebel! I'll look them up!
Farming your always racing the rain
These systems that drag bales all over the field just can't be good. Dragging a bale over the field picks up extra moisture and junk. Not a fan. You would be way better off putting a kicker on the baler and attaching a wagon behind the baler. Yes--you would have to hand stack afterwards but there is always a tradeoff. $8 a bale for horse hay? Seems way over the top to me!
we didnt sell a bale of high quality grass hay this year under 8$ ...and up to 10$....(sold out quick).all had been drug over the field with no ill effects ....all did not have to be hand stacked .....but there are always those that sell in the 3-6 range less than premium hay
Pure orchard bales out here were selling at $8 each before we bought the farm. That was one reason why I chose it. it costs the same time/labor, why not gain a better profit in the end?
I looked at those units and not a big fan of dragging the bales on the ground also looked at the accumulator/grapple units
Finally decided to buy the Kuhs's/Norden accumulator and grapple and last fall I bought their tie grabber also
I am a one person show here
That green hay will heat up,and burn the barn down. Or mold.
Our hay was pretty good, but I was concerned the neighbor's would be too high (a few bales we brought home got HOT). But his barn survived, and I guess that's how he normally puts up his hay, so I guess as long as he's happy ;)