pics from the last couple days

[Faster horses]

So tell us more about your baby!! And we want PICTURES, of course!

 

[MO_cows]

Amazing turnaround on that colt! He looked half dead in the trailer.

Maybe the person who thought of swath grazing had a broken down old baler, too?? Hopefully you can find a way to make lemonade out of lemons on that deal.

You must have had more rain up north, your grass looks a lot better than ours.

 

[4Diamond]

x2

 

[R A]

We were lucky to find a couple of used balers not too far from home and could rob whatever parts we needed when we ran a 14T. Might there be a chance of finding one around your territory if you'd talk to some old folks who know a bit of history from the area?

I found a guy an hour away that hooked me up with a complete knotter assembly for $40 off a 14t. He has some parts just laying around for 14t's and a complete 14t that he is about to part out, but it is a lot older than mine and a lot of the parts look different. Plus I got a couple numbers for possible other 14t's being parted out. So yeah, I'm starting to find out what's around the area.

Check on Tractorhouse. There are 2 14T for sale at $989.00 each and several 24T at under $2000. Most are not far from you compared to my dumprake.

I looked at those balers and found some used parts dealers of that site, so thank you! I have a feeling that some day I'll have a pile of balers out there. I was just kidden on coming up for that dumprake....just making sure you knew that....lol.

Please keep putting up your hay loose as it makes me feel better about myself and my fence projects that are powered the same way your loose hay operation is! Things look swell aound your place RA. That colt has bloomed under your care even if your baled has went the other direction. With old equipment, there always comes a time when replacing it might work better that fixing it.

Thanks! I look forward to the day I am putting up some loose hay just because I want to that day, not because I have to...lol....bringing it in with a team of horses just for the experience and good for the soul type stuff. I've put a lot of posts in the ground since I've moved here and used nothing but a post hole digger and a spade, so I hear ya, nothing but the hard way right now around here.

:agree:

when square balers first came out, the JD "D" was the main or second tractor on lot's of farm's. three speeds,no live PTO etc. New Holland started putting engines on their balers so that they could be pulled with any thing and any speed. perhaps you could find an engine drive baler in better shape than the one you have. :wink:

I wish I could go get another one right now, but really kinda have to tinker with this one for just a bit money wise, hoping I'm really close to having it going???? It may be a lost cause though. I probably should of waiting a couple years to start doing my own hay. I checked those leaf springs like you said to, thanks again for telling me that. They were ok, but now I know to check them.

 

[gcreekrch]

If you did have a motor driven baler you could pull it with your rake "tractor"/playpen. :wink:

Our boys had car seats strapped to the frame on the self propelled swather we used when they were young. It's a wonder they have any hearing left.

One does what one has to RA, I found that if you are short of cash you had better be long on time.

 

[R A]

I think I still have a 14T down at my folks place. I would sell the whole thing for a bunch less then just the knotter frame. Might even give it to ya, but I am not hauling it that far.

At the moment, everything I buy I have to pull home. I'd be very interested if that would of been possible!

There are some John Deere 14T knotter parts on ebay right now.

Thanks! Didn't think to look on ebay. I'll be keeping an eye out on there.

20, 30 years from now....I might be the place to go for all things small square baler.

I sold a NH 275 baler with an engine on it in working condition for less than it will cost to fix your 14T

I had no idea new parts for this thing were so darn high and am learning I need to shop around more and go different routes and should of maybe gone different routes already.

GREEN grass, BLUE skies and fat/sassy/satisfied cattle.....doesn't get a whole lot better!!! sigh.......sure is pretty where you are at!! we are finally getting some much needed moisture here, but that ever present madison valley wind will take that soon enough!! as always, love the pics...keep 'em coming!!! by the way....do you need my mailing address so i can help take care of some of that watermelon you planted?? :wink: :wink:

Thank you! Glad to hear you are getting rain! Send your address.....lol...if my not knowing anything about gardening self ever grows anything remotely close to a good watermelon, I'd be happy to send it/them to ya...lol.

I tell ya. RA, that baler is the only thing on your place that doesn't look
good. That colt, I'm amazed at the turn-around in him. He sure needed
YOU!!! He's gorgeous. I know you will never sell him, but his color makes
him worth more than other colored colts. Now I'm wondering what color
of roan he is, and if he will stay that color. I thought he'd be a black roan
but he isn't that color now.

Ya done (and are doing) good, kid!!!!

Not going to be much hay in our country or in parts of SD and Wyoming.
Nice to see yours!!

Thank you! I'm hoping that colt stays close to that color in the summer forever, but yeah, don't know??? According to the owner on the colts related to him, he should. I make sure he watches everything that goes on here and can't wait to be able to start using him.

I scraped out a 14T last fall that was on a farm I bought - - - I should have kept the knotters - - I would have given them to you!

That would of been too kind of you, George! I appreciate the thought! I look forward to the day I am set up better.

 

[R A]

I have raised 3 kids in southern iowa.
sometimes you have to do what ya gotta do,,keep being creative
and you'll be just fine.

Thanks, I will! I like having them with me. My first boy was born in the winter, so he was a couple months old before really doing everything with me and has ever since. This little boy, being born while it's warm, is getting an earlier start

So tell us more about your baby!! And we want PICTURES, of course!

He'll be 3 weeks old tomorrow. 7.5 lbs. boy. Brody Macrea(middle name) Doing great! Already working the world's smallest ranch Pics coming.

Amazing turnaround on that colt! He looked half dead in the trailer.

Maybe the person who thought of swath grazing had a broken down old baler, too?? Hopefully you can find a way to make lemonade out of lemons on that deal.

You must have had more rain up north, your grass looks a lot better than ours.

That colt was pretty sick! I probably shouldn't of bought him, but the thought of what he could be fit what I want to have going on here in a few years.

You could be right on the swath grazing??? I have some ideas I might try to where I am not using a baler, but still getting the hay in without so much pitch forking in the future.....at least on some of it.

I could use a rain today, but up until now, I have gotten plenty. Still pretty green....just started to notice a slight change yesterday or so.

x2

Too much rock down there to hold moisture... I couldn't believe all the rock down there...made the creeks and rivers prettier than up here though.

 

[R A]

If you did have a motor driven baler you could pull it with your rake "tractor"/playpen. :wink:

Our boys had car seats strapped to the frame on the self propelled swather we used when they were young. It's a wonder they have any hearing left.

One does what one has to RA, I found that if you are short of cash you had better be long on time.

I'm long on time for sure! I kinda got a scoldin' for using the "grocery gettin' tractor/playpen" yesterday.....lol....but not too bad, because I'm about to head out the door and use it again to do the same thing with the boys...lol. It would be pretty funny to rake and bale with it!

 

[Faster horses]

Back to the colt--in a previous post you said according to the owner
of the colts related to him he should keep that color.

So, if that guy is raising these colts why in the world was the one
you got (and looked to me like saved his life) in such bad shape.
Were they all like that???? And if not, what happened to this one?

 

[R A]

Back to the colt--in a previous post you said according to the owner
of the colts related to him he should keep that color.

So, if that guy is raising these colts why in the world was the one
you got (and looked to me like saved his life) in such bad shape.
Were they all like that???? And if not, what happened to this one?

This lady was cutting back on horses. She was a trader, trainer, and breeder. She had 60 or better horses still. She said she had delt with over 500 horses in that year. All the older stuff like the mares and studs looked good, but the young stuff looked a little rough. It's hard telling what they were all exposed to being around that many new horses all the time. I got my mule the same day from her. She looked better than the colt, but was pretty bad off when she finally let me pet her and stuff and I could feel her through the winter fluff. She had some stuff starting that eventually made a lot of her hair fall out and had just bare flakey dry skin. She looks great now too....all shiny and healthy.

 

[4Diamond]

Yes our rocks don't hold moisture...We are always 2 weeks from a drought. Haven't had quite 5" since mid march so things are really hurting. Never seen all the hay up, moved, and fescue seed combined by this time of year. Very very odd.

 

[pups and bucks]

Was visiting with a fellow the other day about square balers,he said that you need to keep 2 or 3 around so when one breaks down you just grab another and keep baling.I must say that I agree with him cuz when the hay is ready it needs to get put up.
I have two...........

 

[R A]

Yes our rocks don't hold moisture...We are always 2 weeks from a drought. Haven't had quite 5" since mid march so things are really hurting. Never seen all the hay up, moved, and fescue seed combined by this time of year. Very very odd.

I hope you get some rain. Looks like I'll be dry now too from the sounds of it. It was crazy how early warm weather hit and got everything to grow even up here!

Was visiting with a fellow the other day about square balers,he said that you need to keep 2 or 3 around so when one breaks down you just grab another and keep baling.I must say that I agree with him cuz when the hay is ready it needs to get put up.
I have two...........

Having started getting my feet wet now with doing my own square bales, I can see how true that would be. I would feel a lot better having a couple working ones when hay is getting put down! ...someday I will.

 

[North Ridge Ranching]

I have to give you credit RA. The chuckles that you have given some of us as you are learning is priceless. This is by no means an insult, many of us have been through similar circumstances as you, we just had our father or grandfather to guide us through or laugh at us while we learnt. You have more drive than most of us and I hope you never lose it. You have great looking stock there and many more experienced ranchers that would be quite jealous, as I am.

I love how you talk about your woodworking as a simple pallet restoration or a simple table. That is some fine work you have done and if the calf price drops to much, I know what you can sideline in.

 

[R A]

I have to give you credit RA. The chuckles that you have given some of us as you are learning is priceless. This is by no means an insult, many of us have been through similar circumstances as you, we just had our father or grandfather to guide us through or laugh at us while we learnt. You have more drive than most of us and I hope you never lose it. You have great looking stock there and many more experienced ranchers that would be quite jealous, as I am.

I love how you talk about your woodworking as a simple pallet restoration or a simple table. That is some fine work you have done and if the calf price drops to much, I know what you can sideline in.

Thanks for this, North Ridge Rancher! I appreciate it! Ah, no need to be jealous of me!...I'm jealous of all you guys on here!!! I wish I had a personal mentor for this stuff! Great weekend to let any great fathers and grandpas and such know how much you appreciate them! It's going to be crazy how many more mistakes I am going to make

I just started playing with the woodworking. I like it! I have a chain saw and a circular saw...as soon as I get a better saw for cutting true 90's and other angles, I'm going to start trying to make more things. Going to rebuild everything in the house, if it works out.