Hayguy
Well-known member
am interested in how small square bales are handled in other parts of the countries, body is getting old, mind is still weak 
looking for an easier way
looking for an easier waysmall square bales
- Thread starter Hayguy
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Faster horses
Well-known member
We used small square bales for years and Mr.FH has the back to prove it.
The surgeon said that those idiot cubes have made him a lot of money.
Anyhow, when we moved to W. Montana we bought a Harrobed--a
machine that picked up the square bales. They were called that because
the man who invented them named them after his daughter, Deborrah,
which is Harrobed spelled backwards. (I thought it was Harrowbed,
but I don't think her name had a 'w' in it.)
They work real well, our neighbor then had a retreiver put on a truck that
he used to feed with. Us, we still loaded them on a trailer from
the haystack by hand in order to feed the cows.
Those square bales sure are nice, but so much more work.
The harrowbeds were available from a place in New Plymouth, Idaho.
You could buy them 2 bales wide or 3 bales wide. Ours held 69
bales if I recall correctly. The bales went 7 high and was 2 bales wide.
There definitely is a trick to running them and you need a real flat
place to set them and you need a backstop to set them against.
Different size bales dictated how many you could haul.
Edited to say they were made by New Holland as jody mentioned.
Hope this helps!
The surgeon said that those idiot cubes have made him a lot of money.
Anyhow, when we moved to W. Montana we bought a Harrobed--a
machine that picked up the square bales. They were called that because
the man who invented them named them after his daughter, Deborrah,
which is Harrobed spelled backwards. (I thought it was Harrowbed,
but I don't think her name had a 'w' in it.)
They work real well, our neighbor then had a retreiver put on a truck that
he used to feed with. Us, we still loaded them on a trailer from
the haystack by hand in order to feed the cows.
Those square bales sure are nice, but so much more work.
The harrowbeds were available from a place in New Plymouth, Idaho.
You could buy them 2 bales wide or 3 bales wide. Ours held 69
bales if I recall correctly. The bales went 7 high and was 2 bales wide.
There definitely is a trick to running them and you need a real flat
place to set them and you need a backstop to set them against.
Different size bales dictated how many you could haul.
Edited to say they were made by New Holland as jody mentioned.
Hope this helps!
jodywy
Well-known member
idiot cubes here most are selfpropelled New holland bale stackers, stackliners. Game and fish are the big buyer for thier elk feedlots -feedgrounds. Then horse people. Those selling alot of hay use 4x4 or 3x3. Most everybody that feeds use rounds.
There are a few places still use a accumulator and a 8 or ten pack bale hand, some home made ones on loaders that load semis off the bale wagon stacks.
There are a few places still use a accumulator and a 8 or ten pack bale hand, some home made ones on loaders that load semis off the bale wagon stacks.
Shortgrass
Well-known member
I heard that small squares were from Mexico, invented by a man named Manual Labor. The Hydrabed was the best improvement I ever purchased.
We have a couple 15 pack hay grapples. One we made and the others a factory made one.
Here's the factory one.
http://www.thebalehandler.com/Small_Bale_Handlers/TBH12.htm
I still just load them by hand when I feed. I hope to find an easier way some day. I have a friend and fellow rancher here in the valley I travel with a lot. When ever he'd see some small bales when we'd travel together he'd start going off about them. Finally one day I told him I thought a mans bales were a reflection of there stomach. A man with big bales normally had a big belly, a man with round bales had a round belly and a man with small bales had a small belly. That shut him up pretty good.
Here's the factory one.
http://www.thebalehandler.com/Small_Bale_Handlers/TBH12.htm
I still just load them by hand when I feed. I hope to find an easier way some day. I have a friend and fellow rancher here in the valley I travel with a lot. When ever he'd see some small bales when we'd travel together he'd start going off about them. Finally one day I told him I thought a mans bales were a reflection of there stomach. A man with big bales normally had a big belly, a man with round bales had a round belly and a man with small bales had a small belly. That shut him up pretty good.
loomixguy
Well-known member
I've got a FarmHand 8 bale accumulator and the 8 pack bale fork that goes with it. Worked real good to load trucks. I had it mounted on an F 11 FarmHand loader.
I might be convinced to part with them...maybe. When I was looking for them a long time ago they were sure hard to find in this area.
The nice thing with grass hay was you could mow, rake, bale, and get 'em in the hay barn, all in the same day. Trick was to only mow enough that would make between 250-300 bales a day. The racehorse folks at Fonner Park & Lincoln just loved my hay. Even sent a load to Remington Park once.
I might be convinced to part with them...maybe. When I was looking for them a long time ago they were sure hard to find in this area.
The nice thing with grass hay was you could mow, rake, bale, and get 'em in the hay barn, all in the same day. Trick was to only mow enough that would make between 250-300 bales a day. The racehorse folks at Fonner Park & Lincoln just loved my hay. Even sent a load to Remington Park once.
littlejoe
Well-known member
If you rig some chain into the 'tilt' function on your grapple, it's way quicker--can kinda plunk it on the stack and throw a little slack into the chain, rather than try to get it to exact level hydrauliclly.
Although we feed mostly round bales, still got the little stackwagon and 1283--always nice to have some around and always easy to sell if you want to. Since we're basically round, any little squares we put up are premo--we get a field part baled and rains coming, we stack it quick and finish anything that got wet round.
Although we feed mostly round bales, still got the little stackwagon and 1283--always nice to have some around and always easy to sell if you want to. Since we're basically round, any little squares we put up are premo--we get a field part baled and rains coming, we stack it quick and finish anything that got wet round.
jodywy
Well-known member
traded my super 1049 stackliner for a round baler, practally gave away the 2 1283 balers with extra plungers and parts.We has every 283 in the county bought and stripped downlittlejoe said:
Oldgoat
Member
More years ago than I like to remember, we did all of our haying by hand with one team of horses. We mowed with a five-foot sickle mower, raked with a 12-foot dump rake and stacked with two guys with pitchforks onto a hayrack.
Then it was off to the stackyard where the hay was stacked again by hand.
In the winter it was the reverse - horses pulled the same hayrack up to the stack, hay was thrown on it and taken to feed the cows.
The up-to-date guys used tractors and stacked with an f-11 Farmhand.
About 1957, someone started baling. then came the mower-conditioner and New Holland bale wagons.
The most poignant observation was that in those days - the 1950s -, there were no fat farmers or ranchers, not even an overweight one and heart attacks and colesteral was rare - no one even know what they were. (There were rumors back then that some guys were so strong they went bear hunting with a stick.)
Even with smaller herds and poor calf prices, a rancher could make a pretty good living with 75-100 cows.
Most of the revenue from cattle goes for interest, equipment, fuel and repairs.
Then it was off to the stackyard where the hay was stacked again by hand.
In the winter it was the reverse - horses pulled the same hayrack up to the stack, hay was thrown on it and taken to feed the cows.
The up-to-date guys used tractors and stacked with an f-11 Farmhand.
About 1957, someone started baling. then came the mower-conditioner and New Holland bale wagons.
The most poignant observation was that in those days - the 1950s -, there were no fat farmers or ranchers, not even an overweight one and heart attacks and colesteral was rare - no one even know what they were. (There were rumors back then that some guys were so strong they went bear hunting with a stick.)
Even with smaller herds and poor calf prices, a rancher could make a pretty good living with 75-100 cows.
Most of the revenue from cattle goes for interest, equipment, fuel and repairs.
Haytrucker
Well-known member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 776
I remember the days of 8 to 12 thousand of them thar' "little bales". Dad used to stack with the F-10 until us boys got a little older, then a 289 Hayliner changed my life forever. Rarely we were caught up to where we could stack out of the field with the sweep head, usually it was " hurry and load them bales so we can turn the cows in there".
I don't think he knew how much he was teaching us; I know for darn sure I didn't know how much I was learning.
As to the question asked, I've no valid input, last winter I fed round bales off a flatbed with a pitch fork. I'd a rather been looking at a big ol' stack of square bales.
I don't think he knew how much he was teaching us; I know for darn sure I didn't know how much I was learning.
As to the question asked, I've no valid input, last winter I fed round bales off a flatbed with a pitch fork. I'd a rather been looking at a big ol' stack of square bales.
Things have surely changed. The difference when I was a kid to today is quite astounding. After a summer on the working end of a fork loading hay and then stacking it at home, I had a pretty decent wrist shot for hockey. The automatic 6 bale stooker, fel and self unloading hay wagon..... well that was progress from a fork. Feeding hay with a sled pulled by a snowmobile..... that's a way to get a kid to feed cows... buy a snowmobile. No diet required, but did require several pairs of gloves and canvas chaps to save the jeans. One summer we put up 8000 sq bales and i thought they would never end.
Today the bales and my belly are round and the tension on the twine and my belt are similiar. The other thing that changed is how "busy" the business has become. In the short time I have been in the cattle business I have made it very busy with all the "stuff" it takes to run a ranch. This past summer, with the help of my two sons we put up 5000 round bales and put under a roof about 5000 small squares (sp picker). I wonder if my two boys will remember this summer like I remember that one? Hmmmm.
Crazy thing - I remember that summer fondly.(now)
It doesnt have to be this busy, but it takes some discipline to walk away from the latest piece of equipment to "save work". We realize we havent saved any work. It just changed from manually doing it ......to now we shopping for it, learn how to run its computer, make sure we insure it, washing it, changing its oil, storing it for winter, getting it ready for spring and yes my favorite fixing it and my second favorite trading it off while its still worth something and replacing it.
2011 is the year of simplifying "it". I wonder what the old cows are thinking..... This is progress from a cows perspective, our "owner" sure is now working hard for us! Cows, equipment and dealers you are put on notice....
Oops a rant and a little off topic - my apology
:wink:
Today the bales and my belly are round and the tension on the twine and my belt are similiar. The other thing that changed is how "busy" the business has become. In the short time I have been in the cattle business I have made it very busy with all the "stuff" it takes to run a ranch. This past summer, with the help of my two sons we put up 5000 round bales and put under a roof about 5000 small squares (sp picker). I wonder if my two boys will remember this summer like I remember that one? Hmmmm.
Crazy thing - I remember that summer fondly.(now)
It doesnt have to be this busy, but it takes some discipline to walk away from the latest piece of equipment to "save work". We realize we havent saved any work. It just changed from manually doing it ......to now we shopping for it, learn how to run its computer, make sure we insure it, washing it, changing its oil, storing it for winter, getting it ready for spring and yes my favorite fixing it and my second favorite trading it off while its still worth something and replacing it.
2011 is the year of simplifying "it". I wonder what the old cows are thinking..... This is progress from a cows perspective, our "owner" sure is now working hard for us! Cows, equipment and dealers you are put on notice....
Oops a rant and a little off topic - my apology
:wink:
I have a 1032 NH bale wagon boughten new in 1976. Used hard every year until 1996 then 2-3000 bales a year until two years ago. Original hydraulic pump and hydraulic motor on the bale pickup. Small bales are real handy when you winter calf to carry into barns and sheds. Quit winter calving and no longer need them. Had a bad knee since high school. It has gotten way better since we quit small bales entirely.
jodywy
Well-known member
As a kid I remeber we baled the alfalfa on the dry farm a wagon behind the baler a hand on the wagon, another shutting wagons, and 2 or 3 unloading and stacking>The meadows was still lose,Dad be on the phone every morning trying to get 5 to 8 men hay crew. Then the we baled everything , used a slip in the meadows but still 4 or 5 hired men. Next a new baler , and a 1010 bale wagon still took 4 of us to hay. Then 2 1283 balers and a super 1049 stackliner, still 4 of the family to hay. Now I swath, rake,round bale and haul pretty much by my self.
littlejoe
Well-known member
"......1010 bale wagon still took 4 of us to hay......"
Well, ya---but if the 1010 was like the one I was exposed to, it took one guy to run it and 2 more to clean up the mess he made with it.
Well, ya---but if the 1010 was like the one I was exposed to, it took one guy to run it and 2 more to clean up the mess he made with it.
Hayguy
Well-known member
thank-you all for your replies. we still put up around twenty thousand small bales per year mostly for the horse market. started years ago on the old manuel stookers, and progressed on up as most of you have to today, where my wife and i are the crew. kids still come home to tarp the stacks and get fed we load trucks and trailers out of the stacks with a bale grab similar to Ned Jr's . we deliver 95% of it in smaller loads(under 200 bales) as the people don,t have much storage.need to find a cost efficient way (cheap) :lol: way to self unload at these places. retrievers won't work as they take the bottom bales and we don't ship bottoms, thats what the cows are for! thanx again for all the input
we load trucks and trailers out of the stacks with a bale grab similar to Ned Jr's . we deliver 95% of it in smaller loads(under 200 bales) as the people don,t have much storage.need to find a cost efficient way (cheap) :lol: way to self unload at these places. retrievers won't work as they take the bottom bales and we don't ship bottoms, thats what the cows are for! thanx again for all the inputIf you are selling in lots of under 200 could you put them on a flat bed and pull a trailer with a skid steer and retriever?
When delivering small lots of seed we put the seed on a flatbed and pull a skid steer with pallet forks and then the customer can return the skids or pay a reasonable charge and keep the skids.
Most of the larger customers have either skid steers with forks or forklifts - - - Our biggest customer takes 3 full 53' traliers of seed and usually a couple more mini bulks on a flat bed. But we have several customers that take three to five pallets of seed and they think it is great we will deliver and put the seed where they want it. We still have one 84 years young man that only has about 95 acres he puts half in corn and half in beans every year and we hand unload for him but he is a 100% customer of ours and has been for many years so he gets pampered if he needs it! We give a couple of pounds of sweet corn seed to every customer that wants it. Cost us very little and pays great returns in word of mouth!
We also have conveyors to load the customers seed wagons at our warehouse.
I feel every seed company out ther has a good product and as such we have to have the best service available to keep growing!
When delivering small lots of seed we put the seed on a flatbed and pull a skid steer with pallet forks and then the customer can return the skids or pay a reasonable charge and keep the skids.
Most of the larger customers have either skid steers with forks or forklifts - - - Our biggest customer takes 3 full 53' traliers of seed and usually a couple more mini bulks on a flat bed. But we have several customers that take three to five pallets of seed and they think it is great we will deliver and put the seed where they want it. We still have one 84 years young man that only has about 95 acres he puts half in corn and half in beans every year and we hand unload for him but he is a 100% customer of ours and has been for many years so he gets pampered if he needs it! We give a couple of pounds of sweet corn seed to every customer that wants it. Cost us very little and pays great returns in word of mouth!
We also have conveyors to load the customers seed wagons at our warehouse.
I feel every seed company out ther has a good product and as such we have to have the best service available to keep growing!
littlejoe
Well-known member
hayguy said:thank-you all for your replies. we still put up around twenty thousand small bales per year mostly for the horse market. started years ago on the old manuel stookers, and progressed on up as most of you have to today, where my wife and i are the crew. kids still come home to tarp the stacks and get fed
A kid around here used to have a gooseneck for this. Triple axle, pull with dually, you set the brakes on trailer, pulled a pin and the axles would slide on frame. You backed up till back of tailer was in the dirt.
There was a winch that went to top front corner of load. It slid load off/trailer ahead. You had your load kinda 'banded' with poly rope. It's slick and pulls out easy, tied to the trailer. The stacks would stand good. Pull ahead a bit, get the axles back where they belonged and you're outa there.
Big Muddy rancher
Well-known member
littlejoe said:hayguy said:thank-you all for your replies. we still put up around twenty thousand small bales per year mostly for the horse market. started years ago on the old manuel stookers, and progressed on up as most of you have to today, where my wife and i are the crew. kids still come home to tarp the stacks and get fed
A kid around here used to have a gooseneck for this. Triple axle, pull with dually, you set the brakes on trailer, pulled a pin and the axles would slide on frame. You backed up till back of tailer was in the dirt.
There was a winch that went to top front corner of load. It slid load off/trailer ahead. You had your load kinda 'banded' with poly rope. It's slick and pulls out easy, tied to the trailer. The stacks would stand good. Pull ahead a bit, get the axles back where they belonged and you're outa there.
I know where there is one of those trailers.
What about a cage you could stack 200 in from your stack and when you get them the buyer tip it up and stack them in their yard?
littlejoe
Well-known member
Big Muddy rancher said:littlejoe said:hayguy said:thank-you all for your replies. we still put up around twenty thousand small bales per year mostly for the horse market. started years ago on the old manuel stookers, and progressed on up as most of you have to today, where my wife and i are the crew. kids still come home to tarp the stacks and get fed
A kid around here used to have a gooseneck for this. Triple axle, pull with dually, you set the brakes on trailer, pulled a pin and the axles would slide on frame. You backed up till back of tailer was in the dirt.
There was a winch that went to top front corner of load. It slid load off/trailer ahead. You had your load kinda 'banded' with poly rope. It's slick and pulls out easy, tied to the trailer. The stacks would stand good. Pull ahead a bit, get the axles back where they belonged and you're outa there.
I know where there is one of those trailers.
What about a cage you could stack 200 in from your stack and when you get them the buyer tip it up and stack them in their yard?
I bought little bales from a neighbor one time----he'd just stack them about 5 hi on farm truck with clamp, raise the hoist and they'd stay togethor pretty good--poly ropes again.