Since I'm Doing Idiot Squares Anyway

[m16ty]

I actually can't see the economic utility in keeping a baler around to do 300 small squares, unless it's in perfect running condition and serves as a backup to clean up a field if the round baler breaks.

But also... the economic argument for a lot of what we do on farms, especially small ones, is mostly out the window anyway.


My "magic number" to justify having a baler of either type is around 3,000 small squares, or about 150 round bales... either for sale or your own use. Otherwise, I would try to work with a neighbor that has the other type of baler... which isn't always possible either... farmers are staunchly independent people. To that end, I can think of a few instances, where farmers around me have more modern small square balers, in better condition than mine... and they haven't put a single bale of hay through them in a few years or more...as they have either switched to round bales, silage... or gotten out of hay completely, but aren't forced to sell anything.

My square baler is at least as old as I am (50), it’s the only square baler we have ever had. It might sit in the barn for 2 seasons and not get used, but I can pull it out of the shed, grease it up, and go right to baling.

I am working with a neighbor to put about 30 rolls here at my place. I’ve got all the equipment 10 miles away at the main family farm, but I worked out a deal with my neighbor so I don’t have to move all that equipment back and forth to my place. Basically I have a 20 acre field I wasn’t doing anything with, so my neighbor and I turned it into a hay field. We split all inputs, he has the equipment, I own the land, and we split the hay.