I just love seeing bales on the open field. We decided to get some small square bales done up this year just so we could take pictures of them. I guess we also wanted them for Rosebud this winter. In ages past we’ve only ever sold the hay on the stump (the farmer comes in and buys the hay still standing then they cut and bale and haul off). We’ve had no need for feed but now that we have a cow it kind of comes in handy to have a hay field. Not too many people do small square bales anymore as they are really labor intensive. If all goes right (big if) you can get more money for them than the more common large round and large square bales. The higher cost will hopefully make up for all the added inputs involved in cutting, baling, collecting,  stacking, tarping, storing and selling in potentially smaller quantities which comes with small square bales. We got a local farmer to come and cut and bale but now we are stuck with 950 bales. So if you know anyone that needs about 800 small square bales for their horses or goats (or whatever other animal eats hay) let them know you know of  a secret supply of super duper completely organic and extra tasty hay.   Here’s a video of a bale wagon doing it’s thing.

It’s pretty fun watching this thing go around the field picking up all these bales. It’s way better than what I had to do as a kid when an old farmer used to drag me around the back of the tracker stouking hay (triangle stacks you used to see in the fields in the country). We’d then take a bale wagon and load everything by hand then unload them into a barn. Itchy, scratchy, tiresome work for a sixteen year old. This beautiful tractor is a 1963 Allis Chalmers version. It works great with the open cab to run the fairly well used bale wagon. For those of you wondering if you’ve entered a time warp I’ll set your mind at ease. It is 2011 and this machinery is still working. Rather amazing really. Using equipment like this decreases costs for a small time farmer and allows lower overhead. It also increases headaches in broken down equipment but that’s a small cost considering a new tractor can cost more than a good sized house. After all the headache and risks are overcome I am really glad we did the small squares. It provided for great photo’s and Rosebud will have a lot of tasty feed for the winter. Win, win.