(quoted from post at 00:36:09 12/30/14)
I was lucky this year. The haybine broke just before the round baler and the 68 busted right after the round baler. Since the haybine was busted anyway, I couldn't make hay and I couldn't blame either of the balers for holding me up!
Am I lucky or what?!! :lol:
Well in hindsight I should elaborate, I stated earlier that I had only ever lost approximately 35 bales due to a broke down baler and while that is indeed true but that total only involves hay that was already cut on the ground, tedded/raked, and otherwise ready to bale.
This year I did not cut my first cutting when I ideally would have because my baler was not all repaired from last cutting 2013. Had my baler been ready to go I would have had one good hay window to do it early. Instead, the weather turned to rain every couple of days and I ended up doing my 1st cutting about when I would normally do 2nd cutting. Lots of other people in my area were in a similar boat. Regardless I end up losing one whole cutting in 2014 due to not doing my first until so late. This was in a way costly for me since I only do meager acreage.
I should be able to pretty much overcome any adversity in the future equipment wise:
My primary wower will remain my 1120 Hesston mower conditioner (aka haybine).
2nd back up mower will be a New Idea 30A trailer sickle mower
3rd back up will be my ole trusty square back bushog to cut. (Yeah there is yield loss using the bushog but anything is better than nothing and I started this hay hobby using my ole bushog as a cutter so I know it works).
Primary mowing tractor will be 1946 Farmall M
2nd back up mowing tractor will be 1951 Farmall h
3rd back up mowing tractor will be 1950 John Deere A
Raking I have 2 very similar JD 594 rakes that I have totally refurb'd. I use these to both rake and improvise tedd. Both work very well. Have not even broken a tine on either in 5 years or more. Grease and go.
Primary rake tractors are:
1950 John Deere A
1951 Farmall H
1946 Farmall M
1978 Kubota L285
My one true tedder is a junk pile special that I hope to use for first time in 2015. Guessing the Farmall h will be the primary tedder tractor.
Balers: 1960 New Holland 65 will remain my frontline baler.
1959'ish New Holland Super 68 will be my back up machine.
Primary baler tractor is the 1946 Farmall M
2nd backup baler tractor will be the 1951 Farmall h
3rd backup baler tractor will be the 1978 Kubota L285
Oh and the wife just bought a Ford 850 tractor that I will need to find a use for somewhere so as to get it some run time. Also have Ford Jubilee that runs but needs work which may see some rake or tedding duty. Also have an old Case DC that runs good but needs a few things. Have no idea what I will use that ole Case for.
Oh it may be time to thin the tractor herd some. Problem is the tractors that I ideally would want to sell have the most sentimental meaning to the wife. Case DC and the Ford 850 were both her Dad's so I can not sell either of those. I personally love the Farmall m and the Farmall h so those are not going anywhere. Kubota has extremely low hours and very handy for the loader - hate to sell that. The Jubilee also has a nice loader on it that could be quite handy. Maybe I put that loader on the wifes new 850 and sell the Jubilee and the Kubota. Really like the John 1950 Deere A and it does not use a drop of oil which is rare for a putt putt but it is looking like odd man out as wife sometimes struggles with the hand clutch - sure hate to sell it though as it rides so smooth raking. Ah decisions decisions decisions.