Do I need more tractor

My plan for some time now has been to retire and move to New Hampshire to do small scale hay farming, probably around 15-20 acres. I have two solid 1010s and was intending to use those. I know tractors of this size/HP were commonly used for this purpose on smaller farms in the 1950s, so should I consider adding a larger tractor to supplement existing equipment? I would prefer to use what I have, but want to make sure I set myself up for success.
Thanks
Todd
 
Will you be farming hills? Do you plan to pull a wagon behind your baler or just drop them on the ground? A small tractor,hills and a loaded wagon behind a baler could be a bad combination. Tom
 
Too many variables to give a useful answer. What kind of haying equipment do you plan on pulling with these tractors? What is the ground like where you plan on making hay? What is the terrain like between the field and home?

Making hay on flat land is a whole different animal than making hay on the side of the mountain. Even if the field is fairly flat, you still need to get the equipment to and from the fields and the final product home from the fields. My understanding and experience with New Hampshire is that there is very little level ground and plenty of hills.
 
There is only one answer which is correct. Yes, definitely.

Tractors are like the old saying: little is good, more is better. This holds true both in the
quantity and the size of said tractors.
 
I will be using a 7 foot JD 350 mower and 14/24t baler. Not sure yet about a kicker. I will pick up a rake and Tedder once I get up there. I have not purchased any property up there yet, so time is on my side and I intend to find the flattest ground available. The land is the unknown in the equation, but will do my best at getting favorable conditions. I should mention that I still have 5 years before retiring, so plenty of time to work issues and obtain whatever equipment is needed. Just trying to get ahead of this.
Thanks
Todd
 
Id feel like with the amount your doing and factoring in that
your haying because you enjoy it if its after retirement, a JD
2355 or 2555 would be a nice little main tractor. Maybe even a
cab if you wanted one.
 
I don't have experience with that tractor running a baler but I did use a 550 Cockshutt.
Tractor data says it is about the same HP. I would have no problem using that size for what
you want. Even rolling hills won't be to bad. Not sure how you want to pick bales but to
pull a wagon behind I am told that you would need more HP than you have. When I was younger
we picked with a pickup truck after the fact. You said you were going to retire so I am
thinking you will not be loading by hand so a picker is going to be your next thing. I would
not use that small tractor for any picker. Maybe look at getting something a bit bigger that
will handle a picker.
 
(quoted from post at 10:31:46 03/08/21) I will be using a 7 foot JD 350 mower and 14/24t baler. Not sure yet about a kicker. I will pick up a rake and Tedder once I get up there. I have not purchased any property up there yet, so time is on my side and I intend to find the flattest ground available. The land is the unknown in the equation, but will do my best at getting favorable conditions. I should mention that I still have 5 years before retiring, so plenty of time to work issues and obtain whatever equipment is needed. Just trying to get ahead of this.
Thanks
Todd

I'd say you'd be fine. Instead of a kicker and kicker wagons, consider a hay basket. I have smaller fields here in northern NY and they work nice once you learn how to rake and trun them. Yes, you will want a tedder. If you want a haybine, I've run a 9 foot NH with a Cockshutt 30. A 7 footer is even easier on it and much less hassle than a sickle bar. I'd strongly suggest something like a 256 NH rake.
 
We did a lot of farming in the 60's with Farmall H's and Wd-45's which both have less H.P. than a 1010, live PTO is more important and power steering would be my focus.
 
If you can locate one, and it might not be too difficult in NH, a bale sled works very well on hilly ground with a smallish tractor. Back in the day we put up 15K bales a year with two JD A's, a JD B, 14T baler w/sled, and three flat racks. At the end of any given day we put up considerably more tonnage than neighbors with kickers.
 
Your tractors will do the job, but I would consider a 50hp 4x4, just to get 4 wheel braking if you need it. I've taken a couple of rides
with the rears skidding!

Bill
 
You can do it but you may want to move up to 45-50 hp for more power and weight . As mentioned a lot depends on how you plan to put
up the hay. Square bales dropped on the ground- you will be fine. Kicker baler with wagons behind the baler - you may want
something bigger unless you are on fairly flat ground. Round baler - you will need a bigger tractor. You can start out small with
what you have and get better equipment if/when needed.
 
Both of the 1010s have power steering and live PTO. Im not familiar with picker, sled or hay basket, but given my time frame, all options are on the table. Id like to learn as much as I can to make the best choice. Im no stranger to row crop equipment or mowers, but Ive never done hay before.
 
I have in the last 8-9 years since semi-retirement mostly round baled. For what little square baling I have done we use a 24T and either a basket wagon (google it) or we also have a bale wagon that picks up and either stacks or unloads the bales onto a hay conveyer at the barn. This rig may be what was refered to above as a "picker". For either of these options 50hp is bare minimum if your fields are table top flat; both work comfortably behind 70hp.
 
Without seeing the fields in question I would want one tractor to be 50-60 PTO HP with power brakes, live PTO, and some ballast. 30 sixty-five pound bales is 1950
pounds or 50 pounds short of a ton. Sizable hay wagons can carry, 3,4, or more tons of hay then there is the weight of the wagon itself. My old thrower wagons would
hold around 150 bales so nearly 6 tons of heavy hay plus wagon. Be safe.
 
You will be fine. You will need to find smaller equipment. Those saying you need 50HP don't have a clue. For many years there were not 50hp tractors and people still farmed. You just have to go a little
slower, watch what you are doing and be careful. My dad and grandpa farmed 400 acres with a farmall f-20 and ford 8n. I used to do 25 with an oliver 88 and that same 8n. Have fun in retirement...
 
No disrespect intended, but isn't that a "well, Duh?" sort of question?
Has any red blooded American ( Canadian ) farmboy EVER thought of NOT having more tractor?

Just funnin' ya!

Fr. Bob
 
For a small acreage,how about just dropping them on the ground and hand picking/stacking?Gat a wagon/small trailer and hire some help.Dont need all the fancy equipment. A mower/small haybine,rake
and small baler will get you started. Add bigger later as you get going and need more.I have baled wth an 8N Ford,so your 1010s will be just fine.As you buy equipment,if it doesn't come ith the manuals,order them ASAP before you start to use the equipment.
 
Most of the land in New Hampshire is a 15% grade away from any river flat. That's 1.5 feet of drop in 10 linear feet if you extended a tape measure straight out. The high HP is to compensate for operating on the hillsides. More power needed to go up the hill versus working on level land and tractor weight to hold the load it is pulling. Most wagon gears are 9 X 18 and the temptation will be there to max out the capacity. 14 X 18 X 42 bale with a good grass/legume mix will make that bale weigh 60 pounds or more. I've got an 88 and would not want to go down hill with it with manual brakes being pushed by a 1.5 ton baler plus 3,4, or more tons of hay plus wagon if that hill has much more than a 10 percent grade. On the flat a person can make a lot of things work in terms of power. At home I can make a M work on the baler as any hills are very gradual but on the other farm the hills can be over 20 percent grade in spots so the JD 4010 would go on the baler there.
 
I would get a Ford 5000. Good solid tractor with a few more ponies
than you have.

Vito
 
To me, retirement and putting up small square bales don't seem to go together, LOL. What will you do with the hay: feed it to your own livestock or sell it on the local market? Do you have a reliable source of labor?

I think the people recommending a larger tractor are thinking of handling more hay ground more efficiently and more profitably. If you are doing this for entertainment rather than profit, I would stay with your existing tractors, and run less ground more slowly. You would have less money invested in land and equipment and maybe you can get the same pleasure from putting up 5 tons of hay compared to 25 or 100 tons, especially after age 70.

Have fun in your retirement.
 
Before I joined the Navy, I drove a tow truck so I can definitely appreciate what youre saying. I will be making a trip up there this Spring (hopefully) to see what the land is like and make decisions based off that. I have no problem getting bigger equipment if I need it, but ONLY if I need it. I would love to get a nice 2520 as I have heard they are pretty fair improvement over the 3010/3020. The last want to do is not think this through and end up killing myself or damaging what I have already spent money on!
 
(quoted from post at 11:15:57 03/08/21) To me, retirement and putting up small square bales don't seem to go together, LOL. What will you do with the hay: feed it to your own livestock or sell it on the local market? Do you have a reliable source of labor?

I think the people recommending a larger tractor are thinking of handling more hay ground more efficiently and more profitably. If you are doing this for entertainment rather than profit, I would stay with your existing tractors, and run less ground more slowly. You would have less money invested in land and equipment and maybe you can get the same pleasure from putting up 5 tons of hay compared to 25 or 100 tons, especially after age 70.

Have fun in your retirement.

My understanding is that there are lots of horses up there so I intended to offer the hay to local farms. I certainly dont mind going slowly and yes, I do want to enjoy my retirement! As this is a first time endeavor for me, Im sure it will take me a couple of seasons to get reasonably proficient at it. I guess I envision this as similar to locally grown vegetables sold to local establishments, but on a small scale to reduce stress and pressure.
 
Around here nobody wants to do grunt work plus the Mennonites and Amish tend to be busy. In New Hampshire I would expect it to be worse plus no Mennonites or Amish. Boston is the nearest major city for a lot of NH. I'd plan on working alone and be pleasantly surprised when somebody worthwhile answers a help wanted ad who actually wants to work. Work a plan where the hay made for the day winds up under cover before dark.
 
It's like trying to choose a career path before you graduate high school. Now you get to do it all over
again before you retire. Just remember, the newer equipment has safety features, the old stuff does not!
 
A couple more questions/thoughts that may affect your decisions- it sounds like you do not live in the area or own land there yet?
It may take time to develop good hay customers so starting slow might be a good idea as you are basically new to this and need to
get a feel for putting up good hay. Depending on the part of NH you intend to live the soils and terrain can vary greatly from flat
highly productive river flats to rocky low fertility soils in the hillier/mountain areas of the state. Proximity to customers is
important to a small scale hay producer. Lastly based on the assumption that you are not living there now, how far are you going to
have to move your tractors and any equipment you may own? It may be cheaper to sell things and buy them once you are moved . That
being said I have a friend who moved a whole herd of dairy cows and small line of equipment from WI to Central NY about 40 years
ago , and a few years ago a former hay customer that moved a small line of equipment and about 25 horses from Central NY to
Southeastern OH, so it can be done.
 
How far? Well, I currently live on Norfolk, Va, so hauling the equipment will take a couple days driving I guess. I did wonder about selling and re-buying but as I have put quite a bit of effort into making what equipment I have as reliable as possible, I am somewhat reluctant to get rid of it. So not out of the question, just would not be my first choice. It really does seem like getting anything else would not make much sense, though.
 
A 36 hp tractor is real good at putting up 20 or so acres of hay if you use a smal sickle mower or conditioner and small square bales.

If you want to do round bales or use a disc mower or most especially a good bigger sickle conditioner or disc conditioner, you might want more hp. Well you would need
more hp.

The next step up would be 60hp, for round bales or a better mower.

80-120hp might be needed for the real good, modern stuff.

So, I would be concerned about how you cut and condition your hay with under 40 hp. That might be the hardest part.

Then, what baler are you looking to use? 36 hp will be nice for a 30+ year old baler that would get the job done easily.

Paul
 
I do not intend on round baling at all. It will be small square bales from a 14/24T. I already have a JD 7 foot 350 mower, so was going to use that. Had not wanted to use a haybine, just a mower, tedder, rake and baler. Have not decided on a wagon or basket.
 
What are your objectives at this point if I may ask? Is there family in NH? It seems like an unusual move. It will take time to develop your hay business from a
marketing standpoint. Good ground on the river flats but no shortage of competition for it. I would imagine taxes are plenty in VA but may be worse in NH. The
growing season will be noticeably shorter to boot.
 
(quoted from post at 05:01:34 03/08/21) My plan for some time now has been to retire and move to New Hampshire to do small scale hay farming, probably around 15-20 acres. I have two solid 1010s and was intending to use those. I know tractors of this size/HP were commonly used for this purpose on smaller farms in the 1950s, so should I consider adding a larger tractor to supplement existing equipment? I would prefer to use what I have, but want to make sure I set myself up for success.
Thanks
Todd

Your 1010 will handle 15-20 acres of hay with the right sized equipment.

Doing 4-5 acres at a time with a single cut be perfectly fine.

If you want to do all 15-20 acres a day and take multiple cuts, different story.
 
(quoted from post at 13:52:21 03/08/21) What are your objectives at this point if I may ask? Is there family in NH? It seems like an unusual move. It will take time to develop your hay business from a
marketing standpoint. Good ground on the river flats but no shortage of competition for it. I would imagine taxes are plenty in VA but may be worse in NH. The
growing season will be noticeably shorter to boot.

Well, dont laugh too hard, but after being in Norfolk for 25 years and so rarely seeing snow, we miss winter. I also have family in CT. And NH is also one of the best states from a military retirement perspective. So NH is what were looking at.
 
If you get a tedder you can get along without a haybine. A lot of making dry hay is having the time to do things at the optimal
time with weather on your side. I have a friend who does a couple three hundred bales a year here in CNY with just a sickle mower
and a tedder. If you do this in retirement you should have the time available and that helps alot. I have put up 3500-4500 square
bales a year alone for 30 plus years all done around a full time job (at one time a full and a part time job) using vacation time,
nights and weekends.
 
Your two 1010s are one more than you need. You surely don't need a 3rd larger tractor. I had been doing the same thing for 15 years with a Farmall 350 - about the same
size tractor as your 1010. Runs a 7' mower, a basket rake and a 278 New Holland baler. Works perfectly.
 
(quoted from post at 15:28:46 03/08/21)
(quoted from post at 11:15:57 03/08/21) To me, retirement and putting up small square bales don't seem to go together, LOL. What will you do with the hay: feed it to your own livestock or sell it on the local market? Do you have a reliable source of labor?

I think the people recommending a larger tractor are thinking of handling more hay ground more efficiently and more profitably. If you are doing this for entertainment rather than profit, I would stay with your existing tractors, and run less ground more slowly. You would have less money invested in land and equipment and maybe you can get the same pleasure from putting up 5 tons of hay compared to 25 or 100 tons, especially after age 70.

Have fun in your retirement.

[b:10784e2f41]My understanding is that there are lots of horses up there so I intended to offer the hay to local farms. [/b:10784e2f41]I certainly dont mind going slowly and yes, I do want to enjoy my retirement! As this is a first time endeavor for me, Im sure it will take me a couple of seasons to get reasonably proficient at it. I guess I envision this as similar to locally grown vegetables sold to local establishments, but on a small scale to reduce stress and pressure.

Horse hay. Do you know anything about making horse hay or, more importantly, the mental gymnastics of your average "horse-peson"? They want it green, leafy, no weeds, absolutely no dust and the bales better not be heavier than she can handle. Oh, and they want to pay a buck a bale! Just be forewarned that particular market seems to be populated by urban refugees who believe everything they read on the internet. And if their horse dies, even of worms, cancer, lightning strike or any type of colic, you will hear about it, possibly through their lawyers! Just sayin'...
 
(quoted from post at 07:35:15 03/09/21)
(quoted from post at 15:28:46 03/08/21)
(quoted from post at 11:15:57 03/08/21) To me, retirement and putting up small square bales don't seem to go together, LOL. What will you do with the hay: feed it to your own livestock or sell it on the local market? Do you have a reliable source of labor?

I think the people recommending a larger tractor are thinking of handling more hay ground more efficiently and more profitably. If you are doing this for entertainment rather than profit, I would stay with your existing tractors, and run less ground more slowly. You would have less money invested in land and equipment and maybe you can get the same pleasure from putting up 5 tons of hay compared to 25 or 100 tons, especially after age 70.

Have fun in your retirement.

[b:4209411801]My understanding is that there are lots of horses up there so I intended to offer the hay to local farms. [/b:4209411801]I certainly dont mind going slowly and yes, I do want to enjoy my retirement! As this is a first time endeavor for me, Im sure it will take me a couple of seasons to get reasonably proficient at it. I guess I envision this as similar to locally grown vegetables sold to local establishments, but on a small scale to reduce stress and pressure.

Horse hay. Do you know anything about making horse hay or, more importantly, the mental gymnastics of your average "horse-peson"? They want it green, leafy, no weeds, absolutely no dust and the bales better not be heavier than she can handle. Oh, and they want to pay a buck a bale! Just be forewarned that particular market seems to be populated by urban refugees who believe everything they read on the internet. And if their horse dies, even of worms, cancer, lightning strike or any type of colic, you will hear about it, possibly through their lawyers! Just sayin'...

I don't know anything about making any kind of hay. I've never done this before. I'm fully anticipating a learning curve, but If the juice turns out not to be worth the squeeze, I guess I'll just have to reconsider/adjust my relaxing retirement plans. Easy day.
 


Low buck, come on up! we are loosing a lot of haymakers and there are not many young guys taking it up. There is plenty of gently pitched land in the southern tier where your 1010s will be adequate. I don't know about that sickle bar mower though. It depends on the weather. Back before mocos they worked well but that was before we started mowing in late May to early June. They work well when the hay is fairly mature and standing up straight. In less mature grass they take more backing up. A 1010 would handle a 7 foot moco but those are rare. I started out with a 19 horse Kubota, and got bigger tractors and tools as I took on more ground. I am on the other side of the curve now with my 45 HP Ford 971. I still pull a wagon behind the baler occasionally, but I added weights.


.
 

1010 is comparable to the 600/601 Fords my brother has, good on sickle bar mower, tedder, rake and small square baler. With a wagon behind that baler or even a fully loaded 14-20 ft wagon those tractors are at or beyond their safe limits.
Since you have JD's I suggest you look at something a little bigger like a 2030, 2240, 2440 for the heavier jobs, any of these will also handle a small round baler if you decide to go that route later.
 
Trust me, Im all in. I wish I didnt have 5 years left. Right now the sun is shining and the temperature is 67. Im ready to mow! Ill say this though, when it comes down to it, my approach is going to be on the fairly simple side. What I mean by that is most equipment will be single function. Sickle for mowing, tedder to flip, rake to windrow and bale with a square baler. Depending on my physical condition at the time, I may haul a wagon and pick them up myself. Im not familiar with the land up there so it will be key to take a few vacations up that way and see where the best possibilities are. As this will be retirement for me, the chances are this will be a move to our forever home. I really want to do this right for myself and the family.
 
Push comes to shove you might pick up a 7' mo/con. Not to say that you'll mow at 5mph, but a 1010 should handle one quite nicely.
 
(quoted from post at 16:03:46 03/09/21) Push comes to shove you might pick up a 7' mo/con. Not to say that you'll mow at 5mph, but a 1010 should handle one quite nicely.

Yup, a little 472 NH would be a real nice match for a 1010.
 
(quoted from post at 11:50:32 03/09/21)
(quoted from post at 07:35:15 03/09/21)
(quoted from post at 15:28:46 03/08/21)
(quoted from post at 11:15:57 03/08/21) To me, retirement and putting up small square bales don't seem to go together, LOL. What will you do with the hay: feed it to your own livestock or sell it on the local market? Do you have a reliable source of labor?

I think the people recommending a larger tractor are thinking of handling more hay ground more efficiently and more profitably. If you are doing this for entertainment rather than profit, I would stay with your existing tractors, and run less ground more slowly. You would have less money invested in land and equipment and maybe you can get the same pleasure from putting up 5 tons of hay compared to 25 or 100 tons, especially after age 70.

Have fun in your retirement.

[b:59d7890862]My understanding is that there are lots of horses up there so I intended to offer the hay to local farms. [/b:59d7890862]I certainly dont mind going slowly and yes, I do want to enjoy my retirement! As this is a first time endeavor for me, Im sure it will take me a couple of seasons to get reasonably proficient at it. I guess I envision this as similar to locally grown vegetables sold to local establishments, but on a small scale to reduce stress and pressure.

Horse hay. Do you know anything about making horse hay or, more importantly, the mental gymnastics of your average "horse-peson"? They want it green, leafy, no weeds, absolutely no dust and the bales better not be heavier than she can handle. Oh, and they want to pay a buck a bale! Just be forewarned that particular market seems to be populated by urban refugees who believe everything they read on the internet. And if their horse dies, even of worms, cancer, lightning strike or any type of colic, you will hear about it, possibly through their lawyers! Just sayin'...

I don't know anything about making any kind of hay. I've never done this before. I'm fully anticipating a learning curve, but If the juice turns out not to be worth the squeeze, I guess I'll just have to reconsider/adjust my relaxing retirement plans. Easy day.


Okay, I'm not trying to rain on your parade, just warning you that horse people are...odd. I own a mess of horses, I KNOW it's a fact! You're military? A Marine or in one of those quasi para-military outfits like the Navy or Postal Service? ;) Semper Fi!
 
Navy. And happy to offer you nice folk a ride. At least for another 5 years! Dont worry about raining on any parades; if nothing else, Im a realist. Ive been dealing with SWOs long enough to know you cant please everyone!
 

We sell tractor parts! We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today.

Back
Top