7 Pieces of Equipment to Prep for Hay Season

The smell of freshly cut alfalfa on a dry summer morning is one of farming’s great rewards. But that reward is earned, not given, and the window between a perfect cut and a rain-soaked mess is brutally short. Having reliable, well-maintained equipment isn’t just a convenience; it’s the difference between a barn full of quality hay and a field of wasted effort.

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Pre-Season Checks for a Smooth Hay Harvest

The worst time to discover a problem with your equipment is when a storm is on the horizon and you have five acres of hay on the ground. A successful hay season begins in the workshop, weeks before the first cut. This is the time to go over every implement with a critical eye, replacing worn parts and tuning up systems before they are put under the stress of a harvest.

Think of it as proactive maintenance versus reactive repair. Check all belts for cracks and proper tension. Inspect tires for dry rot and correct pressure. Look for any hydraulic or oil leaks, which are much easier to fix on a clean concrete floor than in a dusty field. A few hours spent now will save you entire days of downtime when every minute counts.

This pre-season check is your opportunity to order parts, sharpen blades, and lubricate every fitting. By addressing the small issues before they become catastrophic failures, you build reliability into your process. When that perfect three-day window of dry weather arrives, you want to be hooking up and heading out, not waiting for a part to be delivered.

Sickle Bar Mower – BCS 853 with 53" Sickle Bar

Your first job is to cut the hay, and how you cut it matters. A sickle bar mower uses a scissor-like action to slice stems cleanly at the base, laying the hay down gently in a full, even swath. This method minimizes leaf shatter—preserving precious nutrients—and promotes faster, more uniform drying compared to the shredding action of a rotary mower.

The BCS 853 two-wheel tractor paired with a 53" sickle bar is an ideal setup for the serious hobby farmer. The tractor itself is a versatile power unit, but for hay, its key features are a powerful engine and a differential lock for excellent traction on hills and uneven ground. The 53" cutter bar is wide enough for efficient work but narrow enough to be highly maneuverable in small or irregularly shaped fields where a larger tractor would be clumsy.

This isn’t a plug-and-play machine; there’s a learning curve to setting the cutting height and ground speed to avoid clogging. Maintenance is straightforward but essential, involving regular sharpening or replacement of the triangular blades and checking gearbox oil. For the small farmer with one to five acres, the BCS system offers precision, versatility, and a high-quality cut that larger equipment often can’t match.

Hay Tedder – Kuhn GF 222 T Two-Rotor Tedder

After cutting, the hay needs to be fluffed to allow air and sunlight to circulate, which drastically speeds up the drying process. A tedder uses spinning tines to gently lift and turn the hay, breaking up clumps and exposing moist material. In climates with unpredictable summer rain, a tedder is not a luxury; it’s an essential tool for getting hay cured and baled before it gets wet.

The Kuhn GF 222 T is a simple, robust two-rotor tedder perfectly scaled for smaller operations. It’s a pull-type implement that only requires about 20 horsepower, making it compatible with a wide range of compact tractors. Its most important feature is the pivoting headstock, which allows the rotors to follow the ground’s contours independently, ensuring a consistent fluffing action without digging into the soil on uneven terrain.

Be mindful to set the tine height correctly. You want to pick up the hay, not scalp the field and introduce dirt into your forage. While a tedder is a single-purpose tool, its role is critical. It can shave a full day or more off your drying time, which is often the deciding factor between making premium hay and losing the entire cutting to mold.

Wheel Rake – Worksaver SWR-8G Ground-Drive Rake

Once the hay is properly cured, you need to gather it into uniform rows, or "windrows," for the baler to pick up. A wheel rake uses large, finger-like wheels to gently sweep the hay into a central row. The goal is a fluffy, consistently sized windrow that allows for a bit of final air circulation and is easy for the baler to swallow.

The Worksaver SWR-8G is an excellent choice for its sheer simplicity and versatility. As a ground-drive rake, its wheels are turned by their contact with the ground, meaning it requires no PTO shaft from the tractor. This makes it compatible with almost any tractor, or even a UTV, that has a drawbar. With eight wheels, it can be configured to rake a path up to 18 feet wide, easily handling the output from smaller mowers.

Because there’s no gearbox or PTO, maintenance is minimal—mostly just greasing the wheel hubs. The primary consideration is that wheel rakes can be aggressive on rough ground, so a relatively smooth, rock-free field is ideal. For the small-scale farmer who values low-maintenance, reliable equipment, the ground-drive V-rake is a perfect fit.

Small Square Baler – New Holland BC5060 Hayliner

The baler is the heart of the haymaking operation, compressing the dried hay from the windrow into tight, stackable bales. This is the most mechanically complex piece of equipment in the lineup, and its reliable operation is non-negotiable. A baler that constantly mis-ties knots can bring the entire harvest to a frustrating halt.

The New Holland BC5060 is a modern classic, a direct descendant of the balers that defined small-scale haymaking for generations. Its Super-Sweep pickup is exceptionally effective at gathering every last bit of hay from the windrow, and its gear-driven knotter system is legendary for its reliability. Crucially, parts for these balers are widely available, a vital consideration when buying used machinery.

A baler of this size requires a tractor with at least 35 PTO horsepower and a set of hydraulic remotes to operate the pickup lift. Buying a used baler is common, but it’s wise to have it inspected by an experienced mechanic, paying close attention to the condition of the plunger and knotters. Mastering the art of threading the twine and troubleshooting a missed tie is a rite of passage, but the control it gives you over your own feed supply is invaluable.

Hay Wagon – E-Z Trail 890W Running Gear Wagon

Once the bales start dropping from the baler, you need an efficient way to get them from the field to the barn. A dedicated hay wagon is far superior to a utility trailer or pickup truck, providing a stable, wide platform that makes stacking and transport safer and faster.

The E-Z Trail 890W is a running gear, which means it’s the chassis, axles, and wheels upon which you build your own custom deck. This 8-ton model is a perfect size for small farms, capable of holding 100-150 standard square bales. Its standout feature is the automotive-style steering, which allows the wagon to track perfectly straight behind the tractor, making it remarkably easy to maneuver and back into tight spots.

Remember that you are buying the frame only; you’ll need to source the lumber and hardware to build the flatbed. This allows you to customize the size and add features like backstops. For anyone making more than 50 bales at a time, a proper wagon is a must-have. It transforms the labor-intensive job of clearing the field into a streamlined, manageable process.

The Importance of Proper Implement Lubrication

Friction is the silent killer of farm equipment. Every pivot point, bearing, and slip clutch on your hay machinery is a point of wear. Without a protective film of grease, metal grinds against metal, generating heat, causing premature failure, and leading to the kind of breakdown that always seems to happen on the hottest day of the year.

Proper lubrication is a daily discipline during hay season. It’s not enough to just squirt some grease in the general direction of a fitting. You need to use the correct type of grease specified in the owner’s manual and ensure you locate and service every single zerk. Wipe each fitting clean before attaching the grease gun to prevent forcing dirt and grit into the bearing.

Think of your grease gun as your primary preventative maintenance tool. The ten minutes you spend lubricating your baler or rake before you start work is the best investment you can make in a smooth harvest. It is, without a doubt, the cheapest insurance against costly and time-consuming repairs.

Grease Gun – DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Grease Gun

The simple act of greasing your equipment can be a tedious chore, but it’s too important to skip. A manual, lever-action grease gun works, but a powered model transforms the task from a frustrating workout into a quick and easy routine, ensuring the job actually gets done.

The DEWALT 20V MAX Cordless Grease Gun is a significant upgrade for any farm workshop. Its battery-powered motor delivers up to 10,000 PSI, easily forcing grease through even the most stubborn or partially clogged fittings. The long, flexible hose allows you to reach zerks buried deep in the guts of a baler, and the variable speed trigger gives you precise control over the flow. If you already use other DEWALT 20V tools, the shared battery platform is a major convenience.

The main consideration is the initial cost and the need to keep batteries charged. However, the sheer speed and ease of use make it a worthwhile investment. By making a critical maintenance task easier, a tool like this encourages better habits and ultimately leads to more reliable equipment. It’s for anyone who values their time and wants to eliminate one of the hassles of equipment upkeep.

Knowing When to Bale: Your Most Critical Job

You can have the best equipment in the world, but if you bale your hay at the wrong moisture level, all your work is for nothing. Baling hay that is too wet is not just a waste; it’s dangerous. The moisture allows mold and bacteria to grow, generating heat that can lead to spontaneous combustion and a barn fire. Baling too dry causes the valuable leaves to shatter and fall off, leaving you with a pile of low-nutrition stems.

For generations, farmers have relied on the "twist test." You grab a handful of hay from the windrow and twist it tightly. If the stems are brittle and snap cleanly, the hay is likely ready. If they feel cool to the touch or bend without breaking, it’s still too damp. This method works, but it takes years of experience to develop a reliable feel for it.

The weather is your ultimate boss during hay season. You need a reliable forecast for a window of at least two to three hot, dry, and preferably breezy days to get from cutting to baling. Technology can remove the guesswork from judging moisture, but nothing can replace a keen eye on the sky.

Hay Moisture Meter – Agratronix HT-PRO Tester

To eliminate the uncertainty of the feel test, a digital hay moisture meter is an indispensable tool. It gives you a precise, quantitative measurement of the moisture content in your hay, allowing you to make an informed decision about when to bale. For small square bales, the target moisture content is typically between 15% and 18%.

The Agratronix HT-PRO is a durable, easy-to-use meter that provides the accuracy needed for peace of mind. Its 20-inch steel probe is long enough to get a reading from the center of a windrow or a finished bale. The unit provides a direct digital readout on a backlit screen, which is incredibly helpful when you’re trying to finish baling as the sun goes down. It also has a calibration function and can average a series of readings for a more representative sample.

Using a meter is simple, but it’s important to take multiple readings from various spots in the field, as drying rates can differ. The cost of a quality moisture meter is negligible when weighed against the value of a cutting of hay or the catastrophic risk of a barn fire. This is not an optional accessory; it’s a core piece of safety equipment for every hay producer.

Storing Your Equipment After the Season Ends

The harvest is done and the barn is full, but your work isn’t over. How you put your equipment away for the off-season directly impacts its longevity and how easily it will start up next year. Leaving implements outside, exposed to rain, snow, and sun, is a surefire way to guarantee seized bearings, rusted chains, and rotted tires.

The first step is a thorough cleaning. Use compressed air or a leaf blower to remove all the leftover chaff, leaves, and dirt that have accumulated. This debris traps moisture against metal, accelerating rust, and also provides a perfect nesting place for rodents, who love to chew on wiring and belts. After cleaning, wash the equipment and touch up any spots where paint has been chipped away to protect the bare metal.

Perform a final, complete lubrication of every grease zerk. This pushes out any moisture that may have gotten into the bearings and leaves a protective coating of grease for the winter. For balers, it’s critical to release the tension on the main springs and the twine box. Finally, if at all possible, store everything inside a shed or barn. If it must stay outside, invest in high-quality, heavy-duty tarps and ensure they are secured properly.

Final Prep: A Checklist for Your First Cut

The hay is mature, the forecast is perfect, and it’s time to go. Before you head to the field, a final ten-minute walk-around can prevent hours of frustration. This last-minute check ensures that nothing was overlooked during your pre-season prep and that you’re ready for a smooth, uninterrupted day of work.

Run through a simple but vital checklist for every piece of equipment you plan to use:

• Tractor: Are fuel, engine oil, and hydraulic fluid levels correct? Is tire pressure set for field work?
• Mower/Rake/Baler: Have all grease points been lubricated today? Are blades sharp and guards tight? Is chain and belt tension correct?
• Baler-Specific: Do you have at least two new balls of the correct twine? Is the twine threaded properly through the knotters?
• Safety: Are all PTO shields and safety guards in place? Is a fire extinguisher mounted on the tractor and easily accessible?

This final check isn’t about second-guessing your earlier prep; it’s about confirming it. It’s the professional habit that separates a smooth operation from a chaotic one. Taking a moment to verify that every system is ready builds confidence and sets the stage for a safe and successful harvest.

Making your own hay is one of the most satisfying jobs on a small farm, connecting you directly to the health of your land and your animals. Success isn’t about having the biggest or newest gear, but the right gear, properly maintained and ready to work when the weather gives you that perfect window. Get your prep done now, and you’ll be rewarded with a barn full of sweet-smelling, high-quality feed come winter.