7 Pieces of Equipment for Summer Hay Harvesting Days

Summer heat brings the brief, critical window where standing grass turns into green gold for winter animal feed. Winning the hay game requires balancing tight weather forecasts with reliable equipment that won’t leave you stranded in a cut field. Equipped with the right small-scale implements, even a part-time farmer can efficiently put up tight, dry square bales without losing crop quality.

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What to Consider Before Summer Hay Making

Small-scale hay production hinges on tractor capacity, field acreage, and available storage space long before the cutter bar touches the grass. A modest 30-to-50-horsepower utility tractor handles most small square baling implements, but matching implement weight and PTO requirements is critical for safety and engine efficiency.

Field layout dictates implement maneuverability and operating speed. Narrow gates, steep ditch lines, and tight pasture corners mean oversized commercial implements will waste time and risk mechanical damage.

Labor availability during the crucial 72-hour drying window dictates your equipment choices. If you operate solo or with part-time help, investing in labor-saving tools like elevators and automated rakes turns an overwhelming harvest into a manageable afternoon task.

Essential Steps for Planning Your Hay Harvest

Successful hay harvesting starts with relentless weather tracking. Securing a consecutive three-day window of low humidity, clear skies, and strong breeze is essential to dry cut grass down to safe storage moisture.

Pre-season implement inspection prevents mid-field breakdowns that ruin a dry weather window. Check shear pins, lube drive chains, grease all zerk fittings, and inspect belt tension on balers and mowers long before the grass heads out.

Map out your workflow from cutting to barn stacking before dropping the cutter bar. Ensure the barn loft is clean, ventilating fans are ready, and your transport wagons are positioned for swift field clearing once the baler finishes dropping bales.

Disc Mower – Kuhn GMD 240 Rotary Disc Mower

Cutting hay cleanly sets the clock for the entire drying process. The Kuhn GMD 240 Rotary Disc Mower delivers a sharp, smooth cut across heavy forage without clogging in damp or downed grass, making it a reliable bedrock implement for small-scale hay operations.

Featuring a working width of nearly eight feet, this model utilizes Kuhn’s heavy-duty Fast-Fit blade system and direct gear-driven cutter bar for minimal maintenance downtime. Its low horsepower requirement allows standard utility tractors (40–45 HP) to slice through thick orchard grass without lugging down the engine.

Before buying, ensure your tractor has a Category 2 three-point hitch and adequate front ballast, as disc mowers create considerable side overhang during transport. Blade maintenance is straightforward, but checking for rock damage after cutting rough pasture edges is non-negotiable.

This mower is ideal for acreage owners needing swift, reliable cutting without commercial overhead. It is not suitable for ultra-compact tractors under 35 HP or fields contaminated with hidden stumps and heavy rocks.

Hay Tedder – Pequea HR114 Rotary Hay Tedder

Moisture trapped in dense swaths slows down drying and risks destructive mold formation. The Pequea HR114 Rotary Hay Tedder lifts and spreads wet, freshly cut grass into a wide, uniform mat, drastically shortening field curing times during humid summer weather.

Built around a heavy-duty frame with two offset rotors, the HR114 offers a 10-foot working width that matches smaller mower swaths perfectly. Its curved tine arm geometry delivers a fluffing action rather than smashing leaves, preserving valuable alfalfa foliage and high-protein leaf matter.

Adjusting tine pitch is critical; setting the tines too low drags dirt into the hay, while setting them too high leaves wet patches untouched on the ground. Operating this ground-driven unit requires low tractor power, making it compatible with almost any small chore tractor with a standard PTO.

This tedder is perfect for part-time farmers battling tight, high-humidity drying windows. It is less necessary for dry, arid regions where cut grass cures naturally without mechanical lifting.

Wheel Rake – Sitrex RP4 Four Wheel Hay Rake

Raking consolidates scattered, tedded hay into clean, uniform windrows sized for the baler pickup. The Sitrex RP4 Four Wheel Hay Rake handles this crucial step cleanly using ground-driven action, eliminating complex gearbox repairs and extra hydraulic lines.

The RP4 features four independent finger wheels with flexible spring steel tines that contour to uneven terrain, sweeping broad swaths into airy windrows. Key operational details include:

• Working Width: Sweeps up to 8 feet 6 inches
• Tractor Requirement: 20–30 HP minimum
• Design: Simple 3-point hitch pull-type mounting

Operator ground speed matters with wheel rakes; pulling too fast rolls hay into tight, rope-like bundles that restrict airflow and slow final drying. Adjust ground wheel contact pressure using the frame tension springs to minimize soil contact.

The Sitrex RP4 excels on small pastures under 25 acres where mechanical simplicity and affordability are top priorities. It is not designed for high-speed custom harvesting across rough, rutted cattle pastures.

Square Baler – New Holland 575 Square Baler

Transforming loose windrows into dense, stackable small square bales requires a consistent and rugged machine. The New Holland 575 Square Baler remains a gold standard for small-scale producers due to its bulletproof knotters and uniform bale chamber feeding.

Equipped with a high-capacity wide pickup and heavy-duty rotary feeder, the 575 handles uneven windrows without plugging. Its proven twine knotter system creates tight 14×18-inch bales that stay intact through field transport, barn loading, and winter feeding.

Small square balers demand careful monitoring of flywheel shear bolts and twine tensioning springs. Maintain continuous PTO speed (540 RPM) while matching ground speed to windrow density to avoid jamming the plunger head.

This machine is best for small farms producing several hundred to a few thousand bales per season. It is over-engineered for hobbyists managing under three acres, who might prefer older, lighter baler models.

Moisture Tester – Agratronix BHT-1 Hay Meter

Guessing moisture levels leads directly to ruined crops or dangerous barn fires from combustion. The Agratronix BHT-1 Hay Meter removes the guesswork by providing real-time, continuous moisture readings directly inside the baling chamber as you drive.

Featuring dual sensor pads mounted in the bale chamber, the BHT-1 displays updated moisture percentages every few seconds on a backlit tractor cab monitor. Its illuminated digital readout accurately measures ranges from 8% to 40% moisture, covering standard dry-baling parameters.

Proper mounting of the sensor pads requires drilling into the baler chamber walls, so installation takes about an hour with basic hand tools. Calibrate the unit at the start of each season to account for changing forage types and ambient temperature shifts.

This tool is essential for solo operators baling varied fields who need immediate feedback on rising field moisture. It is less critical if you already rely heavily on manual handheld probe testers for every single stack.

Bale Elevator – Little Giant 21 Foot Elevator

Moving dozens of 50-pound bales from a trailer up into a sweltering barn loft is physically grueling work. The Little Giant 21 Foot Elevator lifts square bales effortlessly, preserving your back and accelerating trailer unloading.

Constructed from heavy-gauge galvanized steel with rugged drag chains, this elevator transports bales smoothly at steep inclines. Its modular motor mount allows easy attachment of electric motors or small gas engines, offering flexible positioning wherever power is available.

Always position the elevator on flat ground, locking the transport wheels before elevating the trough. Inspect the chain drive tension and lubricate links daily to prevent binding under heavy bale loads.

This elevator is an indispensable investment for farms storing square bales in elevated lofts or tall stacks. It offers little benefit if your hay storage is entirely on ground-level concrete pads or gravel pole barns.

Hay Tarp – Ag-Shield Heavy Duty Hay Tarp Cover

When indoor loft space runs out, field-stacked hay requires top-tier outdoor weather protection to prevent top-layer rot. The Ag-Shield Heavy Duty Hay Tarp Cover creates a waterproof, UV-resistant shield over square bales stored outdoors.

Made from heavy woven polyethylene with reinforced hem webbing, this tarp features patented tie-down secure points that distribute tension evenly across the stack. Its dual-coated surface reflects harsh sun rays while preventing moisture buildup under the cover.

Securing the tarp requires high-tension ratchets or weight straps along the base; loose tarps tear easily in heavy summer storms. Build your bale stack with a high center peak so rainwater runs off clear of the bottom bales.

This cover is perfect for growers lacking adequate barn space who need reliable outdoor storage options through fall and winter. It is unnecessary for operations with dedicated, covered equipment sheds.

How to Properly Monitor Hay Moisture Levels

Monitoring hay moisture must happen at three stages: in the standing swath, during windrow raking, and directly inside the chamber or stack. For small square bales, the target moisture content for safe long-term storage is between 14% and 18%.

Hand-testing using the "twist method" gives a quick field check; stems should snap cleanly without leaking green sap, and leaves should rustle dryly. Combine visual checks with a reliable probe moisture meter inserted into the densest parts of representative windrows before drop-cutting with the baler.

Baling hay above 20% moisture encourages mold spores and rapid bacterial growth, which generates dangerous heat inside the stack. Conversely, baling under 12% moisture leads to severe leaf shattering, leaving you with brittle stems stripped of key nutrients.

Maintaining Your Equipment During Peak Season

Peak summer heat puts maximum stress on tractor engines, hydraulic lines, and implement gearboxes. Establishing a strict daily 10-minute maintenance routine prevents costly mid-afternoon field breakages when rain is on the horizon.

Grease every grease zerk fitting on baler knotters, rake wheels, and mower PTO shafts daily before heading to the field. Clean buildup of dry chaff and dust away from exhaust manifolds and baler knotter decks to prevent fire hazards.

Check gear oil levels in disc mower cutter bars and rotary tedders weekly. Keep spare shear bolts, extra baler twine, mower blades, and master chain links stored right on the tractor for rapid field repairs.

Storing Small Square Bales Safely in the Barn

Safe hay storage requires adequate ventilation, elevated flooring, and tight, interlocking stack patterns. Never stack fresh bales directly onto dirt or damp concrete; lay down wooden pallets to create a continuous air gap under the bottom layer.

Stack the first layer cut-side down, then crisscross alternating layers above it to tie the stack together securely. This crisscross brick pattern improves structural stability while maintaining tiny air chimneys that vent escaping heat and remaining moisture.

Check stack temperatures with a probe thermometer twice daily for the first two weeks post-harvest. Temperatures above 130°F signal danger, while readings exceeding 160°F demand immediate bale removal to prevent spontaneous combustion.

Equipping your small farm with reliable cutting, curing, and baling tools transforms hay harvesting from a stressful scramble into a rewarding summer routine. With proper planning, daily machine maintenance, and strict moisture monitoring, you will put up high-quality forage that keeps your livestock thriving all winter long.