8 Pieces of Equipment for Small-Scale Summer Haying

Standing in a sun-drenched field with rain looming on the three-day forecast leaves zero room for equipment failure. Managing a small-scale hay harvest requires reliable gear that maximizes short weather windows without demanding commercial-sized tractors. Matching the right machinery to a modest acreage turns a chaotic summer scramble into a smooth, efficient harvest.

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Planning Your Small-Scale Summer Hay Harvest

Small-scale hay production on five to twenty acres demands a calculated approach to timing and equipment selection. Sun exposure, humidity levels, and soil moisture dictate when grass can be cut and cured safely. Attempting this work with undersized or ill-suited implements turns a manageable weekend task into an exhausting battle against spoilage.

Tractor horsepower serves as the foundational constraint for every implement purchase on a small farm. Most small-scale implements perform exceptionally well within the 25 to 50 horsepower range, avoiding the need for heavy utility tractors. Balancing equipment weight and hydraulic capacity prevents excessive soil compaction while keeping fuel consumption low.

Workflow efficiency depends on selecting tools that complement each other’s working widths and operating speeds. A wide mower paired with a tiny rake creates bottlenecks in the field, wasting precious drying hours. Designing an integrated system ensures every piece of hay moves seamlessly from standing grass to stacked bale.

Drum Mower – Galfre FR/D 130 Drum Mower

Cutting heavy, tangled forage without constant clogging is the primary job of a drum mower. The Galfre FR/D 130 Drum Mower uses twin counter-rotating drums to slice cleanly through thick stems using centrifugal force. Unlike delicate sickle bars, this design glides over uneven terrain, anthills, and hidden gopher mounds without throwing timing gears out of alignment.

• Working Width: 4 feet, 3 inches
• Tractor Requirement: 25–30 PTO HP minimum
• Key Feature: Heavy-duty dual drums with quick-change reversible blades
• Drive System: Simple V-belt drive with breakaway safety latch

Operators must note that drum mowers carry significant cantilevered weight during transport, requiring adequate front ballast on lightweight tractors. The high-speed rotating drums also create considerable inertia, so engaging the PTO slowly is critical to protect tractor clutches.

This unit is ideal for hobby farmers working rough or rodent-pitted pastures with compact utility tractors. It is not designed for operations needing wide multi-bar cutting widths over fifty acres.

Hay Tedder – Enorossi EZ Tow Hay Tedder

Drying cut forage quickly before rain sets in requires a dependable hay tedder. The Enorossi EZ Tow Hay Tedder lifts damp, green mats of cut grass off the ground, fluffing and spreading them across the field. Exposing maximum stem surface area to sunlight and air movement can shave an entire day off total curing time.

• Operation Type: Tow-behind ground drive or low-HP PTO shaft
• Tine Style: Flexible steel double tines per arm
• Target Acreage: 5 to 15 acres per harvest window
• Transport Mode: Narrow manual folding wings

Driving ground speed must be managed carefully to avoid leaf loss in broadleaf legumes like alfalfa. Running the tedder too fast in dry conditions shatters fragile leaves, stripping protein straight out of the hay.

This ground-drive model is perfect for small-scale operations utilizing low-horsepower or vintage tractors without live PTO hydraulics. Farms working ultra-dense, heavy clover crops may require a larger hydraulic-fold unit instead.

Wheel Rake – Sitrex RP-4 Wheel Hay Rake

Once the forage is thoroughly dry, it must be gathered into uniform windrows for the baler. The Sitrex RP-4 Wheel Hay Rake uses four ground-driven finger wheels to roll hay gently into clean, fluffy rows. Because the wheels spin based on ground contact rather than PTO power, mechanical wear is minimal.

• Raking Width: Covers up to 8 feet per pass
• Wheel Count: 4 independent spring-suspended wheels
• Hitch Type: 3-point hitch mounting for easy transport maneuverability
• Power Requirement: 20 HP minimum

Setting proper spring tension on the rake wheels is essential to avoid scraping dirt into the windrow. Too much down pressure drags soil and stones into the hay, damaging baler knives and lowering forage quality.

This rake excels on small acreage plots with tight headlands and irregular field shapes. Operators managing extremely light, fluffy grass may prefer a basket or parallel-bar rake to avoid roping the stems.

Square Baler – John Deere 328 Square Baler

Compacting fluffy windrows into tight, uniform, easily stackable square bales makes handling and feeding manageable. The John Deere 328 Square Baler delivers consistent 45-to-50-pound bales that can be loaded, stacked, and fed by a single operator. Its dependable knotter system prevents the frustrating broken-twine cycles common in worn-out bargain balers.

• Pickup Width: 56 inches with narrow tine spacing
• Bale Size: 14" x 18" standard square chamber
• Power Requirement: 35–40 PTO HP with adequate tractor weight
• Twine Capacity: Holds 4 twine boxes for extended runs

Maintaining precise knotter timing, clean billhooks, and sharp twine-cutting knives prevents missed ties during high-humidity evenings. Operators should always keep spare shear bolts on hand, as tough clumps of forage will trigger safety shears as intended.

This baler fits small crews and solo farmers who need high-density, consistent bales for horse or livestock feed. It is not recommended for sub-compact tractors under 30 horsepower due to the heavy flywheel momentum.

Checking Hay Moisture Before Baling Begins

Baling hay at incorrect moisture levels leads to catastrophic crop loss, mold infestation, or spontaneous combustion inside the barn. Water trapped inside tightly compressed stems creates an ideal environment for anaerobic bacteria, generating extreme heat. Testing internal moisture levels before pulling the baler into the field is non-negotiable.

Ideal moisture for standard small square bales falls strictly between 14% and 18%. Baling below 12% results in excessive leaf loss and dusty forage, while baling above 20% invites heat damage and white mold growth.

Windrow checks should occur during the warmest, driest part of the early afternoon. Testing multiple spots across low-lying pockets, shaded tree lines, and heavy windrow sections gives a true average of field readiness.

Moisture Tester – Agratronix BHT-1 Tester

Monitoring moisture continuously while driving saves operators from stopping every few passes to take manual samples. The Agratronix BHT-1 Tester mounts directly into the baler chamber, taking direct readings as each bale is compressed. Its digital display mounts near the tractor seat, providing instant feedback on changing field conditions.

• Testing Range: 8% to 40% moisture content
• Display Type: Backlit digital screen with continuous updates
• Sensor Type: Dual pad sensors mounted in chamber walls
• Power Source: Direct 12V connection to tractor battery

Sensor pads must be kept free of built-up plant sap and dirt to ensure precise electrical conductivity readings. Operators should calibrate the unit at the start of every haying season following manufacturer guidelines.

This continuous tester is ideal for farmers working variable fields with shady spots or changing soil types. Operators only baling a few dozen bales annually may find a portable probe tester more economical.

Bale Spear – Worksaver Universal Bale Spear

Transporting dense bales from the field to storage without destroying physical structure requires proper loader attachments. The Worksaver Universal Bale Spear mounts to front-end loaders, providing a rigid, high-strength forged steel point to move small round or accumulated square bale packs.

• Main Spear Length: 42-inch heat-treated forged steel
• Attachment Style: Universal quick-attach or pin-on adapters
• Capacity: Up to 2,000 lbs lift capacity
• Stabilizer Pins: Twin lower steel tines to prevent load rotation

Proper rear tractor ballasting is essential when lifting heavy bale loads on front loaders to maintain rear wheel traction and braking power. Always travel with the loader arms low to the ground to keep the tractor’s center of gravity stable.

This tool is indispensable for operations using automatic square bale accumulators or compact round balers. It offers little utility for farms moving small square bales entirely by hand onto flatbed wagons.

Hay Tarp – Cover-Tech Heavy Duty Hay Tarp

Protecting cured hay from unexpected summer downpours or heavy night dews is critical when barn space is limited. The Cover-Tech Heavy Duty Hay Tarp provides a durable, waterproof barrier designed specifically to cover outdoor hay stacks without trapping internal moisture.

• Material: 12-mil heavy-duty UV-treated polyethylene
• Tie-Down System: Reinforced web loops every 3 feet along edges
• Design Feature: Built-in ridge pipe pockets for secure anchoring
• Sizing Options: Custom footprints from 14×48 feet up to 28×48 feet

Creating a proper crowning peak in the top layer of the hay stack ensures water sheds off the sides rather than pooling in tarp low spots. Secure tie-downs using rubber snubbers allow the tarp to flex under high winds without tearing eyelets.

This heavy tarp is perfect for farms storing hay outdoors or underneath open pole-barn overhangs. It is unnecessary for operations with total indoor loft capacity for their entire yield.

Hay Elevator – Little Giant 24-Foot Conveyor

Moving hundreds of forty-five-pound square bales into a high barn loft turns into back-breaking labor without mechanical assistance. The Little Giant 24-Foot Conveyor uses a motor-driven chain drive to carry bales smoothly up steep inclines directly into the storage area.

• Length Options: 16, 24, or 32-foot expandable sections
• Power Options: Electric motor or small gas engine mount
• Drive Mechanism: Heavy-duty steel drag chain with paddles
• Frame Construction: Trussed galvanized steel frame

Conveyor chain tension must be checked regularly, and drive gears require periodic greasing to prevent binding under heavy continuous loads. Setting the elevator base on firm, level ground prevents dangerous tipping when lifting bales high into loft doors.

This elevator is essential for older two-story barns or high-clearance pole buildings managed by small crews. Farms stacking hay strictly on ground-level concrete pads can bypass this piece of equipment.

Maintaining Your Hay Equipment Each Season

Preventive maintenance before the first cut prevents costly field breakdowns when good weather windows open up. Greasing every fitting, checking gearbox oil levels, and inspecting drive belts for cracking eliminates simple mechanical failures mid-harvest. Blades on drum mowers and teeth on tedders must be sharpened or replaced well ahead of time.

End-of-season storage dictates how well machinery performs the following spring. Power washing built-up plant juices off cutter decks prevents rust, while blowing out knotter assemblies keeps mice from nesting in twine boxes. Storing equipment under cover or under heavy tarps preserves hydraulic hoses and rubber V-belts against UV degradation.

Storing Small Bales Safely for the Winter

Proper stack construction inside the barn preserves hay quality and prevents stack collapses over winter. Stacking the bottom layer on wooden pallets isolates the bales from moisture drawing up through concrete or dirt floors. Crisscrossing alternative layers ties the stack together securely, creating structural stability as the hay settles.

Ventilation remains important during the first two weeks post-baling while internal moisture stabilizes. Leaving space between stack walls and barn sides allows heat and escaping moisture to vent safely out of the building.

Investing in right-sized, reliable haying equipment transforms a high-stress summer task into a controlled, efficient harvest. By selecting gear matched to acreage and tractor capacity, small-scale farmers can consistently produce high-quality forage season after season.