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The Palouse North Idaho | I was in your situation and unless you win a Lotto jackpot, buying equipment will not pencil out. I was forced to buy a used baler(NH688 net wrap only, 22K bales $5000), a drum mower (Galfre $6500), and a rake (Brush Hog SR10 V rake $6500) because the custom guys in our valley could not make a decent bale that I could use on my spinner to feed our cows. I spent the winter forking hay off the lanes over the fence to feed and I got tired of it. Our problem here is that grass hay will get too dry if you try to bale at mid day. To get a good bale, we have to bale early in the morning or near sundown to get a wee bit of moisture in the grass. We sold the cows because I just got to old to deal with calving and we still cut hay for horse people on 20 acres and graze some fall calving cows for a local rancher during the summer.
Long story short, find another custom baler to make your hay if it is at all possible. It makes economic sense for a small operation. Otherwise start saving for some good used equipment. You're not making a lot of bales so good older equipment will suit you at this stage. It's hard to find good used stuff where I live because people around here sell equipment when it is plum wore out. In the Midwest, that's not necessarily the case. Finally, buying hay might be a better option.
Edited by Jerry/MT 5/25/2019 12:32
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To buy hay mower/baler or not? advice needed
