** making hay with a quad? can it be done? **

[shiresrus123]

is there any hay baler machine, turning machine etc, that can be used with a quad to make hay from a small field, or is it really a tractor job?

also, how high maintainance/cost are tractors, thinking an under 5k jobby

 

[martlin]

I think it is rather a tractor job, struggle to come up with a baler or turner small enough to go with quad, but I might be wrong.
As to prices of tractors... you could get something oldish/smallish but reliable under £2K.
BUT, if you have a small field... is it worth buying a brewery to have a pint?

 

[PippiPony]

Would a quad have a PTO shaft to connect & drive a baler or turner?
I think you would need a small tractor. They would not be hugely expensive to run.
It might be cheaper to ask some one to do the job for you though.

 

[martlin]

You can have a PTO on a quad I think...

 

[fimacg]

you can buy a flail mower to go behind a quad... I keep looking at them, but in terms of turning the grass and baling it I think you are back to turning by hand and getting a local farmer to come in and bale it for you.

 

[marmalade76]

Even if you can get a quad with a PTO, I don't think it would be powerful enough to run a baler. My OH uses his biggest tractor for mowing and baling. We use the small vintage tractors for turning and rowing up only. My OH is a contractor, and charges 80p a bale for haymaking. This would include mowing, turning and baling but not stacking/getting it in.

 

[martlin]

[ QUOTE ]
you can buy a flail mower to go behind a quad... I keep looking at them, but in terms of turning the grass and baling it I think you are back to turning by hand and getting a local farmer to come in and bale it for you.

[/ QUOTE ]
A flail topper is not really suitable for hay making - the grass gets to squished.