Discbines

We run discmowere now. Started out in the 80's with a 501 Ford sickle mower, rapidly upgraded to a NH474 (sickle) haybine. Still have my second haybine, keep it to cut soybeans for hay (only thing my disc mower doesn't like). Have had a couple of disc conditioners, JD's both roller and impeller. I like the impeller better. It does less damage to leave (I know this sounds like a contradiction). Sold them and went with a straight disc mower, then run a tedder). Saved big $$, time, and get just as good a drydown as with the conditioners. Got 2 5408 NI machines. Had a Bush Hog GHM 800, didn't hold up to suit me. Advantages of disc mower: speed, cut stuff no sickle I've used can touch, and faster/cheaper repairs. I can replace all my blades for $36 and 30 mins. Even with bolt on sections it takes me about an hour to get out of the field, and replace a section or guard (at $2 each for sections and $10.00 for guards). Broke 3 blades last year, total. Normally break (or lose) a guard a day and a couple of sections. Get about 4 ac/ hr with the disc mower, 3 on the haybine. Cut about 700 acres a year. Change blades (I used to sharpen, for the $$, I just replace now)beginning of season, after first cutting of alfalfa, after fescue, after timothy.

I travel a good many hay fields, fields that were once level. I see good land stewardship going out the door. some of these places you can hardly stay on tractor seat anymore even at 5 mph. They aren't buying discbines for more production, they are buying them just so they can get it cut. You can see where the discbines are cutting the tops off the hummock and cradle hills created buy poor tillage practices. A friend of mine hosted a plowing match, said it will take him 5 years of grain to get it level again. He said if that was the best plowmen, I would hate to see the poor ones.

I had a young lad working on farm once, great worker, good with machinery, quite particular with most jobs. Try as I would I couldn't get this guy to plant corn in straight rows. We planted with 656 and 400 air planter mid 70s. He always managed to wander enough so combine couldn't avoid picking two rows at one side. He went away to college 200 miles away, met a young lady, called the next spring asking if he could use me as reference. Told me where he was applying, I was aquainted with farmer. At a farm meeting some two weeks later the farmer asked about him. I said he is a great employee in most respects, only has one fault, can't plant corn in straight rows. The farmer hired him, put him right to work planting 800 acres of corn, 966 with saddle tank herdicides and 6 row planter. He told the young lad of the warning he got and said they better be straight. They were, it must have been the young lady.

I have read your posts for a few years now, have often said to myself, I bet that guys fields are smooth as glass. Took awhile to get confirmation, but it came tonight.

I have been doing quite a bit of custom spraying in past few years. The biggest problem as I see it for mowing hay these days is the younger generations use of tillage equipment. I have been spraying fields that were once smooth. You could drive a car 60 mph on these fields now you can hardly stay on tractor seat at 5 mph

How much fuel is that 4430 using per hour to mow 5 acres per hour? I used to do it on 1.25 US gal per hour with 656D, I will admit the 300 gas drank a wee bit heavier. One of the big items I continually here on these pages is no money in farming any more. It is not surprising the way some of you guys chase little jobs with big horsepower.