Re: How much can you do with some H's and M's?

Posted by Andy Martin on November 25, 2002 at 17:04:08 from (12.74.160.17):

In Reply to: How much can you do with some H's and M's? posted by Sean Brinston on November 25, 2002 at 09:17:17:

I farm exclusively with letter series Farmalls, and use no 3 point equipment.

I pull a 479 haybine (9 ft cut) and can cut 9 ft tall hay grazer (higher than you can see over sitting on the M. of course you shouldn't let it get that high, but talk to the weather man). We use an old ground-driven IH model 16 9 ft 5 bar rake behind a C when necessary. I pull a 348 JD square baler with another M (this is JD's current square baler and the M has all the power the baler wants, crowding it too fast the augar will plug and slip it's belt). With an added four way valve I use the tongue swing on the baler. We can mow about 4 acres per hour depending on how smooth the field is. It takes a little longer to bale because I have to throttle down a little to avoid busting bales. We bale them tight and heavy. My hay hand and I baled over 15,000 small square bales this past summer, mostly on irregular 5 to 15 acre fields (lots of short rows). Neither M has live PTO or power steering.

My hay hand grew up on modern JD tractors. He thought a 4020 was an antique before he started working for me. When I told him , on his first day of baling, that the tractor had no live PTO he said "what does that mean". I told him it means you have to know how to drive a tractor. He had no concept of a PTO which was not engaged with a switch. After his first summer with me, he was amazed that the only breakdowns we had were implements. Said his family was always having electrical and sensor problems on the new stuff.

Of course I have spent $953 on tractor fuel this year. All gasoline. That includes clearing 60 acres of cedar trees and brush hogging 140 acres. And roading the equipment all over this end of the county and into the next one. Some joker told me I should get a newer, more efficient tractor, that I could pay for it from fuel savings. Let's see, if the new tractor were solar powered, that's $79/mo. I think payments are more than $79, they do use some fuel, and I'm afraid if I had one new one it might break down when I needed it. Of course, if I got one for my hay hand too, I'd only have $40/mo for each payment. And double the chance of breakdown. Also, I hear spare parts are high, so I'd just as soon not buy any. And the new tractors might depreciate. I would never sell any of my 13 M's for what I paid for them. Some folks even think they are worth over $1000 now. I have 28 Farmalls, with about $22,000 invested. And it is a real investment. Which two new tractors could I buy for my $22,000. And after 20 years of hard use, what would they be worth. The M's will be 70 years old instead of 50 and still "making hay" as the saying goes.

When baling in 3rd gear, and the windrow gets too heavy, you slip the M out of 3rd and right into 2nd without using the clutch and you never miss a stroke or clash a gear. After the windrow lightens up you can upshift with the clutch quickly and never stop moving.

We hauled 4000 bales with a New Holland automatic bale wagon. It is a 69 bale wagon, and I can't remember the model.

We brush hog with drag brush hogs behind a C, H, or occasionally an M. Usually use an M for hay rides.

I usually just disk to plant hay grazer. The M's will pull a 3-14's just fine but it is a long way across a field 42 inches at a time. You can drill with anything but the M is too small to make much progress in heavy tillage.

I have to make money on my farm, and keeping capital expenditures down is one way. Drag equipment that fits an M is everywhere and dirt cheap.

You might guess, I'm happy with my Farmalls. I buy them cheap by helping people out when they buy one, then offering to take it off their hands when they can afford to step up to something better. They keep falling for it!

Follow Ups:

• Re: Re: How much can you do with some H's and M's? Sean Brinston 19:44:20 11/25/02 (0)

Post A Followup Name: E-Mail: Subject: Re: Re: How much can you do with some H's and M's? Comments: Optional Link URL: Link Title: Optional Image URL: Email Notification: If you check this box, email will be sent to you whenever someone replies to this message. Your email address must be entered above to receive notification. This notification will be cancelled automatically after 2 weeks.

TRACTOR PARTS	TRACTOR MANUALS

We sell tractor parts!  We have the parts you need to repair your tractor - the right parts. Our low prices and years of research make us your best choice when you need parts. Shop Online Today. [ About Us ]