Making Hay Without A Tractor

Making Hay Without A Tractor CROPS Miscellaneous You don t need a tractor to make hay says Joel Dufour Earth Tools Frankfort Ky who imports a complete no tractor hay system that s based on a walk-behind 2-wheel power unit Made in Italy the BCS machine is a gas or diesel-powered 2-wheel gear-driven mini tractor with reversible handlebars giving it front or rear pto-drive capability The tractor is available from 5 to 14 hp and weighs 200 to 350 lbs Available attachments include a 53-in sicklebar; a side-delivery hay rake/tedder; and a round baler The attachments fasten to the power unit in front pto mode so the tractor pushes the attachment from the rear Both the rake and baler come with a pair of front wheels and a steering lever that extends back over the tractor to the operator It s an economical system for small-scale livestock farmers who want to produce their own hay but can t justify buying conventional hay equipment and a tractor he says Dufour is the only BCS dealer in the U S who specializes exclusively in BCS power equipment and compatible attachments He says the market is growing Walk-behind tractors like the BCS are popular in Europe where there are a number of manufacturers of similar machines Conventional haying equipment is too expensive for someone with only a few acres and many small farmers have trouble finding someone to bale their hay Even if they can hire someone they still need an expensive four-wheeled tractor to move big round bales around He says BCS is the largest selling two-wheel tractor in the world and CAEB the manufacturer of the baler is the first company to offer a round baler that adapts to a 2-wheel tractor The BCS power unit and compatible attachments have a low center of gravity so the equipment works great for hilly areas It can be used to safely make hay on slopes with up to a 45 degree angle In fact the University of Kentucky is so impressed with the BCS equipment that they re now demonstrating it to farmers in that state Betty King is in charge of the program The sicklebar is available in widths up to 53-in 60 in on special order Unlike conventional North American-made sicklebars the lower stationary teeth don t extend beyond the top moving teeth Also there are no pointed guards sticking out in front which can jam up with cut material This sicklebar is virtually clog-proof and can even cut through a hay bale without plugging up says Dufour Another difference is that the blades are 2 in wide instead of 3 in as on conventional blades That results in a finer cut and the narrow spaces between the teeth keep most rocks from getting in between to damage the blade The rake /tedder is available in 4 and 5-ft models that fit any BCS tractor 8 hp and larger It takes only about 30 seconds to convert the rig from rake to tedder The baler weighs 700 lbs and requires a power unit with at least 8 1/2 hp It produces a 21 by 23-in bale that weighs 40 to 55 lbs depending on hay moisture and how tight you roll the bale It ll produce a bale every 40 to 60 seconds Bales are formed by a series of chain-driven aluminum rollers around the circumference of the bale chamber It forms a soft-core bale which allows air to circulate through the bale center Bales are wrapped with a self-sticking UV-resistant nylon mesh The tractor sells for $2 000 to $3 500 depending on horsepower The sicklebar sells for about $1 000 The rake sells for about $1 200 The baler sells for about $5 800 Dufour also offers a wide variety of other attachments for the BCS including a reciprocating spader rotary plow cultivator root digger plow ridger power sweeper chipper-shredder log splitter mini trencher snowblower root-potato digger 1-bottom plow plastic mulch layer utility cart brush mower rotary tiller lawn mower flail mower and dozer blade Also available is a custom-built power platform that converts the BCS pto-shaft drive into a pulley drive to run accessories with V-belts Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Earth Tools 660 Mt Vernon Rd Frankfort Ky 40601

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