"Hay Baby" Makes Moving Hay Fun

"Hay Baby" Makes Moving Hay Fun BALE HANDLING Bale Handling (31B) 34-2-30 Inventor Lonnie Fast designed an ATV bale mover to use on his Fairmont, W. Va., cowcalf operation. The "Hay Baby" was among 15 finalists selected by the Farm Bureau to share their inventions at the organization's 2010 convention. "When our kids moved away, we switched from all square bales to mostly round bales and some square bales," Fast says. "I wanted to move them with a 4-wheeler, so I wouldn't tear the ground up." He worked on the concept for 6 years and developed a universal unit that works behind all types of ATV's, UTV's and even golf carts. "I have used one for years to move hundreds of bales," Fast says. "The Hay Baby is designed to carry the majority of the load, placing minimal weight on the suspension of the ATV. It mounts on the receiver hitch so it's closely coupled to the ATV and can't jackknife like some bale trailers," Fast says. Simply back the fork into a bale and use an electric winch to lift the bale. The Hay Baby's 5-ft. axle is wider than the ATV, for good balance and safety. With a low center of gravity it negotiates hills easily. Fast appreciates that the turf friendly tires don't leave ruts, and he likes the small size and maneuverability of the ATV with the Hay Baby. He can back into tight spaces to unload a bale and maneuver around in feeding areas. It also makes hay bale pick-up fuel efficient and economical. He recommends using a vehicle with a minimum of 400cc to operate the Hay Baby, and he includes instructions on how to adjust the winch pulley for various vehicles to get the proper balance. A rocker switch to control the winch mounts on the handle bars. The Hay Baby can haul 4 by 4-ft. and 4 by 5-ft. bales and has a 2,500-lb. winch with a 2,000-lb. rated axle and starts at $1,795. Fast recently added beefed up models to haul bigger bales. Hay Mama has a 3,500-lb. winch, hauls 5 by 5-ft. bales and costs $1,995. Hay Papa has a 4,000-lb. winch, a 3,500-lb. rated axle and will haul 6 by 5-ft. bales and costs $2,095. For Mama and Papa models moving larger bales, he recommends using bigger ATV's or UTV's. Fast ships the hay movers in two boxes by UPS. He sells them through his website, which includes a video of the unit in use. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Fast Hay Movers Inc., Lonnie B. Fast, Rt. 1, Box 278A, Fairmont, W. Va. 26554 (ph 304 282-1210; www.fasthaymovers.com).

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