Can you bale pine straw with a hay baler?
And while most people are accustomed to balers that produce square bales, many are finding that compact balers which produce small round bales are the most economical and efficient to use for pine straw production. …
Can you bale pine needles?
Bales may be round or square depending on the baler type used. Round bales may weigh as much as 40 pounds and measure about 18 inches in diameter. This size bale is typically used by landscape contractors who use large volumes of pine straw annually.
How do you make small straw bales?
- Chose a box of the size you would like for your hay bales.
- Cut several lengths of raffia.
- Place hay or straw inside the box.
- Bring the raffia strings up around the hay and tie the ends of the raffia strings together tightly to secure the hay or straw.
- Remove the hay bale from the box.
How big is a pine straw bale?
26-28 inches
A typical bale box is usually 26-28 inches in length and 10-13 inches in height and width. The weight of a typical bale is 10-15 lbs depending on the size of the box, compression applied by the baler, and the moisture content of the material at the time of harvest.
How do you collect pine straw?
One person usually uses a rake or pitchfork to rake straw away from the trees, and another person operates a tractor or hand baler to collect the straw. A third person collects the baled straw on a trailer to deliver to market. Pine straw baling can be contracted through a per-bale lease or by the acre.
How do you make a pine straw bale?
So to create your bale, first lay the strings across the bottom of the chamber and up and over the back side across to and up and over the door side. Secure the door shut and then add the pine needles (or hay of any kind really) into the chamber. When it reaches the top, use the arms to squash down the needles.
What can you do with a hand hay baler?
Please try again later. Building and using a hand hay baler as demonstrated in the video above can be a great tool to have around the home; it can be used for baling pine-straw, leaves and grass.
How many bales of hay can you make in a season?
Depending on your geographic location you can usually get several haying sessions a season and even if you only make twenty bales it will still have a direct impact on your feed costs. So if you are thinking of giving hay making a try this summer you can get the plans for the hand hay baler at the link below. Let us know how it works for you.
What do you need to make your own hay?
Ann Larkin Hansen covers everything you need to know to successfully make your own hay, from cutting, drying, and raking to baling and storing. She also tells you everything you need to know about equipment options, including traditional horse power, tractor power, and implements ranging from scythes to disc mowers.