​Customer Spotlight: Jim from MD and the Ibex Compact Homesteader Hay Package

We LOVE hearing from our customers! Here is what Jim from MD has been up to:

“We are located in the northern part of Maryland. We currently have nearly 10 acres, almost four acres in mixed grass hay; the remainder is in pasture/woodlands.

As for our hay crop, it serves to feed a small herd of fainting goats (claimed by my wife, primarily pets... and quite spoiled!). Because of storage space and a time crunch (associated with incoming storms during the first cutting, 56 bales were given to a nearby dairy farmer to feed to dry cows/breed heifers).

We use the Ibex TS53 Drum Mower (Bellon), the Ibex TS130 2-V-2 wheel rake, and the Ibex TX31 Mini Round Baler with Twine Wrap (the Ibex Compact Homesteader Hay Package–all from Tractor Tools Direct) to harvest two cuttings for 2022. The equipment is operated using a Kubota L3901 (37.5 hp/30.5 PTO). 

In 2021, the first year with the aforementioned equipment, we harvested three cuttings. This year we opted to only harvest two cuttings, as we are in the process of refurbishing the fields to improve the quality of hay.

As for the equipment, the drum mower and rake worked flawlessly from the onset; the baler was a slightly different story, the first year. However, the staff at Tractor Tools Direct was outstanding with over-the-phone customer service to work out the nuances associated with the twine arm and making bale density adjustments for the perfect 35 +/- pound bale.

We started off using the Hemp Baling Twine, but switched this year to the 9000/130 Polypropylene Twine and are very happy with those results. As a side note, we added a Bush Hog HT210 Hay Tedder to our equipment line-up to aid with hay curing processes (weather here is not always conducive to baling hay).”

Thank you, Jim, for sharing your experience with us! For more information about this hay package or any of our other equipment, please visit our website at tractortoolsdirect.com or give us a call at 260-BALE-HAY today!