Blog

At Tractor Tools Direct we specialize in small-farm hay equipment, but did you know that our Ibex Mini Round Balers are popular with pine straw producers too? Their compact size and maneuverability make them a perfect choice for harvesting straw between the narrow tree rows of a pine plantation. Read on to learn more about this alternative use for mini round balers. The southeastern United States is home to countless acres of pine tree forests which are managed not only for their timber, bu …

At Tractor Tools Direct we love hearing about our customers’ successes. Two years ago, Dave, located in MN, purchased a hay package from us containing an Ibex TX31 mini round baler, a belt rake, and a compact drum mower. Like so many of our customers, he wanted to bring haying independence to his small farm so that he would no longer be at the mercy of the farmer down the road who previously baled his fields. Having control of his own hay baling gives Dave more control …

Hopefully before you’ve even decided to embark on the hay baling adventure, you’ve thought about where you are going to store the bales you produce. The task of baling hay is far too much work to let bales rot in the field. Here are some tips to keep your bales dry and efficiently organized. The best storage for hay--especially the small round and square bales produced on a small-farm operation--is in a barn or shed. The barn should be free of leaks and well ventilated. Air circulation is impo …

What if we told you that there is an easy and affordable (even free) way to ensure that you get the most out of your new equipment--and even protect your investment? What if we told you that it is so easy that you can do it from the comfort of your recliner? Guess what? There is! It’s simply reading your implement’s assembly, operator, and parts manuals. So, why is reading your manuals so important? Many people who have purchased similar pieces of equipment before, simply figure they already k …

As the end of the financial year approaches, it is helpful to learn about tax implications for small farms. Here at Tractor Tools Direct, we field many questions about small-farm sales tax exemptions and other tax deductions. If you haven’t already, it may make sense to set up your small farm as a business. Read further to learn more about the process to determine if applying for a farm tax ID would be beneficial to your operation. What is a farm tax ID number? A farm tax ID number i …