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After more than a decade of helping small-farm operators meet their haying needs, Tractor Tools Direct has narrowed down its inventory to two types of hay rakes–wheel rakes and belt rakes. There are several practical reasons for this including these machines’:Ease of useEase of maintenance and repairAvailability of replacement partsAbility to be sized to specific farm/tractor requirementsAffordabilityRead on to determine which of these rakes best meets the needs of your small-farm haying operati …

Providing customers with top-notch service and support is as important to us here at Tractor Tools Direct as providing the equipment needed to operate their small farms. We know that every minute on a small farm is precious. That is why we keep our website updated with how-to videos covering topics from assembly to maintenance to proper use of our implements. That way when you are putting together an implement on an evening or weekend or dealing with an issue in the field, answers to your questi …

April’s blog discussed the first step of the baling process--mowing. This month’s blog will give tips for the next step--tedding. What is a tedder? A tedder is an implement that is used to fluff and spread hay to decrease drying time. Tedding is typically done after the hay is mowed and before it is raked into windrows for baling. Many hay mowers, unless they have a built-in conditioning system like our Ibex TS51C and TM67C drum mowers, tend to windrow the cut crop into a tight pile that …

The month of January may seem like a strange time to discuss the best time to cut hay, but why not use the slow winter months to prepare for a great baling season? Once the grass starts growing, you’ll need to be ready to spring into action! A haying season is divided up by its cuttings. In the northern regions of the US and Canada where the summer season is shorter, farmers aim for 2 cuttings a season. The middle regions aim for 3 while the southern regions might manage 4 or more in a good yea …

With winter approaching, it is time to remind of our customers of the importance of machinery maintenance. Now that the hectic harvest season is coming to an end, more time can be found to clean and service machinery. Then, once spring rolls around again your machinery will be in tip-top condition and ready to use. Below is a list of winterizing tasks for balers, mowers, and rakes. We’ve also provided a handy pdf version that can be printed off and taken to the equipment shed with you:  …