Eden Valley Guest Ranch.

Baling Hay at Ranch near Oroville and Tonasket, Washington

We use a small bale (circa 1970's) New Holland baler which is pulled behind a tractor and runs off the tractor's PTO.  Our ranch and resort are in the Okanogan Highlands near Oroville and Tonasket, Washington.

The baler feeds the windrow of hay up the pick-up reel and into a platform where two large tines stuff hay to the bale chamber.  Two rows of twine are guided up around what will soon become a bale.

Precision timing is essential for the twine knotters and knives to work properly.  A plunger hammers the hay tight, rhythmically packing each bale.  Rear springs at the end of the bale chamber are tightened or loosened with hay moisture conditions to control bale packing consistency.  Just as a sewing machine out of time will not sew, a baler out of time will create sloppy bales unsuitable for transporting without breaking.

We usually pull an accumulator behind the baler which guides eight bales into a two rows, four across set.  Each set is released to sit in the field until it is picked up by a tractor with loader and grapples.