How to Make Hay With a Small Square Baler

Attach the small square hay baler to the tractor hitch, securing the tail light electrical rigging and locking the hitch into place.

Pull the tractor over a row of dried grass and straw, centering the square hay baler's grass scoop in front of the dried grass and straw.

Load the twine cases with two rolls of twine, setting the twine along the metal spindles and threading the twine up through the thread feed channel. Make sure you clear the thread feed channels of any obstructions like debris from previous usages or torn bits of twine.

Secure each thread in its own twine prong that grip the twine and tie the grass and bale the resulting "hay."

Turn on the hay baler.

Drive the tractor at about five miles per hour (mph) for a distance of 20 to 30 yards, allowing the baler to scoop the grass and make the first preliminary bales.

Adjust the grass load speed such that the grass loads for enough time, piling up and compacting sufficiently to form a full bale before the wrapper ties the twine. The grass load speed varies depending on the actual amount of cut grass, so the driver must visually monitor the rows of cut grass and adjust the grass load speed as he drives.

Examine the first several bales, checking their weight for ideal density and twine tightness. Ideal density differs but generally should approach 35 to 50 pounds and match the type of grass. Small patches of semi-dried grasses, such as alfalfa or fescue, can weigh a lot, so you might need to decrease the grass-load speed.

Drive for another 50 or 60 yards, or as long as necessary to form 10 to 12 bales. These bales should be tight and compact.