Shannon Morgan, S.D. Morgan Farms
Hay Accumulator and Hay Grapple
Grant Award: $6,000
To meet the enormous challenge of putting up the more than 5,000 square hay bales Shannon produces each season, Shannon has purchased a hay accumulator and grapple.
This equipment will speed up the process of getting the hay out of the field since he is currently picking it up off the ground with an old pull-along bale loader that is over 40 years and was previously used when the family was in the dairy business. Replacement parts no longer exist for this machine and finding labor to help with the process is difficult.
The new equipment can be operated with the farm’s existing trucks and trailers and will reduce hay-processing labor requirements by half. Without it, Shannon will likely be forced to reduce the amount of hay he grows each year for his more than 30 customers. Ledford’s Produce alone purchases more than 2,000 bales per year, and Eliada is another regular buyer.
Contact the Local Extension Agent