Rapid, healthy growth characterizes the interest in Balfour Farmers’ Association’s annual hay day. Five years ago, a meager 35 people turned up for the first Hay Day, which is now held annually on PJ Kriek and Sons’ farm between Balfour and Devon.

“Apart from the exhibitors, 450 people came through the gates today,” says Gert Kriek, Hooidag chairman and vice-chairman of Balfour Farmers’ Association. The branch operates under the auspices of TAU SA and consists of approximately 60 members.

The recent drought has once again proved what a valuable asset good hay is and Hay Day is there to bring farmers and suppliers of haymaking equipment together so that the farmer can see all the options in action to improve his own hay production. The Hay Day is also one of the Farmers’ Association’s most important fundraising events.

CLAAS

CLAAS
CLAAS ‘Jaguar 870 silage cutter cuts and carves the wet grass into fine pieces to make silage. The older brother of the CLAAS tractor range, the Xerion 5 000, tows the silage wagon.

MASSEY FERGUSON

Massey Ferguson
Massey Ferguson’s three-point mounted DM408TL 8 disc cutter is 4 meters wide and is pulled by the 6712 model with 91 kW and a torque delivery of 490 Nm at 1 500 rpm.

VALTRAC

VALTRAC
The 58 kW Valtra A73 trailer cab easily tows the Pöttinger Top 422, which rakes the cut grass nicely in a windrow to dry. The single toll is 3.3 meters wide and has a working width of 4.2 meters.

ROVIC LEERS

ROVIC LEERS
Rovic Leers demonstrates their Kuhn Mfg accumulator that works completely mechanically while being towed behind a block baler. One can stand all day watching how ingenious this useful machine works.

JOHN DEERE

John Deere
During Balfour’s Hay Day, John Deere’s naval tractors thoroughly demonstrated their steel and power.

Main photo: The men in charge of affairs at Balfour’s Hay Day were Derick Kuűn, organizer; Gert Kriek, Hay Day Chairman; Wouter Nel, chairman of Balfour Farmers’ Association and Carel Kriek, organizer.