Municipalities continuously look for more efficient ways to deal with material handling, such as leaf removal each fall. This challenge has opened up a unique opportunity for one local farmer, Steve Kramm, who uses his New Holland T8 and 330P Square Baler to pick up and bale leaves for the city of Mosinee. The operation, which finished up its 8th year this fall, is swift and efficient taking only 2 days to do the entire city. Steve works with his cousin Ben, who runs a skid steer with a leaf plow in front of Steve’s T8, pushing the leaves into a windrow. The leaf windrow enables the baler to pick the leaves up easier and quicker. The team typically does 20-25 bales per hour, with each bale weighing around 1500 lbs.
Steve has made small modifications to the 330P baler and the operation as a whole over the last 8 years. They’ve learned tips and tricks such as not baling the bales too tightly to avoid bursting when they hit the ground, which keeps things running smoothly. The bales are then picked up with a wheel loader and placed into a truck to be hauled just north of the area to Hsu’s Growing Supply in Wausau. While Hsu’s is known internationally as one of the largest ginseng suppliers, they also sell various growing supplies such as compost, soil, and mulch. The leaf bales are used in their compost. During the leaf baling operation, three trucks are run at all times with each truck holding 13-14 bales per trip.
When Steve isn’t baling leaves, he focuses on custom farming, and helps raise heifers and does cash crops with his uncle and cousin at a farm outside of Mosinee. Steve and Ben also operate a snow removal business. Steve prefers operating the skid steers which happens to be a hidden talent of his. Steve won the Swiderski Equipment Skid Steer Rodeo a few years back. A Skid Steer rodeo tests an operator on machine handling, accuracy, and speed through a strategic obstacle course. Steve went on to compete at the National Competition, where he placed 10th overall.
The sight of a T8 and 330P baler baling leaves in the city is a sight to be seen and each
year residents and those traveling by stop and photograph the operation for its uniqueness. While it may not be a typical use for the equipment, it does provide an efficient means to clear a job most individuals dread and here at Swiderski Equipment, we can’t help but enjoy the sight of the New Holland logos sweeping through the city of Mosinee each fall!
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