Making hay

I have been thinking about how to get my grass turned into hay bales without spending a fortune on machinery or hiring costs. Surely people used to make hay before the invention of tractors and balers.
A little dig around google and youtube revealed that hand balers can easily be built and used on small fields.

Hopefully I will find the time to build one this year. Hay can be cut twice a year. With a bit of luck I will be able to make some good bales to feed the pigs through the winter and have enough bedding for them and the chickens. Buying in straw and hay could be a thing of the past.

Next question is how to cut the grass. Low impact demands something manually operated without fumes and a lot of noise, so maybe a scythe would be best.

 

Then I just have to hope we will have enough good weather for me to cut and dry enough hay...