"Reliability Lets Us Focus on Growing Quality Hay."

Located in the small town of Wynne, AR there is a farm that does not raise the traditional crop for the Arkansas delta.  At one time they did raise rice and soybeans, but about 40 years ago Tanglewood Farms began transitioning their row crop acreage to forage production.  

David and Diana Jones are the owners and managers of Tanglewood Farms, their hay and forage operation.  In the early 1970s they began custom baling for some of the local farmers, as well as baling for their own stocker cattle.  Through the years their custom baling business began to grow so much that they decided to transition their row crop acreage into Bermuda hay and sprig production with one goal in mind: produce high quality hay. 

Diana has traveled extensively through Europe and wherever she went, she was always on the lookout for hay bales to photograph.  In almost every country she traveled to, and on her hunt for hay bales, she saw Krone equipment. This was her first introduction to Krone.  

When David and Diana decided it was time to upgrade their equipment they started with their balers first.  The Joneses sought to learn more the Krone equipment they saw so frequently elsewhere so they hosted a field competition to see which baler worked the best in their conditions.  After seeing the Krone baler running circles around the competition they purchased their first VarioPack 1800, which is still in use today.  In 2004, the Joneses decided to make their next equipment purchase, which was a Krone BiG Pack 3’ x 3’ large square baler and a second VarioPack 1800.  Shortly after that they purchased two KW 550 T tedders and their most recent upgrade, two EasyCut 3200 CVs.  

When they purchased their 3’x3’ BiG Pack large square baler they were taking a risk in a region of the United States where large square bales were not common.  However, their risk paid off and they began shipping the bales out of state to dairies and cattle and horse farms.  “The outstanding shape of the large square bales and round bales are what really sell our bales,” explains Diana, “pretty bales sell.” One of their customers recognized a load of Tanglewood Farm bales on a trailer at a truck stop in Missouri.  They knew right away where the bales came from because of the excellent bale shape.   Now, they mostly use their BiG Pack baler for special orders and most of their hay is baled using their VarioPack 1800s.  

Typically the Joneses cut only what they can bale in one day with their two VarioPacks.  This always lends itself to a friendly competition between the baler operators.  David holds the record on Tanglewood Farms for baling 256 bales in one afternoon; he explains, “that was not even baling to sundown.”  David enjoys his round balers because they have always worked well with very few problems and they are reliable.  David goes on to say, “when I ran a belt baler, I would have to replace the belts each year, but with the chain and slat design I do not have to worry about that.” David cites that the ease of operation and the neatly shaped bales are some of the most important features of his baler; “if that baler did not make pretty bales, we would not be here right now.”

The reliability of the Krone balers coupled with easy maintenance convinced David to consider Krone when it came time to upgrade his tedders. He purchased two 18’ tedders and although he has run these machines for several years now, David states they are still just as reliable as they were brand new and very simple to maintain.

Just last year he rounded out his equipment lineup with two EasyCut 3200 CV mower conditioners.  The two point, quick hitch design was a big selling point.  “The ability to make left turns in the field without putting undue stress on the running machine and the minimum amount of horsepower it takes to run them are two of the main things we have discovered that are superior to our old machines,” says David, “even our smaller horsepower tractors can handle them.”  

The Joneses have run Krone equipment for over nine years now, and David credits that long-term relationship to the exceptional affiliation he has with Krone.  “In all honesty, Krone people have been the best people to work with than any other company I have dealt with.”