Lonnie Fast is the President of Fast Hay Movers located in Fairmont, West Virginia. Fast is the inventor of the famous “Hay Baby” hay transporter. Their unique, patented hay machines attach to most all ATVs, side-by-side UTVs and three-point hitches on compact tractors. These are used to transport round hay bales of all sizes or large rectangle hay bales.
The concept was born out of necessity after buying a round hay baler. Fast was faced with the question of how to transport the hay bales without using a tractor that made deep ruts in the ground. His mind started to work on a new idea using his four-wheeler. Now, there are three models for the many sizes and weights of hay being produced here in West Virginia and throughout the United States.
Fast talked with Jim Matuga, host of The Positively West Virginia Podcast, about his business, his employees and contribution in ministry.
How does Fast Hay Mover work?
“A winch is held on to the four-wheeler and there is a rock switch you put on your handlebar. Everything isdone from the seat. You have a spear that pierces into your bale. Then, you push a button and it picks the hay up and the weight goes onto your Hay Baby.”
“You can go up to about a thousand pounds with 4×4 and 5×5 bales of hay with the Hay Baby.”
How many employees do you have?
“My wife is the secretary and I’m the president. We are just right here on the farm and we have a shop where we assemble these things. We have our parts made at the machine shops, powder coated and painted and then they send them to us.”
Talk about how your business is part of your ministry.
“Our lifestyle is serving God. I committed my life to Christ when we were teenagers and you know God is in the equation of all of our lives. I am a lay minister. I do prison ministry and so this is part of the ministry that we have in mind. My wife is a missionary. She’s a nurse and has been at different times going overseas. Our heart is missions and giving to missions and we give heavily in the missions. Our goal is to tie 90 percent back to the ministry and to live on the other 10 percent; now that’s after everything is paid for.”
Fast was a guest on The Positively West Virginia Podcast. Listen to his full podcast here.
PWV QUICK BITS | THE HAY BABY
- RECOMMENDED BOOKS: The Bible
- RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: ATV (all-terrain vehicle)
- PIECE OF ADVICE: “Don’t give up, be a sticker. Whatever your hands find, do it, and do it with all your might,” advised Fast.