Hay bailing for profit??

[CharlieTR]

Wow! There is a lot of good info on this post!

While you are looking into the equipment cost and marketing, be sure to price the start up cost of the hay crop. I guess you would want Coastal Bermuda or some other type of Bermuda, that is if you can't grow Alfafa where you are. Alfafa brings more $ than grass hay. The cost of sprigging Coastal is around $80 to $100 per acre that does not include disking, leveling and smoothing the land, and any other prep work. You can seed other types of Bermuda like Giant Bermuda. That seed cost $300 per 50 lbs bag last time I looked. I think use 10-15 lbs per acre of seed.

 

[Mickey_Fx]

Wow, do I live a shelterd life, #300/bag for grass seed. I live in the heart of grass seed production and I see signs at a couple seed farms for seed @ $2/# but don't know variety or qlty at that price.

 

[mjarrels]

There is a beautiful farm just up the road (also a large trucking co.) that bales square bales using the biggest John Deere tractors I ever saw. I believe their square bale market is a big name Circus.

mark

 

[mwechtal]

Back about 15 years ago, we saw some really huge square bales being made out in the mid-west. They would probably have gone 2 bales to the 18 wheeler load. The baler was built on a combine chassis, and they had trucks with a full width conveyer belt that would drive up to the bales and roll them right onboard. Seems like a tough way to handle hay unless you have the right equipment. Is anything like that still used? I would think round bales would be SO MUCH easier to handle.

Mike

 

[Egon]

Bales that are much too heavy to be moved by hand are the easiest to handle.

 

[Soundguy]

Amen. Once i found out my old ford tractors' loader would move rounds.. I practically stopped buying squares any more..

Soundguy

 

[CharlieTR]

Back about 15 years ago, we saw some really huge square bales being made out in the mid-west. They would probably have gone 2 bales to the 18 wheeler load. The baler was built on a combine chassis, and they had trucks with a full width conveyer belt that would drive up to the bales and roll them right onboard. Seems like a tough way to handle hay unless you have the right equipment. Is anything like that still used? I would think round bales would be SO MUCH easier to handle.

Mike

Still used, when I saw them they were only used on the ranch that made the bales and not sold or shipped. The ranch I saw them at just put a fence around the bale until feeding time. I don't think the bale ever moved. I think there is an advantage to biggest bale possible, maybe a bigger sweet spot in the center with more protein or something.

 

[7864]

Farms with junk and Robert said about everything I would say. If you guys decide to go ahead and try the hay baling for profit, see if you could get the operation on a tv network as a reality show!! (RFD network) I`m sure it would be a hit. I bale 5000-7000 (small squares)bales a year over two to three cuttings here in Wisconsin off of about 35 -40 acres. I do it late afternoons and weekends after my first shift job.If it was extremely profitable I wouldn`t have the first job. The weather will be against you almost everytime, and I live by the weather channel. I can`t imagine 200 acres with new fellas and tiny equipment.

 

[deereguy]

I like the reality show idea, involve the entire family and see if everyone still talks to each other after a few break downs and rain a few hours away.

Good Luck!!

 

[Gizmo36]

Greg I don't know about the army worm's . But here it is cut worm's I have never seen so many . when I plow the ground is full of them. and if it rains as soon as it gets dry I start plowing . I have been plow for three days now. that cuts there air off and they die. square bales was all we had for years. then ever one when to the round bales.but now the money is in square bales in Aiken SC and North Augusta Ga ever one that has 5ac has 10 horses. If you take a load of hay down there you better take a ball bat with you to bet them off.And I don't know if the land were you are is any thing like it is down around Cummings GA but 30 years ago there was a lot of Alfalfa grow there.200 acres and 2 people that is a lot of hard work .The only way two people could do it is to buy a one man set up it will load it and put it in the barn all you have to do is drive the tractor .But if a man had that much money whey would he want to work that hard.it will kill you Don't ask how I know.I can hardly get on and off a tractor now.But if you want equipment they are having a big used equipment sale in Elberton Ga this Saturday. And I wish you all the luck in the world because you are going to need it.