25 Acres worth buying hay equipment?

[TigerFanatic1]

In the process of purchasing around 29 acres of old pasture land, which is roughly 25 acres of grass, 3/4-1 acre pond, and the remaining is smaller woods that I will likely reclaim with a mulcher or something similar. I'm not sure what I want to do with is, but it connects to our the property (mostly wooded) that we are building on. Could I realistically make my money back on the haying equipment on such a small property? I currently have a Kubota M9540 and 15' flexwing, so would have to buy everything. No real desire to start cutting commercially outside of my property, just looking for something to do with it that would allow me to keep it looking nice other than just bush-hogging. I work in the oilfield so spend periods of weeks away from home, so cattle is unlikely until I retire in 10-15 years.

 

[Thomas]

Until you retire may someone near buy could hay the land?

 

[Hay Dude]

It depends on what you expect. Do you want shiny newer equipment? Or are you ok with older, more worn-out equipment.
1. I would not expect to make one dollar. I like your attitude in that you are looking at it as a way to mow your property.
2. I would buy a simple disc mower, a wheel rake, and save the most for a solid round baler.
3. Survey you area and try to see how much you can potentially sell. Are there a lot of cow/cattle operations around? You need to be able to sell hay quickly. It doesnt last long outside and takes up a lot of space stored inside.

 

[sea2summit]

First you need to take some soil samples to the extension office and see what it will take to get the soil right for hay. You can sell much hay, cow and maybe goat without amendments but you’ll get low yields and won’t be able to sell it for much.

25 acres if you square baled for max profit you’re looking at ~500 first cut, 1k second, maybe 1k third. So ~2,500 bales, what’s the market in your area? Can you store that hay?

Round bales for easiest one man operation probably 40-55 depending on size first cut, maybe 80-90 on the others. What’s the market like for those?

Now, a general rule of thumb is you’ll break something every time you bale. Maybe small, maybe big but I’m thankful when I cut with less than $100 in broken stuff. For me to square bale that many acres it’s about 30 hrs of seat time regardless if I’m getting 300 or a thousand bales that’s just what it takes to mow, rake, and bale (I don’t Ted). You’ll probably be about the same. Picking up bales is a whole other story, small squares you’re boarderline too much land to expect to pick and stack them all yourself…probably at least two days. Rounds, depending on how far you need to move them is probably most of a day to spear and move them one at a time.

Then there’s hay buyers…you won’t sell to horse people the first year which is where the money is. Probably not the second year either unless you fertilize, test and advertise….a lot.

In the end, if you have the money and time I’d encourage anyone to make some hay at least for a while. If not, I’m sure there is some local guy like me who would be interested in the field if it’s in hay production.

Good luck.

 

[jaxs]

Let someone else do it on shares and sell yours along with theirs.

 

[Hay Dude]

The OP already owning an adequate size tractor helps. He’s 1/2 way there on equipment costs.

Another consideration (if you go forward with baling) is to ask as many people as you can who s the best AG dealer is in your area for SERVICE and parts.….you’re gonna need it (them). Usually it is NOT the biggest dealer with the nicest trucks, uniformed personnel, and a waiting area lounge with gourmet coffee.

 

[TigerFanatic1]

Until you retire may someone near buy could hay the land?

This is my backup plan and something I may at least look into for a year or 2. I will need to discuss some of the finer details because I don't want anyone bringing in a bunch of manure as fertilizer. lol. I plan to run a disc through it in the spring because it is a little rough.

 

[TigerFanatic1]

It depends on what you expect. Do you want shiny newer equipment? Or are you ok with older, more worn-out equipment.
1. I would not expect to make one dollar. I like your attitude in that you are looking at it as a way to mow your property.
2. I would buy a simple disc mower, a wheel rake, and save the most for a solid round baler.
3. Survey you area and try to see how much you can potentially sell. Are there a lot of cow/cattle operations around? You need to be able to sell hay quickly. It doesnt last long outside and takes up a lot of space stored inside.

Not going for looks for sure, would likely do as you said and worry more about the baler than anything because I feel like that is what I'd be least experienced at repairing.
There is some cow operations around, but not an extremely high amount. Mostly older individuals, who have downsized over the years.
I don't have a place to store at the moment, but may look at in the future as I learn a little more about haying.

 

[sea2summit]

This is my backup plan and something I may at least look into for a year or 2. I will need to discuss some of the finer details because I don't want anyone bringing in a bunch of manure as fertilizer. lol. I plan to run a disc through it in the spring because it is a little rough.

Affordable manure right now is hard to find, if you can get a bunch for free that could be a game changer! Soil test brother, they will tell you exactly what you need to include how to figure out the correct amount of manure to spread.

 

[TigerFanatic1]

Affordable manure right now is hard to find, if you can get a bunch for free that could be a game changer! Soil test brother, they will tell you exactly what you need to include how to figure out the correct amount of manure to spread.

Thanks, I will get some tests for sure. Should I take samples from different areas such as where there is different types of grass? It's family property that I'm buying, so familiar that a small area has Johnson (at least what I call it), bahia, and then there is a section that has some really thick grass that doesn't grow as fast vertically. I've never paid attention to exactly what's in the thicker section, but do remember that it would bog down the bushhog even though it wasn't tall.