$10 small sq bales of Coastal

[Tx Jim]

I just sent the last of my 1st & maybe last cutting of this yr down the rd harvested on 15 acres. I calculated how much $$$$ I made subtracting fert, weed spray, liming & baling. I cleared $475. Woo-Hoo .

 

[sea2summit]

How much profit did you expect off a 15 acre field? Not poking, serious question as I’m still trying to dial in my pricing.

 

[Hay Dude]

Hopefully more than $475 on 15AC…..
Jim, did you have to unload, store and reload? Or sell out of field?

 

[Tx Jim]

Due rain being forecast 200 bales were sold out of field & 200 were mechanically loaded on trailer & put in barn overnight. No rain developed & trailer was off loaded by hay purchaser. 10 acres next to the 15 thats difficult to access with a trailer in tow I rd baled. It made nine 4X5.5 bales. I had $1550 in fert/weed spray/lime with $270 baling added in then subtract 9 X $100 for rd bale income that's a loss of ---$920. These fields normally make 2-3 rd bales per cutting but not without sufficient rainfall. I've had 7.41'' of rain since JAN 1. May is normally the rainiest month of the yr here.

 

[newbury]

Nothing for equipment maintenance, repair, depreciation? Free fuel and labor?
Or is this just a tax write off?

 

[sea2summit]

Due rain being forecast 200 bales were sold out of field & 200 were mechanically loaded on trailer & put in barn overnight. No rain developed & trailer was off loaded by hay purchaser. 10 acres next to the 15 thats difficult to access with a trailer in tow I rd baled. It made nine 4X5.5 bales. I had $1550 in fert/weed spray/lime with $270 baling added in then subtract 9 X $100 for rd bale income that's a loss of ---$920. These fields normally make 2-3 rd bales per cutting but not without sufficient rainfall. I've had 7.41'' of rain since JAN 1. May is normally the rainiest month of the yr here.

Well, you made me feel better anyway. But I need to do another 1800 in fertilizer before my next cut. We got 348 off our 16 acres for squares, like you it’s been dry here this spring….and no one pays $10/bale here it’s all $4-7 for grass, $15 for perineal peanut, or imported alfalfa.

 

[Hay Dude]

$4-$7 for grass hay?
No way anyone’s making money off that price, unless your pappy left you a farm, all the equipment, plus enougha money in a bank account to afford all the $6 buck diesel, insurance & repairs for the next 20 years, THEN MAYBE you could make some money.

With fuel prices the way they are, I would think maybe $10/bale hay could pencil out.

 

[5030]

Maybe, just maybe. Right now, I'm looking at 30 per for first cut and 30-40 on second and third and whatever is left will go on Michigan Hay and be gone in a flash. Already told my big customer what the per bale price 'might' be and he's good with it. He's a realist just like we are. 30 per is just break even here. Strange time we are in but cattle have to eat or should I say pure bred bucking bulls have to eat. I do get free tickets to the rodeo and I have a nice jacket from him too that says on the back, proud sponsor of Lost Nations Rodeo Company with my name on the front pocket.

He does Rodeos all over this part of the country. Has nice bulls too and I feed them. Amazing how docile they are. I can walk right in the pens with them and scratch their ears, no issue. They don't get rowdy until the cinch goes on and then get outta the way...

Don't have a clue what 'Coastal' is. Here it's alfalfa-timothy with some orchard grass mixed in of first and subsequent cuts will be more alfalfa than the other.

I lucked out on fertilizer, bought excess tons last year and it's in the barn on skids. Far as chemicals, all I spray is 2-4-DB. and maybe for potato leaf hoppers in the late summer. I was using a foiliar innoculant for a while but switched back to 46 Urea in granulated clay coated prills.

46 went up like an atomic bomb. I paid 19 a sack (50 pounds) last year, it's 50 bucks a sack presently if you can even get it. I buy all my amendments from Wilbur Ellis and the only way you can hope to get 46 is special order.

I keep the barn padlocked btw.

 

[Gee Ray]

In the Tampa area Coastal has been over $8 per small sq. bale for months. Anything else is even more. As stated earlier I believe the glue factories will be very busy very soon.

 

[Tx Jim]

Nothing for equipment maintenance, repair, depreciation? Free fuel and labor?
Or is this just a tax write off?

My simple calculations didn't include equipment maintenance,repair,depreciation. I paid my neigbor for cutting & sq baling & I showed $270 for my rd baling.

I guess it"s a "non planned tax write off" due to my filing income tax return as a farmer & lack of normal rainfall amount.