Getting started in hay making... Basic set-up

[roadhunter]

Sure he did. His expenses were seed and diesel and a light application of fertilizer. Cost less than $1K. And the expensive equipment (stacker, squeeze) belong to his friends who charged for the diesel. He supplied the beer and burgers. As I said, it helps a lot to have friends in the business. That's why cooperatives exist.

I guess it just depends what accounting method you use. If equipment was free, no insurance required, operators were also free, and all you had to pay was diesel, burgers, and beer it looks great on paper. In the real world all that stuff costs money and has to be accounted for.

Truck, trailer, tractor, disc, drill, windrower, baler, bale stacker, bale squeeze all need to be purchased, insured, fuel, maintenance, and an operator. Then you have other costs like having to share the yield with landowners or paying them for use of the land. Seed, Fertilizer, etc for planting. Twine for the bales, mobilization of equipment, etc... It costs a whole lot more than $1,0000 to put up 400 bales. Plug in $50 an hour for each hour that each piece of equipment is running to complete the job and $25 and hour for each hour of time and operator requires and you might be getting close to what it actually costs.

For someone getting into the hay business it's going to be really difficult to go out and buy 5-8 pieces of equipment and make money at it.

 

[MMagis]

I guess it just depends what accounting method you use. If equipment was free, no insurance required, operators were also free, and all you had to pay was diesel, burgers, and beer it looks great on paper. In the real world all that stuff costs money and has to be accounted for.
.

X2. Not many people have friends willing to supply $100k+ in machinery, plus operating time.
If you don’t already have the land and equipment for your own hay, find another plan. Spending money on equipment in order to sell hay is a one way ticket to the poorhouse.

 

[MMagis]

I guess it just depends what accounting method you use. If equipment was free, no insurance required, operators were also free, and all you had to pay was diesel, burgers, and beer it looks great on paper. In the real world all that stuff costs money and has to be accounted for.
.

X2. Not many people have friends willing to supply $100k+ in machinery, plus operating time.
If you don't already have the land and equipment for your own hay, find another plan. Spending money on equipment in order to sell hay is a one way ticket to the poorhouse.

 

[powerscol]

I have a small operation and got a hay grapple form these folks. Kuhns Mfg LLC | Innovation in small square bale handling. (You can search my user name for pictures, etc)
I use it to pick up the bales and load on my goose neck, then use the tractor to haul the goose neck around. I can unload and stack in the barn, and then pull off the stack and load folks up. The accumulators they have also make quick work if you get a matching set up. (on my future wish list) A lot cheaper than a bale wagon in my opinion.

Bottom line make sure you have enough tractor, and invest wisely in equipment, especially if used. Most folks don't sell equipment unless it is giving them trouble, or they are trading up or getting out of the business. I learned the hard way when I bought my sickle mower.

 

[LukeD]

I started out with a ford 501 sickle mower, a john Deere side delivery rake, a NH 311 baler, and a JD 3020. I got rid of the sickle mower and side delivery rake as quickly as I could. That's just way too slow of an operation. I now have upgraded to a vicon CM 216 disc mower and a 10 wheel rake. I'm currently having a grappler and accumulator built at a local shop, to help cut down on labor expense