hiring someone to make hay

[buckeyefarmer]

What's a reasonable price for someone to come in and make hay for you? bales will be 1000# round don't know if 4' or 5' wide. would they normally price on a per bale price?

 

[KiotiKowboy]

Very common practice - at least for me I make great hay but don't need it for myself. Instead, I sell the cut.

Someone brings in their own equipment, provides all the labor and hauls off the bales. Normally, I do this on a 2:1 basis. The cutter gets 2 and buys 1. Sometimes, I use a 60:40 split. My price is generally just below the local market.

The first cut this year was 201 5x5.5 round bales. He paid me for 67 bales @ $45.

I find this a great way to keep beautiful pastures, as the hay proceeds go back into care of the property.

 

[DT86]

Around here, depending on the quality and density of forage, it will be 1/2 to 2/3 of the cost of a roll if you had bought it from else where.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

I'm thinking 1/2 is fair. That's what we used to do years ago when we baled for others. Thanks.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

If it is REALLY good hay half may be fair but otherwise expect 2/3 split. Tractors and diesel just ain't as cheap as they once was.

 

[oosik]

Most hay here is grass hay and the split is 50:50. Hay is, this week, $220 to $285/ton dependent upon type, quality and configuration.

 

[bigbull338]

ok yall are talking 2 differant ways to get your hay baled.around here people no longer bale on the halves as it cost to much to go in and do it from start to finish.most here want to do it on the 60/40 or 70/30 if your lucky.around here custom balers charge $25 a bale for 4 by 5s and 4 by 6s.plus here most charge a 3 bale to ac min.in other words if they bale 10acs and it makes 2 4 by 6 bales to the ac.then they are still paying the $75ac min or $750.

 

[buckeyefarmer]

The guy is quoting us $55 per bale. This is for my dad who was in the hospital and couldn't get all his hay in yet. The weather hasn't been cooperating, but he wants to get someone who can get it done fast. i live 6 hrs away, so it's not always possible to get there when the hay is ready to put in. I'm looking at used round balers now but time is not on my side.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

That is quite possibly the most insane price I've ever heard from anywhere. In less by chance he's bailing big squares. 3'x3'8' or something like that.

 

[mjcountrybumpkin]

How much hay are we talking? 2 acres or 200 , makes a big difference