Start Haying On A Bigger Scale?

[PROFarms]

Hi Guys

Ive been haying on a very small scale, just making enough for our 4 ponies, for a few years now. We have always rented our 10 acre field out for corn to be planted in because we never had a tractor big enough to do the 10 acres - only ever had a 16hp yanmar and got a friend to bale in return for me stacking a trailer of bales.

Anyway, now we have bought an IH 444, which is 42 PTO hp. My father and i have been discussing reseeding the 10 acre field back to grass and haying it ourselves. We have been getting $1400 plus around 50 gal. of diesel per year renting the field out to the farmer down the road. We reckon, going by our neighbours field of the same size, that we could get probably 1000 small squares a year - maybe more if another year like this, which sell around here for $6 each. Fertiliser is $400 a ton and I'm not sure what fuel costs would be seeing as we would no longer get the free fuel and i don't know what the 444 is like on fuel yet.

Have done some quick calculations and to me it looks like we would break even after loosing the $1400 a year after the first year?

Let me know on your thoughts of if we should invest in doing this

 

[RedNeckRacin]

Have you checked on used equipment prices yet? Are you handy at repairs? Do you have a welder, torch, and hammers? I jest slightly, but any hay equipment is going to need repairs and maintenance done on it. If you have done it before and enjoy the work, I say go for it. If you have never made hay before, your in for a learning curve your first couple years.

 

[PROFarms]

Yes, I'd like to think I'm pretty handy when it comes to fixing things. We have a welder and a fair few other tools I'd need.
Currently I have a trailed 4 wheel hay rake, sickle mower-which I really do hate and a Tedder. So as far as I'm thinking I should only need to go and purchase a half decent used baler. Have seen one for sale at $600ish in "tatty but ready to work after service" condition.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

I know it's a bit off topic, but can you talk about how you've been taking in the hay without a baler?

 

[PROFarms]

Previously I always had a guy from down te road do it but he's given up on doing it for people now

 

[farmer2009]

I'd bet your not far off on your estimation. Maybe a little high on expenses. But I'm not formilar with England. The 484 diesel we use to have was super easy on fuel. But the 424 gas was also. So you should be able to run atleast a day on a tank.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Previously I always had a guy from down te road do it but he's given up on doing it for people now

Thanks. I was hoping you'd say you put it up loose. I'm planning on putting up loose hay this summer and the scarcity of other people doing it has me worried.

 

[PROFarms]

Thanks. I was hoping you'd say you put it up loose. I'm planning on putting up loose hay this summer and the scarcity of other people doing it has me worried.

Yes, we have put loose hay up before and had great success with it. Just make sure when you do it that you rake the outside and stack higher just to give it a thatch effect. Then maybe just out a tarp or something over the very top depending on the size of it.

 

[PROFarms]

I'd bet your not far off on your estimation. Maybe a little high on expenses. But I'm not formilar with England. The 484 diesel we use to have was super easy on fuel. But the 424 gas was also. So you should be able to run atleast a day on a tank.

Ok thanks. Will have another look back through and show dad but after what y'all are saying it sounds like it might be a worthy investment.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Yes, we have put loose hay up before and had great success with it. Just make sure when you do it that you rake the outside and stack higher just to give it a thatch effect. Then maybe just out a tarp or something over the very top depending on the size of it.

Thanks, it's comforting to hear that.

 

[PROFarms]

have gone back through my calculations and done them in a bit more depth this time. i reckon if we go ahead with this and my costs don't change to drastically, then we may be into profit after the first year?

Has anyone else done anything like this to give me any advice on starting up?

 

[westcliffe01]

Im assuming your climate must be considerably more mild than Michigan. Here we only get 2 cuttings and the second is much poorer than the first. I spent most of last summer assisting in a haying operation (after work of course) and that was on a 120 acre farm. There is 1 quite level 10 acre field that is used exclusively for hay and then another additional 50 less level acres on which sheep graze which is also cut for hay. In addition there are 70 additional hilly acres less suitable for cutting which is accessible to the sheep for browse.

For haying, the owner has a case 700 which is the main workhorse, in addition a case 800 and a case 400. Typically, horses are used for the first cutting with a sickle bar mower. The horses knock down less of the new growth than a wheeled vehicle. Horses are also used for raking, although a Kubota RTV 500 is sometimes pressed into service when time is really tight. The 700 is used for dragging the baler and hay wagon. Typically there would be about 100-120 hay bales in the hay wagon, where they are flung by the "kicker" on the back of the baler. Last years total harvest for the property was probably about 15 wagons worth so between 1500 and 1950 bales. Now I do think that the baler was not correctly adjusted and the bales are longer than they should be and really heavy to lift. Likely 70-80lb each.

All of the equipment is from the 50's and 60's and quite maintenance intensive. We had 1 quite spectacular incident when the baler picked up a hefty piece of hardwood and sheared several shear pins and got out of synch and bent a needle. The bent needle in turn smashed the string knotting tooling on 1 side. Getting spares for this equipment is quite the pain in the rear...

This last season, rain on a nearly daily basis caused a lot of issues with hay quality. Its hard to believe how much the drying hay is affected by being rained on, but I saw it with my own eyes. First cutting is late May/June and last cutting might be late September into October. By August if the summer is dry the hay will simply stop growing and dry out.

I think that with a change to a round baler (to reduce bale handling since there is basically no labor available) and the addition of a larger tractor with a good loader, the hay operation might actually be a viable cash crop. It would eliminate all of the current hay wagons and the back breaking work to unload the hay wagons and stack the bales in the barn. It would also eliminate the square baler and its kicker, certainly one of the most dangerous pieces of equipment to run on the farm. Everyone's time is worth something, and a LOT of time went into baling, unloading and stacking, often in a big rush with a thunderstorm approaching to rain on your bailed hay. Of course it has to be about 95F and 95% humidity at the same time...

I hope you are young or have a lot of willing nieces and nephews.. If not, mechanise and go with round bales.

 

[farmer2009]

There are different definitions of profit.
If you really want to take into account everything land values taxes ect. you will probably never be able to turn a profit.
If you just want to know how fast you can pay off equipment after paying for usable expenses (fuel, fertilizer, twine ect). Then your probably not far off.
If you're looking to put some money in your pocket to help you live then only bill the actual out of pocket cost. Your usable expenses then your loan payment on equipment. This method should have you in the black the first year.

It's just up to you as to your definition.

 

[PROFarms]

Yes, i guess really its just looking for a little bit extra money and a bit of money for some new equipment

 

[PROFarms]

I hope you are young or have a lot of willing nieces and nephews.. If not, mechanise and go with round bales.

Haha, yes, I'm only 16 and i got some cousins who are willing to help me when i need it in return for me helping them on their farm sometimes. Also the familys pretty fit so i would like to think it would be able to be a whole family thing like back in the days before i was born

 

[PROFarms]

So… I decided to take the opportunity when it came up to buy a used drum mower, vicon tedder and a second rake. We had the cornfield reseeded back into grass. Our neighbour saw we were starting to do it ourselves and has GIVEN us his 20 acres so I'm just hoping we haven't bitten off more than we can chew. Have gone from doing less than 5acres a year to no going to be doing at least 40 acres - maybe more if we do my grandfathers farm!!