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Hogleg 07-23-2012 08:31:56 38.104.162.74 Report to Moderator

I do small custom baling here in So Ill. Most fields I have are less than 5 acres. Works well to fit into my day job schedule. Most fields I just cut and take the hay. Some on 50% shares and some all custom. Plan to expand some when I retire in the next few years (if I ever can!) I charge $13/acre to cut, 6$/acre to rake per pass (if necessary) and $12/bale for 5x5 rounders. For squares, 75 cents per bale left on the ground. Examples: First client, 6 acres, grass was long, but not thick. It came out to $204 for me and he got 7 bales. Not a good cut at all. Not happy with results but he had to get it cut to let horses out and he is a good client. Second client, better grass, 5.5 acres, one good 1.5ac field, one 4 ac not as good field. Baled 240 squares of of the 4 acre inferior field. Baled 9 rounders off of 1.5 acres of the thickest timothy/orchard/clover patch that I have ever seen. Got it right before the rains left. Got paid $390. Happy. Third client, shares. 12.4 acres. Got 25 bales of grass hay, 4 rounders of oat straw (bedding), and 50 squares that my daughter made in the corners (he is the local vet and has a race track in the pasture, I rounded the center and other fields and she baled the corners). He took 12 rounds, I got the rest. Happy and he is a good client and doc. On full take clients, I leave the field as clean as possible and most times I come back with the bushhog and touch up the field to make it look nice. Makes for happy clients that ask for me to come back year after year. Relationships and customer service makes the deal every time. Hope this helps. John This post was edited by Hogleg at 08:38:51 07/23/12. [Reply]   [No Email]