HAY

Hi Guys.
First off thanks for all the help with my two Farmall H tractors, I have a piece of ground in north Missouri, I have 20 acres of grass land, it had not been fertilized for years before I got it, I started putting fertilizer on it 5 years ago, I have a guy come in and for 50/50 cuts it for hay, it makes 44 to 45 5x6 round bales per year, but I spend about $400 more on fertilizer than I get out of the hay, I only cut it once a year because there is a little DCP on it, but I still end up $250 out of pocket,I have no fences and it is four small fields, is there anything else I could do to come out ahead ( I am not a farmer ) any ideas would be a help, Thank you very much.
Ken.

Sounds to me like you might not need the fertilizer. Do some soil tests and see where you are at with fertility. At some point putting on fertilizer doesnt pay, you have to figure out where that point happens to be.

Fence it in and rent it out for a few head of cattle or horses. Do not let them run to many on it say maybe 4 or so that way it can still be cut for hay and it is a win win. The animals fertilize it and you get hay also. I have a place here at the Lake of the Ozarks and I will NEVER use chemical fertilizers on it. I do run a few horses on it and do pretty well as for producing hay and selling it

Well, the first thing I would do is stop buying fertilizer. Then see if your share of the hay will pay the taxes.

The Duke has it, Fert is getting sooo expensive.
I figure it doesn't need it all in one year so I only do it every 2. seems to still give a good crop.Plow in the stubble though.only burn when the weeds are in abundance..

split the fertilizer bill 50/50 with the guy haying and you should be able to breakeven and pay the taxes, if guy won't do it, find someone who will or just let it sit idle

First off, hay is too expensive to raise easily and make a profit. Rule of thumb around here is thirds. If you own the ground and fertilize it, you get two thirds. If he fertilizes it and does the work, he gets two thirds.

Your best bet is to fertilize and manage it,you own it and pay the taxes. Let him cut, rake and bale, and give him a set amount for each operation. Usually around here it's $10/a to cut, $7/a to rake, and about $7 per bale for large round bales. And you keep the hay and sell it or use it. You manage it better, you gain. Even then, it's a close call on profit.

Hi I say keep fertilizeing, add lime also. Ive done that in years past, and Ive increased my hay crop from 90 -100 round bales (4x5) to 250 round bales (4x5) 0n the same acreage. If you want more production reseed also, I used to do that process once every 3yrs. I set my 10ft transport disc to just cut the the topsoil aprox. 2-3" deep then fertilize , lime (pellet), reseed.I just put on what I could afford. Everybody says test your soil, but I dont put much faith in that,you can send the same soil sample in to test as many time as you want and you never get the same results twice. Ive seen it happen more then once????? I use my own thoughts , useualy triple 19 and pellet lime, I reseed with the grass i like etc..... I buy appro 6-8 ton fert. 4-6 ton lime , and spread myself, spreading where I want it most. I have 1 60acre ridge top some steepness. so I do it. I also have 30acre flat ground i do the same too, (different figures) on matreial. You have to spend $$$$$$ to make $$$$$$$ . This will increase your hay crop! been there and done that . rigth now the guy farming my property doesnt believe in fert. lime etc says too much $$$$$$ hasent done anything for several yrs. Now complains there is no hay crop like in yrs past. Wonder Y ? I told him he was done I was cutting the hay from now on, Im starting over again rebuilding the soil. You wont go wrong spending the $$$$$ if you can afford it. GOOD LUCK

I do custom haying in this area of Montana and we raise grass hay. I can tell you your hay guy has to make a profit as it is a business. It's very hard to make a profit on a unfertilized field with a 50/50 split. Sub irrigated ground maybe. It's very expensive to operate and own decent equipment. I won't do an unfertilized field for less that 70/30 shares. I'm the 70. My normal split is 60/40 I apply there fertilizer and it takes a good field to make that pay. Then after all that, the elk show up and eat everyones profit.

Id first get a soil sample to see where you are at on needing fertilizer. You may not need as much as what your putting on or may not need any at all.

Another option to look into is you could just lease the 20 acres to the guy and he takes care of the fertilizing etc and you dont have to spend anything.