4x5 rounds per acre??

Hey,
I know there about a gazillion variables, but on a normal mixed grass pasture, about what do you folks get in 4x5 800+/- a few pound rolls per acre???
Have a neighbor with about 4 acres that he is himhawing about the price. Thinking I'd be better off time, fuel, and labor wise to let him choke on the stuff and just buy the bales already done and delivered...

Dave there is no way we can make that call without seeing the field. You have seen the field and cannot make that call.

It could yield from 2 bales per acre to 12 on my soil depending on what the growing season has been like.


Let him bale it and then you both know what there is. Then make the deal.

Would he pay you to mow rake and bale then you buy the bales from him?

You get the discount for using your equipment and he gets what he wants per bale.If he is to high per bale don't do it.

Just a thought.

Gary

One thing I can tell it's hard to predict the numbers. I bale some custom hay and I miss the total bales per acre every time I try. It's a tough call. I quit even trying. I charge $25.00 a bale for a 5X5 they can take it or leave it.

$25 a bale to bale?

Is that mowing and raking included?

Or to buy?

Gary

(quoted from post at 15:22:52 06/14/12) Dave there is no way we can make that call without seeing the field. You have seen the field and cannot make that call.

It could yield from 2 bales per acre to 12 on my soil depending on what the growing season has been like.


Let him bale it and then you both know what there is. Then make the deal.

Would he pay you to mow rake and bale then you buy the bales from him?

You get the discount for using your equipment and he gets what he wants per bale.If he is to high per bale don't do it.

Just a thought.

Gary

Click to expand...

Love to.... I think a lot of this guy but he's a real pill to deal with.
Told him I would do everything, show him, and give him half the going price for whatever was there. He said he just wanted a price up frt but couldn't tell me what it was. I saw the guy that would be rolling for me on a similar place and and the amount of rolls he got and offered a little under half because there are plenty of trees that have to be worked around. He said he'd mulch it himself for that.... Should have just walked off but told him to look and tell me what he thinks is fair...... We'll see what he comes up with. Thing is, I wanted to mow today.
Thinkin this'll be my last business dealing with him and just keep things at a beer and steak now and then.......

(quoted from post at 15:22:52 06/14/12) Dave there is no way we can make that call without seeing the field. You have seen the field and cannot make that call.

It could yield from 2 bales per acre to 12 on my soil depending on what the growing season has been like.


Let him bale it and then you both know what there is. Then make the deal.

Would he pay you to mow rake and bale then you buy the bales from him?

You get the discount for using your equipment and he gets what he wants per bale.If he is to high per bale don't do it.

Just a thought.

Gary

Click to expand...

It was late yesterday when I posted this so couldn't really check with neighbors. Going by what folks are getting on neighboring fields (same guy rolls everyone in town's hay), I had already offered him too much (I'm basing that on half the price I can get the same roll for. I won't backtrack and offer him less, but won't pay more. Believe it or not, it's kind of a relief cause he's really hard to deal with. You start a conversation about hay (or anything else) and he switches to something completely different and meaningless.... Once that happens, you have to remember where the hay conversation left off and pick it up the next day....

On a positive note, I knocked on a door and rented a big concrete silo bunker at the edge of town to store hay and hay machines for 50 bucks a year paying the neighbor lady 360 for just enough space for the hay stuff and horse trailer.

Around here I do haying 3 ways...

1. If they want all the hay it is $13/ac to mow, $6/ac to rake (each time if necessary) and $12 per roll (5x5). I do math in an estimate based on recent yields and tell them how much per roll they are buying the hay for approx. They need to have 5ac or more for me to do this. For a $400 job, my fuel cost is around $125. Maint is around $75 amortized.

2. 50% shares, we both get 1/2 regardless of yield. I am careful here to make sure the grass looks good enough to get a reasonable yield. I prefer at least 2 bales per acre (5x5). Most time it is better. I need 5 ac or more for shares.

3. My favorite way - lots are small, 2-4 acres, I take all the hay and they get a free mowing. I then come back and touch up with the bushhog and make sure I leave the field as clean as possible. Most of my fields are this way. They like this a lot and always make sure I am lined up for next year.

I have a day job so I don't have a lot of time for large fields, so I just focus on the small jobs I can get done quick.

For your neighbor, I would do #3 or walk away.

John

(quoted from post at 05:07:37 06/15/12)
For your neighbor, I would do #3 or walk away.

John

Click to expand...

I offered him half of the local price of 4x5 bales delivered or stored for me (x the number of bales I thought the area would get). Figured that was more than fair since half of it has fruit trees that have to be mowed around. Said he'd mulch it for that. I like him, so told him to tell me what he thinks is fair... Today, I talked to a couple other neighbors doing hay and they said I offered too much.... Had 6 rolls of last year's hay delivered today and the guy told me he'd bring me this years stuff cheaper than I can get it local (delivery included), so I just decided I don't need the stress of dealing with the guy... He can choke on the stuff......
Now, he'll spend his time, equipment, and fuel to mulch it and do the tree area with a walk behind mower and weed eater..... I spent my hay mowing time today giving the hedge a long overdue haircut, mowed the yard, filled a couple water tanks, hung out some with my dog and the horses, and grilled...
Since I'm not worried about hay this weekend and have to work also, the neighbor kid is installing my power steering, new frt tires, and fixing the bent windshield frame on my tractor tomorrow......