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Hired Help - Rate????

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Bill VA

Well-known Member
One of my teenage boys has a few strapping buddies that he pals around with. To him, they are friends - to me, they are source of potential hired help on the hay wagon and stacking in the barn - LOL!!!!!

Question is - what would be an appropriate rate for this kind of work in 2016? I'm completely out of touch with whatever a willing teen should be paid working hay.

On one hand, don't think it will be a noise to the grindstone effort all the time. Probably some loafing and goofing off - to be expected.

On the other hand - I ain't paying for a vacation and a few pics they can put up on facebook either - LOL.

I'm thinking of some flat rate. I'll pay you X number of dollars for a day's work. Thought paying by the bale, but not sure that would be easy to track, especially if there are several wagons and teens loading/unloading.

Might be a good experience for my boy's friends (and some fun/memories) - at least one time, might give us some help, we might not need any help.

What do you think? Any suggestions?

Just curious.

Thanks!
Bill
 
Your appreciation will be a very valuable asset in being able to get, and retain their services. Of course a fair wage will also be expected.
SDE
 
I used to pay them 10.00 per hour to pick up off the ground, ride the rack, mow the bales -- with plenty of time for water breaks, might set in front of a fan for a few minutes if it is real hot out. The boys seem ok with this. Some grad A-- is expected -- they are boys. Always stop by the water hole down at the crick on the last load and everyone cools off. Crick is called rocky creek, because it runs thru solid limestone, nobody get muddy.
 
When I was a teenager we got 60 cents per hour and worked from daylight till after dark and the farmer furnished the lunch and drinks. Today the going rate around here is 10 bucks, but you cannot find anyone that is willing to work, even for that. Small square bales are about a thing of the past in my area. We have a few guys bailing a little horse hay, is about it.
 
ten at minimum and check your ins. i really used to laugh when they show up in shorts and sandals. get yourself bales basket wagons or accumulator system and be done with headaches and other liability. been there done that. i love the basket wagons used to run several of them when sold they went to fellow in Ohio.
 
The few times I have asked for the kids' help this past year or two I pay $10 per hour, rounded to the nearest $20 bill. Cash is best- no extra stops at the bank. They live here, so no extra food/drinks are stocked.
Back when I had a buddy who loved to bale and lived nearby, he had a specific beer to drink after (cold) but would accept no payment- just loved the memories it brought back.
 
I would set it up at $10 an hour and then slip the ones who really worked hard and didn't slack off a lot a little extra at the end of the day with a handshake and tell them you appreciate how they stepped up to the plate.
 
Have one young man who is now in advanced diesel training,been with me for 6 years as I need him. Pay 12.50 hour and often take to buffet for dinner ( noon),he knows what I want and does it properly. He started when he drove to work backroads without licenses.He is not always available as his schooling is first as it should be. Others start at 7.50 , advance as they learn to work.I carry insurance for incidental farm work coverage. Rate is grandkids included.One grandson soon to have licenses is 10.00.
 
You'll be able to pay more with bale baskets. What I mean is when your help shows up it isn't used for loading, unloading, stacking. It's for stacking. bale baskets make it a lot easier.
 
cash is a big deal. start out with a smaller job; see who works and who don't. $10min. don't get the reputation of a tightwad, or you will never get any help. i hire from local tech school. i always slip the kid driving, some extra cash for gas. I've only had 1 kid i didn't ask back. kids nowadays are just as good as our generation. don't lump them all together. good and bad just like for the past 100years. I always have a safety meeting right away. just a few simple words about making sure everyone knows safety is number one. no showing off how tuff or fast you are. soda break is always in the program, it allows a little visiting and also teaching moments! it also does no good to lose your head and start yelling!
 
I am in East Texas and bale small squares, I drop them on the ground right out of the baler, I hire school boys to load and stack bales. I pay them One Dollar a bale. I have one Boy that is my leader and knows what I want and he is the driver and ram rod. He just turned 16 years old. They work with 4 - 5 boys, 15-18 yrs old. The little skinny kids usually out do the football jocks. They load, haul and stack 5-700 bales in a day and split the money evenly, they will make around 15 - 20 dollars an hour if you let them get after it. They use my equipment and my fuel. 1/3 are from wealthy families,1/3 poor kids and 1/3 middle class kids, most know nothing about a farm, but all have a decent set of parents (I get permission from parents before working). When I see these boys in town during the winter months they say "be sure and call me when you get more hay to haul" All my neighbors never can find help when they need it! Ha, Ha , but they always lowball these kids. Oh, and I pay cash also and provide water and Gatorade, I run the rake and baler. I have also never been robbed here at my place for the 30 years I been here. JBDyer
 
Bill,

All I can add to all the advice that you have gotten here is be sure you have an abundance of liability insurance. One person gets hurt and they will own the farm.
 
Around here, teens get $12-$15 dollars and hour for picking rock... these numbers are from a couple years ago, when our son was still in high school and working for a farmer.

Not much haying around here anymore - but son did unload a wagon load or two for the guy he worked for.
 
Been paying $5-$15/hr. My cousins younger son (12) just likes being around a farm atmosphere. Good kid and does all he can. Doesn't even want any money, but like to reward him.

Another kid that is now in college is really good help. Can trust with a tractor and always has a good attitude. Can round up more help if need be also. Those are the two extremes in my spectrum.
 
I pay my help half their age per hour, 14 years old makes 7.00 an hour. Takes care of advancing with experience. Everyone thinks it works good.
 
I pay $12.00/hr. rounded up to the nearest $10. So works out about $12.50-$13.00 After every 2 loads we take a break and sit in front of fan and eat Popsicles. They cool you from the inside out. Ice cold water cooler with us at all times and on hot days I will stop baler about every 40 bales and have the two stacking drink water. They will call me the following spring and tell me be sure and call them for baling. I have a list of about six highschoolers I can call on baling day but with all their summer activities sometimes only one can help.
 
I make and put away all of the hay that gets done here and I always wear shorts without pockets and sandals. I got tired of boots and pockets full of chaff and being too hot while picking up hay. I don't get scratched too much because I don't hold the bales close to me. I use a 3 tine pitchfork to pick up the bales and put them on the wagon, and again to take them off. With the fork I can lift a bale from the ground without bending over much and lift it up to the 5th layer on the wagon without having to stretch too much. Since I am working by myself this is the easiest way I have found.
Zach
 
I pay by the kicker rack load. Usually 5.00 to 10.00 a load depending on how many are working. More to the guys that can drive the tractor to jockey wagons or have more experience. I've got a dozen wagons so I'm not pressed for empties. That way it can get unloaded in the morning or evening when its cooler.
 
We just need one good tractor driver to load trailer and unload it
a210726.jpg
 
I work for $15 an hour, but almost everyone around here pays $10 an hour for moving hay, which, kind of makes sense.

The people that work for $10, work hard enough to deserve $10, if you know what I mean "wink" "wink"

The people I work for pay guys $10, and then me $15. I HAVE been there the longest, and am the only one they trust to run tractors, and all that stuff, but, I DO work harder than the rest, and that in turn pays better.

I think in the overall picture you will get what you pay for! If you have a couple of guys that want $10, and a couple that want $15, try them all and see for yourself what happens. Never know! Just as long as everyone is happy. ;)

Bryce
 
How about hiring a real good looking gal to drive hopefully she will wear a skimpy outfit. Then the boys will be showing up in droves.
 
nuthin really worx best ,,BUT YA GOTTA TRY,..for everyones sake ! ,, you have a great opportunity to build many friendships that will last a lifetime ,.. in so many directions ,.. if you aregod fearing and fun loving and know your bible well ,that is a big help , and of course PATIENCE .. if you have good looking tom boy daughter with a caring for the team heart ,, that is a big plus too ,.. ,, I run a home improvement biznes and farmed raising hogs for 35 yrs ,, ,, I have hired a lot of folks and NEVER FIRED anyone publicly , don't single out anyone to humiliate eithr, ,..in your situation , I would try working by the day , asumming you are pakin lunch too ,.always let everyone know what you are wanting to get accomplished today ,, and expect questions and give answers ,,. pay attention to those that have ideas to improve productivity ,. if you have a intense nasty hard work day ,,. suggest that today may be a hourly rate day ,if weather and equipment hold up , they should too ,.,because everyone needs to be at their best in order to get things done ,. I workt for a fella as a kid that would hide a extra 5 dollar bill in the ones he handed out to everyone ,.. when i caught it ,, he told everyone there , that I deserved it because we never lost a load of hay in that bumpy hilly field I stakt on ,. later alone he told me not to count my pay in front of the other fellas,,.that he always rewarded good effort with extra pay quietly , that policy seemed to work good for the old guy ,, (he would be 125 yrs old now ),, because all the kids gave their best for him ,. ,,. that said,, strive to be fair ,,. and don't be afraid if you can help someone keep their old klunker runnin by giving the a carburator or helping bleed their brakes or change out a clutch ,,. do it or provide tools to get it done ,,.now , the question of accident insurance can come up ,.. , you should understand your farm policy ,.I recall a free guest helper for a neighbor getting his hospital bill paid for a spider bite ,,. but the kid that broke his foot jumping off the wagon while helping load hay did not .. go figure ,,.. but we all got to get thru this modern world ,,.
 
Bill VA.
Don't have any idea what the going rate is in your area. My only concern about hiring anyone is insurance and taxes. What happens if someone gets hurt? Hire someone too young, get hurts, look out for the lawyers. Just be careful, protect yourself, cover your butt. Pay them cash you could be asking for trouble. Then there is taxes to worry about. Geo.
 
Excellent info - GREAT suggestions!

Don't know if we'll add any help, but good to be informed if we go into it.

Thanks again!
Bill
 
I paid high school kids $8/hour to get hay out of the field and then to unload the trailers and stack it in the barn...this $8 included travel time to and from the hay field. Last year I hired two good adults for $10/hour, same deal...they were worth the difference and happy to have the extra $ as I was to have the dependable help. I don't know where you are in VA but this was in Pittsylvania County in Southside VA.
 
I pay laborers (non machinery operators) 100 dollars per day in cash and provide free local buffet lunch for a good eight hours of work or about $12.50 per hour. If they work frequently, I do the 1099 paperwork to keep it legit. If they have special skills and can drive machinery, weld,etc I up it to 125 dollars a day to retain their services. I try to get workers who have been laid off from the oil fields to help them out until the price of oil recovers. I have not had good luck with younger or high school age workers as most are too soft, need excessive supervision, and spend more time on their cell phones than working. I now have special rules on cell phone usage to keep them focused.
 
ahhh hale,,get me a new computer then , if it bothers you and you cant understand my message .. you will never make it in cipher and spy school LOL. stikin keys and keys that no longer function when pressed ,, and a faulty space bar ,,. are the real cause of my failed style of typing ,.
 
Your area likely has a going rate that is different from other areas, but keep in mind that in many places a kid can flip burgers, talk on his cell phone, and not break a sweat and make well over $10 an hour.
 
since i was old enough to drive i would help mom n dad milk the go to the neighbors and stack behind a 279 nh 5 dollars per wagon stacked unloaded stacked in the barn he did his own and the custom work as well as 6000 straw for my folks after the first summer i bought my very own pickup and still have 1972 ih 1210
iin high school i stacked for a friend of mine little older then me 4240 jd 336 jd baler hyd bale tension the wagons were on school bus frames 300 bales per wagon 3 on the rack and we would work our a$! off tryin to keep up $50 a wagon it went good till youd hear the turbo start whistlin then it was click click click
that 336 was a monster in heavy swath
loren
 

I wouldn't even bother Bill. Either use family or get yourself bale baskets, a kicker and kicker racks or an accumulator of some sort. That or find a couple of older guys, even retired guys, and pay them the $10 or 15 bucks an hour that labor seems to demand these days. I'd rather have 2 adults that can pace themselves than 6 boys that can work for 30 minutes and then die out and start complaining. The days of cheap, quality labor is long gone.
 
Bill, I'm a little late seeing this, but all I can say is good luck. Since these boys are your sons friends you may have better luck but I have a family member that lives in VA that has been offering $20 per hour to local high school kids. Some will show up for that but most won't make a full day. It's crazy... I'm not far out of school myself, but if I would have had that opportunity I would have jumped all over it. Like I said, these being your sons friends, I imagine they will give you honest work.
 
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