Same thing again!

Greg1959 · May 15, 2016

A few years ago I mentioned about letting someone cut my hay bottoms for free. Many of you posted that the person cutting the hay was not only getting the benefits of 'free' hay but also removing the nutrients from my soil. That made perfect sense and I couldn't agree with you more.

So, today I'm out cutting "Grass hay" with my rotatory mower (I have no need for it!). It amazes me that the number of people driving by(locals) that offer to cut and bale my hay.

But, when I ask them what they will pay? They usually just sat say...."I just trying to help you".

Like about an hour ago, I was cutting a bottom near the road. Suddenly. I hear tire screeching and look to see a truck coming to a stop. Then the driver throws it into reverse and 'smokes' the tires while backing up to mt entry point.

I stop the tractor and ask "What's up?". He says "Why you cutting this hay?'. I tell him "It's the same as the last few years....you can have it if you want to pay for it". He offers..."No, I don't want to pay but it will help you get rid of it".

Same thing happens quite a few times each year.

Philip d · May 15, 2016

We all pay $50-60/acre for good standing hay in these parts and are happy to get it,nothing's free in farming nowadays

Gary from Muleshoe · May 15, 2016

The way I see it if you were baling it for your own use you would remove nutrients so why not have someone bale it. Not for free though, you could do it on shares or so much a bale. I am not savvy on the price of hay these days, but it has to be worth something if so many are willing to take it for free.

Determined · May 15, 2016

(quoted from post at 20:11:33 05/15/16) A few years ago I mentioned about letting someone cut my hay bottoms for free. Many of you posted that the person cutting the hay was not only getting the benefits of 'free' hay but also removing the nutrients from my soil. That made perfect sense and I couldn't agree with you more.

So, today I'm out cutting "Grass hay" with my rotatory mower (I have no need for it!). It amazes me that the number of people driving by(locals) that offer to cut and bale my hay.

But, when I ask them what they will pay? They usually just sat say...."I just trying to help you".

Like about an hour ago, I was cutting a bottom near the road. Suddenly. I hear tire screeching and look to see a truck coming to a stop. Then the driver throws it into reverse and 'smokes' the tires while backing up to mt entry point.

I stop the tractor and ask "What's up?". He says "Why you cutting this hay?'. I tell him "It's the same as the last few years....you can have it if you want to pay for it". He offers..."No, I don't want to pay but it will help you get rid of it".

Same thing happens quite a few times each year.

Don't quite understand what you are expecting so if you take offence to my view of your situation please explain what I am incorrectly understanding in your post.
Seeing as your time, fuel + wear and tear on your equipment is worth nothing then I guess you should keep on cutting to preserve the nutrients in the grass you are never going to use so it can grow enough to justify a second cut of wasted time and fuel.
Just what are you asking for or expecting here?
Are you looking for someone to haul equipment 10 miles to a 3 acre field that may or may not be full of rocks, badger holes, scrap metal, posts etc that we can wreck our knives and equipment on, =worthless.
Advertise a good clean field of 50 + acres to be cut and baled for ?$lb and you should get plenty of offers to choose from.

Traditional Farmer · May 15, 2016

In my county the landowner gets a huge break on their real estate taxes if its produces a crop and a legitimate farmer(I have to fill out a paper for the landowner) harvests the crop and there are few farmers left in my area
so I get all the hay ground I want for free and keep the hay.I turned down several pieces of hay last year for various reasons,guess things are different on different areas.Probably have enough hay right now to feed next Winter but I'll cut what I have been cutting even if I just unroll it this Winter and let the cows and goats lay on it.Hay makes good fertilizer.
The other option for these folks is pay the taxes and someone to bush hog their property.

Ray · May 15, 2016

The people that want to do it on shares can't count bales very well, and people who say they will sell it and split the money when it's sold never come back. Better to just mow it down, less stress.

Greg1959 · May 15, 2016

Determined- Sorry, I should have gone into more detail...This one field will produce
between 37 to 42 small round bales(~750 lbs.) per cutting.

Small rounds sell for minimum of $20 per bale. So, average 40 bales for this one field X
$20 per bale= $800.

Usually, things are done on 1/3 here. 1/3 to landowner and 2/3 to cropper.

So, 1/3 of $800 is $240 X 3 cuttings= $720. When you add up the rest of my fields...it does
come to a sum of money.

Determined- "Seeing as your time, fuel + wear and tear on your equipment is worth nothing
then I guess you should keep on cutting to preserve the nutrients in the grass you are
never going to use so it can grow enough to justify a second cut of wasted time and fuel."
I think I would be better justified in just mulching the hay in this field instead giving
$2400 worth of hay away.

Greg1959 · May 15, 2016

Gary from Muleshoe-"The way I see it if you were baling it for your own use you would remove nutrients ..." I wouldn't be removing the nutrients if I were to use the hay myself. I would be recycling the nutrients by adding the manure produced from the critters I raised.

Greg1959 · May 15, 2016

Determined- Sorry, I should have gone into more detail...This one field will produce between 37 to 42 small round bales(~750 lbs.) per round bale.

dfarmann · May 15, 2016

If I had seen you and stopped to talk, I would pay you whatever you wanted for the hay. ANY hay field around here is scarce as hens teeth! Fences and hay fields were taken out many years ago.

Dave H (MI) · May 15, 2016

It is fairly common around here to cut grass hay from other folks land and take the hay as compensation...no rent is paid. Some years you can't half give it away. Other years when hay is high you make money on it. Back in the depression of 2008 and years after, I would go in and cut the property around foreclosed and abandoned homes and sell it to people who wanted cheap hay. People just want it cut down.

Josh-nhihguy · May 15, 2016

I agree Philip. Hay is always worth something. We hate seeing easy cutting hay go to waste. Lot of cows around here. In bad years many guys/gals are willing to pay a premium to have hay hauled in. It's gotta come from somewhere. As always, cheers to those who care

Josh

JD Seller · May 15, 2016

Greg I do not remember where your located. It is surprising that no one would pay you rent or a 1/3 of the value of the hay. Hay ground in most areas will bring in a return. I have relation in southern Ohio that bale it for cheap horse hay. He usually pays a 1/4 to a 1/3 of the value of the hay.

MARK ROBKE · May 15, 2016

On the other hand,you would be getting/keeping your fields clean,for free,and to a lot of people that is payment enough.Mark

MichiganMike · May 15, 2016

Greg, I agree with your line of thinking...I try to keep everything that is grown on the farm. I would have liked to have sold some hay rounds this winter, but the market was flooded this winter (S.E.MI.) I'm not going to sell it and break even. It is high and dry and if it wasn't I'd let it rott before letting it go for near nothing.
I have family and property in KY. Part of grand parents farm, I own outright my grandma's share of my Gr grandfathers farm. On Grandpa's/Grandma's farm my father let his 1st cousin grow tobacco on it. We made nothing on the tobacco but it kept the tobacco base on the farm. I was ok with that. But when I was talking to the cousin I ask what happened with the stalks, he said he spread them on his bottom. He lives on the same creek. He has to go by our farm to get out. It would have been easy enough to spread them on the field they were grown on. After I talked to him he agreed that they should have been brought back.
I have a very good family friend that would give his manure away to anyone that wanted it. This was rotted down to dirt. This same man complains every year about the cost of fertilizer. This made no sense to me at all. I told him if it grows here it stays here. I told him I wouldn't give a bird turd away.I've had people that ask what I was going to do with the manure pile.I said sense it grew here I guess it should stay here. Yep they say. They thought I would say,Thanks take as much as you want. Nope not gonna happen it goes agraint my grain. So I do in fact under stand... Goodluck...MTP

MichiganMike · May 15, 2016

Greg lives in KY.

Determined · May 15, 2016

Based of your yield I am guessing you have a 5-10 acre field.
If you were close by I would not blink to give you double what you stated for your standing hay.
If I have to haul my equipment 20 miles different story.
If it was all in one parcel or close to it and not a long haul back to my yard, no problem.
The biggest thing is location, if you have somebody nearby that needs the feed it has value, if your nearest buyer is 20 miles away the cost of hauling quickly exceeds the cost of the hay.
Seems from what you say the demand is not high in your area.

Nick m · May 16, 2016

Around mid Michigan by chance?

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2016

Greg, I too am tired to doing backhoe work for some neighbors who expect me to it for free. Recently I told one neighbor I can't work for free and he said why, you are right here all I want is you to fill three stump holes. I told him 3 times, I can't work for free anymore. Each time, Why you are here. I told him just pay me what you think it's worth. He got mad and said I can't afford you. Sunday, he hired someone else to do the work.

I'm happy, hope he never askd me again. My tractor doesn?t run for free, not to mention oil changes and repairs. Neighbor just didn't get it. So I think you did the right thing. The person who wants something for free will have to pay for his hay if he doesn't get yours for free.

I moved 10 ton of dirt for another neighbor, different property. Tree trimmer made a mess of his yard, left deep ruts. He ask how much do I want $4 or $500. I said you've got to be kidding, I'm not going to hold you up, $200 is more than enough. We were both happy.
geo.

oldtanker · May 16, 2016

I can see the OP's point. They want the hay they should be willing to pay something. After all he is paying taxes on that round.

Rick

Ron-MO · May 16, 2016

I have been removing the hay from approx. 50 acres of my property for approx. 12 years now. The past 3-4 years the person that was buying it offered to cut, bale and remove for half, then purchase my half at fair market value. I quickly took him up on his offer. While I realize that this is removing a great deal of nutrients off the fields, fertilizing is not in the equation as the cost of the fertilizer is far more than the payback, so as long as he is willing to remove the hay, and I can at least get some payback and pay a portion of my property taxes (not enough income from the hay to pay my taxes thanks to high local school taxes) I will continue to do so. No cattle on the place since 1999. I have considered letting the fields grow one year and brush hog it down in the fall which would help some, but doubt this would offset the loss of the years crop. I did have a similar situation a few years ago on a place I sold, where a guy wanted to "rent" the place, but when I asked how much he was willing to pay, he quickly informed me he would simply "keep the fences repaired". I sent him on his way.

pburchett · May 16, 2016

I always told the neighbors that they could have the hay if they fertilized the field.

One neighbor put some lime on the field and it did not produce very much for him, only 2 cuttings (wonder why). He did not come back, plus he had to drive his machines a little over a mile on the road to get to my house which he did not like.

Next year some one wanted the hay after I had bush hogged about a third of it down, but did not like the thoughts of putting fertilize on the field for a permanent agreement.

Next neighbor spread chicken litter every year and cut it 3-4 times a year for several years depending upon the rain. He was happy and so was I.

caterpillar guy · May 16, 2016

I See your point. It costs money for the fertilizer that is removed from the dirt. I would also see if there is no market around your area that it probably has very little value.
I do live where hay has some value. Also there is a lot of hay raised so the price is low.
For all those guys wanting hay, I have plenty for you in 4x4 round bales. I can deliver for a fee.

buickanddeere · May 16, 2016

Why are you cutting the pasture now instead of in a month? You are killing nests full of turkeys, bobalinks, rabbits etc.

jeffcat · May 16, 2016

Just a little of but still very close. The guy I bought my used almost NEW trac-vac last year has a field along the road. About two acres and I mow it three or four times a year. I got several trash cans full of sand blasting sand last year from him and I like to mow. Nice straight line mowing reminds me of mowing the fields on the farm. Now here is what peeeees me off. Another neighbor who has mowed that field ONCE has big ideas of how to mow. I mowed about 70% one time and it was starting to rain so I stopped. The next day he is busting my chops about not finishing ! he has machines just as big as what I have. I think that is enough. Look a gift horse in the mouth? You guys get what I am saying.

1206SWMO · May 16, 2016

Around me they will bale it for half unless its just a small patch...

Andy Martin · May 16, 2016

I strongly support your right to do as you please with your land. I don't give hay away either, however I have a few neighbors that I will bale their small fields and they ask nothing.

My dad was always strong on keeping the product of the fields on the land. However I have some native grass fields that have been baled for a hundred years with no fertilizer, no lime, and no livestock on the fields. They are still very productive fields, nice and clean with little bluestem and and other native grasses. The primary input to the soil is sunshine. Not all of the sun's energy gets cut and removed by baling hay. In order to maintain bluestem it needs to be cut in July and not cut again until after frost. We don't cut after frost, and a lot of the regrowth is not in next year's hay.

RodinNS · May 16, 2016

Well, you're right... to a point. Removing the crop obviously removes nutrients. And it is yours to do with as you see fit.
The other side of the coin though... is that quite honestly, if it's not a field with a good heavy crop on it... it's just not worth paying anything for it. Mixed grass hay doesn't fetch a huge price in most places anyway... and if you have a light crop typical of most unfertilized fields... there just isn't enough bales comes out of it to pay for much other than the cost of gathering it up. So it becomes a question of how much do you want to spend to preserve the nutrient values in the land...

Rod

GordoSD · May 16, 2016

Tens of millions of prairie grass stood idle for a thousand year here in the US and the land miraculously survived. A fire started by lightning every 5-6 years in some of it was all the attention it received.
At worst why not put it into CRP? Get a crop basis first.

Geo-TH,In · May 16, 2016

Here is an idea. I send logs to sawmill. After log is cut, guy brings me some of the wood. Win win for both of us. Logs I give him are from a yard . Most sawmill won't touch yard logs. Kinda like your grass gay.

So have the guy leave you some of the hay,
Sell them and see what they are worth.

Same thing again!

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