Custom Rates

Anyone anywhere close to east central Michigan give me an idea of plow/disk/plant rates for a couple of 10-15 acre fields, planting Timothy/Orchard and Alfalfa.

Thanks

Couple years ago,apx.$35.00 A average. $50.00 high.

For everything or per plow, disk, and plant?

Don't matter where you are. $65/hr.

Hi Red, just the seed is going to cost $35 an acre or more. 10 to 15 pounds of alfalfa at $2-3 a pound for the cheap stuff. The grass is 1 to 5 pounds each at $1.00 a pound. A cover crop like oats is anouther $4.00 or so. If you spend $10.00 per trip over the field you are doing well. It may take more than one trip with a disc. You may have to spray. Fertilizer and soil tests are extra. Paying someone else to do all of it could hit $80.00 an acre.

rates for ohiO

http://aede.osu.edu/Programs/FarmManagement/OFCR2010.pdf

Ron

It's not for me. Sister bought a hobby farm up there. Wants me to tow my tractor up there, told her there were probably some better options than that.

Total machine work,no seed,chem or other exp.But this was a couple yrs.ago.

I charged $75 per acre to plant pasture/hay fields this year with YOUR seed.

Jim

65.00 and hour door to door at my house plus materials. That gets you 86 hp, 9 shank chisel plow, and a 12 foot disc plus the operator.

So 20 acres would be around $1,500? Plus seed? If so that about figures, could buy an old 3 bottom trip, disk, and planter for about the same. But with grass and alfalfa wouldn't need them again for 5 years or so.

I don't know how it is in the rest of the world but in North Dakota I have alfalfa/clover fields that are nearly 10 years and producing fine. I would not expect to replant in 5 years, also you can't (or shouldn't) plant alfalfa on old alfalfa ground anyway, it will not grow. One thing your sister could do is contact some local farmer and make a deal. If he plants it he gets the first 2 years crop, or a 40-60 split for X years, or whatever is the custom in the area.

Talk to your county agent and your FSA/SCS people. They have grain drills to loan out or rent real cheap. The FSA and soil people do all the CRP ground workups and they pay half of the cost for reseeding and such. They know who does the custom work and what they charge. They know your soil type as well and can tell you what kind of ground work is needed.

Your big costs are going to be seed, fertilizer, and one or two herbicide sprays. Probably no plowing, just spray it. I've got their estimates laying around here somewhere for some ground we just bid into CRP. Seed is anywhere from $10 to $50 an acre for the 25 mix. Grass drill rental is about $8 an acre from the SCS. They have a no -till grass drill so the ground doesn't need to be worked even in this clay. Don't know about your alfalfa though but it takes more than a year to get a crop. May have to plant a cover crop with rye to get it going. They will know who the seed sellers are as well.

Rates for tractor work varies but $65 an hour sounds about right but some will do it for down to $25 or between. Shouldn't take more than an hour or two to do your little patches.

Your local coop/fertilizer company can quote spraying fertilizer and herbicide. Most coops also rent a pull behind pellet spreader if you are so inclined. Seems like our coop got about $10 an acre plus chemical for spraying with a minimum $200 spray charge. I think they quoted me about $400 last spring to spray 60N+20P fertilizer for 6 to 10 acres of brome but I forget what the exact acreage was. There pellet spreader for only going to be around $50 plus fertilizer.

Once you talk to your county agents and know what you need to do and the cost, they will recommend some guys who do custom work or just go talk to your neighbors who may even give you a discount since they are close by.

When you get to cutting and baling, I've been paying about $65 an hour with 2 to 2.4 hours to swath about 10-12 acres plus $9 and now increased to $13 a bale for big bales to bale it.

Once you find all this out, post back with the info.

Yes, I know not to plant alf on alf, and yes, some alf stands last longer than 5 years, some don't. Saying we wouldn't need that equipment again for 5 years was just a general statement. I've never hayed in Michigan loam before. She's going to need all the hay she can make for her own use, so was just looking for someone to plant for fee. That's why I posted looking for someone who knew what kind of rates folks are charging in her area, so I have an idea prior to talking to people up there.

My grandfather ran a custom haying outfit. I spent every summer from 12 to 19 putting up hay everyday it didn't rain, all summer. He paid hands 15 cents/bale and we made 6 or 7 hundred a week in the late 70's early 80's. Good money for back then. I've drilled, open-station swathed, baled with a regular H, and stacked at least a half million bales.

You know, you're the only person who responded to my post about fees with advice on how to grow.

The day the big round bailer came to the farm and the little square one went away was one of the happiest days of my life. This spring I planted all my parcels that are remote, odd shaped or otherwise difficult to farm with 40 foot equipment to alfalfa/clover. I was actually able to combine the oat cover crop. Good luck with it.