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Hay Making for Idiots or How Stupid is This Idea
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Posted by Kirk Grau on May 14, 2004 at 04:28:50 from (68.67.223.192):
This is one of those ideas that probably makes little economic sense, but I am still considering it. I am looking for a little advice. We have a small acreage (15) mostly fenced in pasture for horses. Bought about 1000 bales of hay last year. My neighbor is retireing from the horse business and has ~45 acres of pasture he is not using for anything. Two days ago he offered it to me free for hay. His only request is that I give him 50 bales for some sheep he keeps. He has even offered the use of one his barns for storage. This would be great if I could find somebody to hay it for me. So far everybody I have talked to has commitments for the season and does not want to take on that much work. Here is the stupid idea. I have been thinking about buying some hay equipment and trying to do this myself. I brought an IH 504 gas tractor home about 2 months ago for general loader/mower/utility work. So I already have a tractor to use for this exercise although it might be a touch small for this use. Pros: At anywhere from $3.50 to $5.00 a bale for purchased hay I could probably purchase second hand equipment and come out about even this year and start getting ahead next year. Conceivably could end up with surplus hay for sale also improving bottom line. Biggest plus is that this would give me a lot of tractor time. My wife is convinced I missed my true calling by not being a farmer. This time of year I look really enviously at everybody turning dirt around us. This is the biggest reason I am considering this seriously. Cons: It is going to be a lot of work Equipment...Tractor is too new (to me) to know for sure if it is reliable. If tractor or equipment goes down I lose hay and still have to purchase next year. I am looking for other thoughts and considerations from your collective wisdom. Also looking for publications or web sites regarding hay making. Something similar to "Making Hay for Dummies" Thanks in Advance, Kirk
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