I just got a new feed hay customer

[Hay Dude]

Over the weekend I got a call for cow/cattle hay.
I was thinking typical 1-3 bale sale.
He wanted 24 1,800LB bales. He planned to get them in (3) trips of 8 bales each.
His F-350 had electrical system troubles, so he only got 2 done, but paid me in full for all 3 loads.
We talked a lot about his needs and I listened intently to him. He’s coming back for the last load “soon”.

This could be the start of a good business relationship

 

[spruce Deere]

Well, he paid in full. I would say yes to it being a good business relationship.

And hopefully repeating, or a returning customer at least.

 

[Eagle1]

I finally found a hay guy worth something. I have 50 4x5 (or bigger) round bales delivered every year. Easier to have it show up and just I just unload and store afterward. Even at that some years I have to buy a few more to make it work.
He can delivery straight from the fields close to us and that makes him happy.
Gibbs, up the road puts a lot more into his 2 giant hay barns but he feeds well over 100 head

 

[Hay Dude]

Well, he paid in full. I would say yes to it being a good business relationship.

And hopefully repeating, or a returning customer at least.

That’s the most important thing to me.
A $3500 sale is nice, but I like long term customers

 

[Hay Dude]

Must be my lucky year for feed hay????.

I *think* I just got another new customer. He bought the last of my available feed hay. (I still have feed hay, but it’s all “prepaid” and stored for them in 2 barns I have).
He bought 2 4x4x8’s from me last week. Liked them so much, he got my last 2 4x4x8’s yesterday. He asked me for more, but I told him the bad news- I was sold out.

I then asked him if he’d prefer a 4x4x5 bale instead. He said let me think about it. Then he sends me a text a few days later with a photo of a hay feeder he built specifically to hold my 4x4x5 bales and was going to buy 50 of them from me next June. lol

I’m like “wow” this guy is serious!

 

[BleedingOrange]

Haydude, that sounds much better for you than having to struggle with unloading a couple of big bales for a fussy old cheap lady. LOL

 

[zzvyb6]

From what I hear around my part of Michigan, there is a groundswell of folks wanting to know what's in their food, with small (mini) Jerseys and sheep being in the spotlight. Vet told me you couldn't give Jerseys away a few years ago, now the minis are getting popular because they are easy keepers, don't waste food, and you don't need a huge freezer.

Another hay demand is for low sugar horse hay because some breeds of show horses are having hoof problems all of a sudden. It might be because there is a shortage of local hay due to neighborhoods taking over fields, requiring hay being brought in from other parts of the country.

I suggest you have on hand test results of content if you don't already provide it. Its a major selling point now. The low sugar grasses are going for 10-$12 a small square. Otherwise, stable owners have to soak the hay in water for a few days to lower the sugar content down to 6-8%.

 

[CH4Ohio]

Otherwise, stable owners have to soak the hay in water for a few days to lower the sugar content down to 6-8%.

Really?????? I can't imagine anyone soaking hay for a few days prior to feeding. Also can't imagine animals eating it. You know this how??

 

[Shawn T. W.]

The "problem" with getting a nutritional analysis is each field will produce differently, and keeping the bales separate, and the additional cost ... I don't believe he has just one big 400 acre field, but a whole bunch of small ones, 5-20 acres is my impression ...

 

[Hay Dude]

The "problem" with getting a nutritional analysis is each field will produce differently, and keeping the bales separate, and the additional cost ... I don't believe he has just one big 400 acre field, but a whole bunch of small ones, 5-20 acres is my impression ...

My fields range from 10-80 acres.