I quit!!!!!!!

[CumminsLuke]

Well, after four years of baling my own hay, I've had it. Once upon a time I used to enjoy it, but anymore it just seems like more of a headache then fun. I had a bearing go out on my 640 NH round baler in the sledge roll assembly and do about $3,000 worth of damage to the gears and that was enough to finally push me to make up my mind. Baling hay is something that requires a lot of time, but unfortunetly for me I have to business to run and we are just starting up a third. To top that off I have a 13 month old son who I am not spending enough time with. I find then when I am at work and concentrating on business I can make a lot more money than when I am worry about hay laying down. I guess the old saying about making more with your brain than with your back is true. I sold every piece of my hay equipment to an implement dealer friend of mine and I am going to rent both of my farms out on shares of the hay, as I still need hay for my horses and cattle. My neighbor is going to take it all over for me as he has all brand new equipment and does a lot of baling. Good ridence hay!

 

[steveky]

I feel your pain, I was the same way last year, had an old square baler and it would take me 3 times as long to bale as it should have. It would bale about 10 perfect bales then miss about 6. I worked on knotters till I could scream, and having a full time job I was always pressed for time to begin with. Finally on day it caught on fire, I hauled that baler to the local salvage yard. Got great pleasure watching that hunk of metal get smashed. Can't think of anything more frustrating than that old hay baler.

Steve

 

[chh]

Sorry to hear your baler didn't work out. It sounds like you got a better deal going now though. Try to relax and enjoy the little boy some, they grow up too fast.

 

[Eagleview]

, but unfortunetly for me I have to business to run and we are just starting up a third.

Man , you need to relax and start enjoying your life and family . Why 3 businesses ? Why not 1 good one and some time for life ?

 

[MikeD74T]

I feel your pain, I was the same way last year, had an old square baler and it would take me 3 times as long to bale as it should have. It would bale about 10 perfect bales then miss about 6. I worked on knotters till I could scream, and having a full time job I was always pressed for time to begin with. Finally on day it caught on fire, I hauled that baler to the local salvage yard. Got great pleasure watching that hunk of metal get smashed. Can't think of anything more frustrating than that old hay baler.
Steve

As a teenager I once sat on a baler and hand tied one side of over 400 bales because the knotter wasn't tying & rain was coming. Why does haying equipment quit only when rain is approaching ???? MikeD74T

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Man , you need to relax and start enjoying your life and family . Why 3 businesses ? Why not 1 good one and some time for life ?

If I recall he has a couple car dealerships (and maybe a third now).

 

[Robert_in_NY]

Well, after four years of baling my own hay, I've had it. Once upon a time I used to enjoy it, but anymore it just seems like more of a headache then fun. I had a bearing go out on my 640 NH round baler in the sledge roll assembly and do about $3,000 worth of damage to the gears and that was enough to finally push me to make up my mind. Baling hay is something that requires a lot of time, but unfortunetly for me I have to business to run and we are just starting up a third. To top that off I have a 13 month old son who I am not spending enough time with. I find then when I am at work and concentrating on business I can make a lot more money than when I am worry about hay laying down. I guess the old saying about making more with your brain than with your back is true. I sold every piece of my hay equipment to an implement dealer friend of mine and I am going to rent both of my farms out on shares of the hay, as I still need hay for my horses and cattle. My neighbor is going to take it all over for me as he has all brand new equipment and does a lot of baling. Good ridence hay!

I know how you are feeling. I am considering giving up haying after this year also for similar reasons. Mainly I miss spending time with my daughter (who is 3.5) and since I hurt my back I can't do as much as I use to and it is hard to find helpers (even at $12/ hour). So with all the other work I have to do on my farm I can't see staying in the hay business and have to fight with the weather all the time.

When the weather cooperates and my customers are taking the wagons themselves haying is fun, but that doesn't happen very often and this is the third year in a row the weather has been screwy

If I do stay in the hay business I am selling my kicker and kicker wagons and buying a NH stack wagon and a set of grabs for my loader so I can stack my customers barn without touching very many bales.

 

[jwcinpk]

Been there, but took a slightly different approach. I took the plunge and bought new equipment. It has helped with the equipment issues, but not with the time issues. Sometimes I feel like I made the wrong decision. Sure would have been easier and probably cheaper in the long run just to quit. I too used to consider it fun to bale hay, but with the investment I made I really needed to work the equipment to pay for it. As we all know it's not nearly as much fun when you have to do it. Luckily things have almost run their course for me in that the equipment is paid for on the most part (except the new tractor). This year I've taken the approach that I'll do my own and only do custom work if I really like the customer and I am making enough money on it that I feel it's fair. Otherwise I sit in the air conditioning and gather eggs. I feel your pain with the business thingy too! We are in the process of building our second set of layer houses. Sometimes I feel like I'm 35 going on 60. Keep waiting on the kids to to start calling me by my name instead of dad.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

IMHO, anyone who bales hay for FUN is a bit deranged and deluded It's enjoyable to work outside. There's a certain satisfaction in the accomplishment, exersize and hard work. There's even a remote chance of saving/making money.


But.....FUN?

 

[Renovator]

When I was milking cows I used to enjoy making hay silage. Making dry hay in my area is frustating. 20 miles from Lake Michigan and heavy clay soils. Also my business keeps me busy at that time of year. I work alone an dont want to hire labor for insurance reasons $
Renovator

 

[jwcinpk]

IMHO, anyone who bales hay for FUN is a bit deranged and deluded It's enjoyable to work outside. There's a certain satisfaction in the accomplishment, exersize and hard work. There's even a remote chance of saving/making money.


But.....FUN?

That's me FWJ deranged and deluded. I think the poultry company picked up on it right away. I'd have to be deranged and deluded to do this! I still think haying is fun! I'd think it was even more fun if I was using someone elses equipment and didn't have to worry about breakdowns!

 

[CumminsLuke]

At one time I really did enjoy it, but the high input costs and the constant up keep on the equipment is really making it more work than fun anymore. One of my salesman priced a $57,000 Suburban to a customer last week for $35,000 because I wasn't there to keep an eye on him(also happens to be my brother) and those are the kind of things I can't afford to have happening. Now something I am having a time with is deciding if I should keep the 7040 or not. All I would use it for is feeding round bales in the winter and cutting pastures in the summer. It is paid for so payments and interest aren't the issue, except for I have a pile of business debt that I could use some of the cash from the 7040 from if I sold it, but then I'd have to replace it with something else, as the new 6040 I just bought stays at the business nearly all the time. My wife says even if I hardly use the 7040 I should just keep it anyhow so when I do need it,(three times a week in the winter for feeding) I won't have to worry about having a tractor that is not dependable, and if in five years I'd like to mess around with some hay again at least I won't have to go out and buy another good tractor.

 

[Farmwithjunk]

That's me FWJ deranged and deluded. I think the poultry company picked up on it right away. I'd have to be deranged and deluded to do this! I still think haying is fun! I'd think it was even more fun if I was using someone elses equipment and didn't have to worry about breakdowns!

Almost 3 years ago, I sold off my farm. The 45 acres I have now were going to be mowed as sort of a giant lawn. Well, old habits die hard. I kept my baler, rake, sickle bar mower, wagons, and my deranged/deluded way of spending my spare time. I too, still enjoy hayin'. (Notice I DIDN'T say "I have fun". )

I got lucky. One of my buyers trades me his labor (him, his son and daughter) for my hay. He takes his straight out of the field. We load the remainder on to wagons, back them into the shed, then sell straight off the wagons. Unload directly onto buyers truck/trailer. My help doesn't have to pay cash for his hay, I simply ride around on the tractor, and the ONLY time I handle any hay is handing it to the eventual buyer.

I accept cash, ONLY cash. All denominations accepted. I sold out last year. So far, everything I've baled this year is already gone. It IS fun when everything goes well. At my age, I don't know what I'd do with all my spare time if I quit doing what I do.

 

[jimmyj]

I used to think someday I would start a business doing hay but no more. A fair number of the guys around here are plowing under the hay and going to grain because of the higher prices and less hassle. Horse people will pay more for small squares but nobody wants to do small squares anymore. Plus, the weather seems more unpredictable than ever so quitting the hay game may be more and more common. Your decision seems to be a good one.

BTW, if I need a suburban I'll call you to get your brother's number!

(Sorry, could not resist)

 

[Grrrr]

Horse people will pay more for small squares but nobody wants to do small squares anymore.

Thats the only reason we still make them, and they will turn their noses up at the prices this year, but they'll still pay it.

I too still like haying

 

[CumminsLuke]

I am going to miss it. I miss it all ready and this season isn't even over it. I got some nice second cutting clover coming up right now and I was thinking boy, that is gonna make some nice hay in about three weeks. However, I need to be realistic. One thing I have learned, messing with older used tired stuff just does not work out for me as I do not have enough time to mess with keeping it all going. If I ever would take it on again, I'd buy new everything, disc mower, tedder, V-rake, and round baler, but that is gonna run me around $27,500-$30,000 min. And that just does not pencil out for my size operation. I just as well have my neighbor do it all with all his brand new JD stuff and go pick up my half off the field when he is done. With me it is all about the numbers. I wish I was the kind of guy who could say to heck with the numbers, I like it so I am gonna do it, but thinking about the money I could be making with that $30,000 by investing it into my business instead of hay equipment the answer is clear. I am not being fair to my family, that money should be invested in a way that it will support them instead of a hobby for me.

Do I sound crazy or am I thinking right?

 

[chh]

Oh your thinking right. If you have someone dependable, with new/newer equipment willing to do it on halves you are far ahead of the game if you can produce more hay than you need. I did it that way for several years until one of the partners passed away. It was the easiest hay making I have ever done. It was also the most cost effective. I now have a pile of new equipment and I am doing my own and a few custom jobs. Owning all that equipment for an operation my size without the custom side is just an expensive convenience. I did it that way for several years though.

I think I'd tend to agree with your wife on the tractor though. Personally I would keep it to feed with and do whatever mowing ect. I needed to do.

 

[jwcinpk]

Your going to run into folks who'll tell you to keep on haying and others who tell you to quit for good. You have to do some things to keep yourself fairly happy. Some of those are going to cost money and others aren't. You have to find a good balance.
Personally if I could get someone to do my fields on the halves I wouldn't have invested the money. When I have to take hay for doing the job I take 2 to their 1. 1 for the equipment and 1 for the labor. If they don't want to do it that way then they can find someone else. Diesel at $5 a gallon and $40,000 invested in a new tractor I have to be that way. I put 1000 hours on the first tractor doing stuff for folks just to be a good guy. Now my equipment sits unless I am going to make money. Sometimes it doesn't make my neighbors too happy to hear that my pretty red tractor will sit before I'll break even or lose money.
Sounds like I might need to visit your brother since I'm in the market for a newer diesel truck!

 

[CumminsLuke]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I think for now I am gonna keep the 7040. Was talking to my neighbor who is gonna take over for me and I told him I may rake for him using his rake and my tractor just to keep my feet wet and he said that would be great, he'd give me some extra off of his half for doing it. If I keep the tractor I can have my little boy ride with me when I am trimming pastures with the 15' cutter, otherwise I don't want him out there breathing all the dust and dirt. I'll only put 100-150 hours a year on it and I take extremely good care of it and service it well, so it should last me a good thirty or forty years at that rate.

 

[litework]

...One thing I have learned, messing with older used tired stuff just does not work out for me as I do not have enough time to mess with keeping it all going. If I ever would take it on again, I'd buy new everything, disc mower, tedder, V-rake, and round baler, but that is gonna run me around $27,500-$30,000 min...

We managed to pop one of the tires on a brand new tedder rake on the trip home from the dealership. The problem with haying is the new stuff breaks down too. That and the weather!