The Life of a Custom Mowing contractor

[Hay Dude]

Same here. My cousin who runs 30ft mowers and mergers will still take crops off less than 10 acre fields. One that I think he quit using was less than an acre. Growing up our largest field was 12 acres with the average at 5 acres. Some were fenced around within the pasture and created 2 - 3.5 acre fields. Since All I do is make hay I have removed fences and dead furrows combining fields where my smallest is now 5 acres all the way up to 50 acres. Ours were all small for crop rotations. Other areas are not so lucky. Their fields were just cleared out area in the woods. I feel fortunate that I don't have to make hay on 250 acres doing 5-10 acre fields at a time.

For instance I have 20 acres split up into a 12 acre field and a 8 acre field because of a road that goes through to the woods. Wide open and we can bale that all in one day if we wanted. Growing up it was a 10 acre field and 2 - 3 acre fields completely enclosed by fences.

I have some annoyingly small fields that would be great to get rid of, but with profits at all time lows, it’s unwise to get rid of them.
I just acquired another 8 acre field, but luckily it’s attached to a current 135 acres, so that’s easy.

It’s the small fields that have no other larger fields nearby that are a PITA

 

[Hay Dude]

I might have to buy a used round baler as a backup someday.
My square baler is still down, awaiting parts.

Going back to round bales for me would be a big step back, but in an emergency, at least you finish.

 

[LittleBittyBigJohn]

There's nobody around you that would trade you doing some of their mowing for them "bailing" you out? That's how it would work around here, but there are tons of little hobby farms around.

 

[paulsharvey]

There's nobody around you that would trade you doing some of their mowing for them "bailing" you out? That's how it would work around here, but there are tons of little hobby farms around.

Ive seen this brought up time and again; but considering 5 trips to the field (cut, Ted, windrow, bail, and pick up), i dont see how shares would work on anything under atleast 50 round bails?