Who’s cutting hay?

[sea2summit]

It’s possible. I think they are just being naughty. The stud on the left runs out to the bale and tears it up. She’s been a customer for 6 years, so I must be doing something right!
My customer refuses to clean up under the feeder even after years. Then she asks me to do it every few years. YUCK!

Proved the truth of my last post

 

[Hay Dude]

Spread it on the ground or turn it into manure is all 90% of the horses in the US do. But it it pays some of my tractor bills so I won’t judge the crazy ladies…too much

Its funny how much people will spend to keep horses from wasting hay, but their owners continue to spend $ for hay huts thinking it will stop the horses from wasting it….

Then they allow years of hay residue to build up for years and the horses stand in it??? Seems counterproductive to me.

But hey I’ll take your money for nice bales of hay and if your horses waste a lot of it, it’s your problem.

 

[WM75Guy]

Its funny how much people will spend to keep horses from wasting hay, but their owners continue to spend $ for hay huts thinking it will stop the horses from wasting it….

Then they allow years of hay residue to build up for years and the horses stand in it??? Seems counterproductive to me.

But hey I’ll take your money for nice bales of hay and if your horses waste a lot of it, it’s your problem.

That is why we feed square bales. More work but my labor is free.

 

[Hay Dude]

That is why we feed square bales. More work but my labor is free.

That is true.
I rely on customers who don’t want to handle hay.
Many of mine also feed wafers off of small squares in their stalls, too.

I have made all bale configurations and can honestly say each has it’s advantages and disadvantages. I read people call small square bales “idiot bricks” which is really disrespectful and only shows their insecurity.
There is nothing “idiotic” about making small squares. It just means you can’t handle the work load, and that’s fine, but that doesn’t mean the person that does is idiotic.

Good luck with the small squares and know your work is appreciated.

 

[Gee Ray]

I always thought that this would make a marketable bale for some people. Decorations or feed for a few rabbits, or a single horse. Someone with limited abilities could still be in the horse business and able to feed their own.

https://www.google.com/search?q=new+holland+baler+to+make+mini+bales&oq=new+holland+baler+to+make+mini+bales&aqs=chrome..69i57j0i546l4.26273j0j15&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

 

[mo1]

That is true.
I rely on customers who don’t want to handle hay.
Many of mine also feed wafers off of small squares in their stalls, too.

I have made all bale configurations and can honestly say each has it’s advantages and disadvantages. I read people call small square bales “idiot bricks” which is really disrespectful and only shows their insecurity.
There is nothing “idiotic” about making small squares. It just means you can’t handle the work load, and that’s fine, but that doesn’t mean the person that does is idiotic.

Good luck with the small squares and know your work is appreciated.

I have heard the term "idiot cubes" used to describe small squares. I've never made large squares but have made small squares and round bales.

Small squares are certainly less easy than round bales- they are more work as you have to handle them by hand, they must be stored under cover (which also makes it much less forgiving regarding moisture), a small square baler is much more complicated than a round baler, it requires extra equipment (wagons) not needed for round bales, and making them is slower per ton of hay made.

However, they do have their place and often that is with people who raise something other than cattle. It's easier and makes less waste with feeding small squares to small ruminants than tearing apart a round bale into loose hay to do the same. Also they are easier to make with smaller tractors than round bales and it's much harder for a small square baler to start on fire baling than it is a round baler.

Just got done baling a couple of throw wagons of small squares today and will finish the rest tomorrow. Would have been done sooner but had to fix a broken driveshaft in the mower/conditioner, which required dropping the entire cutterbar. Will do the rest of the fields in rounds next week.

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

Our hay season is a bust so far. Exceptional drought. Need lots of rain.

Dryer than a West Texas popcorn fart here.

 

[Hay Dude]

Our hay season is a bust so far. Exceptional drought. Need lots of rain.

Dryer than a West Texas popcorn fart here.

Sorry to hear that. Exceptionally wet here. Rains about every 4 days. You have to make hay fast as possible, leading to mistakes and compromises in quality.

 

[Tx Jim]

My baler covered a 13 acre field to get three(3) 4X5.5 rd bales. Cost to hay baling customer was $195 per bale. I think this hay baling customer might listen next time I tell them their hay field isn't worth baling. 8 acre field for my neighbor yielded 3 rd bales @ a cost to owner of $120 per bale. Please send any unwanted rain to north Texas

 

[sea2summit]

My baler covered a 13 acre field to get three(3) 4X5.5 rd bales.

Holy crap!

 

[WM75Guy]

Sorry to hear that. What a difference 75-100 miles makes. My hay supplier between Athens and Tyler already has 2nd cut in the barn and we got some rain over the last week, with more in the forecast. He thinks he will get a 3rd cut and hoping for a 4th. I had to go this last weekend to pick up the last of my 2021 hay that was in his barn as he needs the room for this year's hay.

I know where you are at and it is dry. We just sold my mom's place at Lake Alvarado, in Blue Water Oaks subdivision. Had to put her in assisted living.

My baler covered a 13 acre field to get three(3) 4X5.5 rd bales. Cost to hay baling customer was $195 per bale. I think this hay baling customer might listen next time I tell them their hay field isn't worth baling. 8 acre field for my neighbor yielded 3 rd bales @ a cost to owner of $120 per bale. Please send any unwanted rain to north

 

[Tx Jim]

WM75Guy
I know exactly where Blue Water Oaks is on Alvarado Lake. I live about 4 miles SW of there. I always "enjoyed" traveling on the not so straight road leading into the center of BW Oaks.

 

[sea2summit]

Well, lots of guys making late decisions to get out of hay I guess. I’ve been offered two new properties in as many weeks. One for free. Not large tracts but the old guys who have been doing it for fun have been quitting, can’t blame them. Not seeing a lot of equipment going up for sale yet, we’ll see I guess.

 

[Hay Dude]

Well, lots of guys making late decisions to get out of hay I guess. I’ve been offered two new properties in as many weeks. One for free. Not large tracts but the old guys who have been doing it for fun have been quitting, can’t blame them. Not seeing a lot of equipment going up for sale yet, we’ll see I guess.

Yep it’s getting mighty expensive to fuel tractors these days, isn’t it?
I am being offered fields for nuthin’, too. 10 years ago, owners were always looking for rent/acre.
I’m not paying a dime.
If prices stay where they are by winter, I am sending my smaller field owners a letter of resignation unless they want to pay me to bale them. How much? Don’t know. But something is in order. Way I see it is if they lose me, then they will have to pay to have it bush hogged and rates are at $175/hour for that. Fuel prices are dropping a little, but still 2.5X what they were 2 years ago. Something’s gotta give…..

 

[Kyle_in_Tex]

My baler covered a 13 acre field to get three(3) 4X5.5 rd bales. Cost to hay baling customer was $195 per bale. I think this hay baling customer might listen next time I tell them their hay field isn't worth baling. 8 acre field for my neighbor yielded 3 rd bales @ a cost to owner of $120 per bale. Please send any unwanted rain to north Texas

Yep it’s getting mighty expensive to fuel tractors these days, isn’t it?
I am being offered fields for nuthin’, too. 10 years ago, owners were always looking for rent/acre.
I’m not paying a dime.
If prices stay where they are by winter, I am sending my smaller field owners a letter of resignation unless they want to pay me to bale them. How much? Don’t know. But something is in order. Way I see it is if they lose me, then they will have to pay to have it bush hogged and rates are at $175/hour for that. Fuel prices are dropping a little, but still 2.5X what they were 2 years ago. Something’s gotta give…..

I was wondering if you guys have a minimum bale pricing matrix. I told my buddy that if they don't have at least 10 bales, then he should have a minimum fee for baling. Sounds like Jim has something like that in place already. Jim if you don't mind could you save what pricing structure is?

 

[Tx Jim]

I have used a 2 bale to the acre minimum/$400 per job for several yrs. Due to inflation I raised my cutting/raking/baling charge from $24 to $30. Due to extreme drought I've lowered my minimum charge to 1-1/2 bales to the acre or $45 per acre. In essence $45 isn't really enough if I was having to make equipment payments(all my tractors/equipment has been paid for for several yrs) plus fuel, wrap & repairs. Due to my advanced age & nerve damage I only harvest my close neighbors hay.

Custom pasture/lot mower people charge at least $50 per acre for 1 not 3 trips across the field.

 

[repete]

Put down 20 acres yesterday. We still use small bales because it brings the family together on a project. We will move about 2K bales into the barn by next weekend.
Small bales work as my FIL at 89 years prefers the small bales. He can move them about to feed his 25 head of cattle. We make them light at 60 pounds for that reason alone. He gets great satisfaction out of his four generations of kids, grandkids and great grandkids helping him get hay in.

 

[cat fever]

I got the bottom of my field cut last Friday then had to leave town for several days. Got back last night (Wed) raked it and waiting to bale. Surprisingly some areas are still not dry enough. I did not water this area but it looks pretty good volume wise, better than last year for sure.
Plan is to cut the rest today.

 

[cat fever]

Got the bottom baled around midday. Only 18 bales, was hoping for 20. Started cutting the top and had to stop. At the top of the field my neighbor had a small stream of water coming off his field making it too muddy in mine. The water is off now and I'll start cutting Saturday.
The last picture is the top field and I'm ready!!

 

[WM75Guy]

Got the bottom baled around midday. Only 18 bales, was hoping for 20. Started cutting the top and had to stop. At the top of the field my neighbor had a small stream of water coming off his field making it too muddy in mine. The water is off now and I'll start cutting Saturday.
The last picture is the top field and I'm ready!!
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Really nice view from your "office". Thanks for sharing.