Another Hay Man bits the Dust

[Stocker Steve]

A 71 year old custom haying bachelor neighbor passed last week. His drinking buddies missed him at the VFW, drove out and looked in the windows, to find him dead on the bathroom floor... RIP.

We only have one hay man left in the area now and he is 68. I am going to have to breed some of those cows that don't need any hay.

 

[M-5]

Sad but sounds like an opportunity

 

[Caustic Burno]

A 71 year old custom haying bachelor neighbor passed last week. His drinking buddies missed him at the VFW, drove out and looked in the windows, to find him dead on the bathroom floor... RIP.

We only have one hay man left in the area now and he is 68. I am going to have to breed some of those cows that don't need any hay.

My hay man is 71 and the youngster.
Hay is going to be the money in a few years IMO.

 

[Bright Raven]

I just had Elwood start bringing my hay yesterday. He is 74.

 

[Hootowl]

I just had Elwood start bringing my hay yesterday. He is 74.

And as much as the members here fussed at you I see you still don't have a haybarn

 

[Stocker Steve]

Some guys are orgasmic here over $4 corn and plowing up hay meadows. I was never very good at dirt surfing. May have to build another hay shed.

 

[pdfangus]

hay making around here is about the only profitable enterprise any more.....to do it right is pretty equipment intensive though....this year hay prices were through the roof because of the lousy hay making weather year last year. This year is a little better...a lot of the former dairy farmers are in the hay business big time...straw baling is also big time....big demand for straw...

I know one operation that has cows as a use for his non horse hay....stuff that they have to round bale and wrap to get ahead of rain is what he feeds cows....actually pretty good feed..he also sells a good bit of it as cow hay.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Semi retired ex dairy guys used to be most of hay men around here too, but that second career tends to be short. Either the hay man or his hay equipment wear out.

 

[pdfangus]

the guys who do hay around here are not small....multiple mowers, multiple balers...multiple self propelled stack wagons...nothing is touched by hand until delivery to the smaller customers.

 

[SmokinM]

the guys who do hay around here are not small....multiple mowers, multiple balers...multiple self propelled stack wagons...nothing is touched by hand until delivery to the smaller customers.

I know those Smith boys sure have a lot tied up in their deal. Hope it has been worth the investment. A lot of my customers use them.

 

[Stocker Steve]

the guys who do hay around here are not small....multiple mowers, multiple balers...multiple self propelled stack wagons...nothing is touched by hand until delivery to the smaller customers.

I have Ma stack bales on the hay rack. The haying tractor is just too big for her to handle. ;-)

 

[SmokinM]

I have Ma stack bales on the hay rack. The haying tractor is just too big for her to handle. ;-)
[/quote]

They are doing a family reunion this year when we come up in July, so by mid week I will be begging to come be free hayfield help with that many in-laws around!

 

[pdfangus]

the guys who do hay around here are not small....multiple mowers, multiple balers...multiple self propelled stack wagons...nothing is touched by hand until delivery to the smaller customers.

I know those Smith boys sure have a lot tied up in their deal. Hope it has been worth the investment. A lot of my customers use them.

There are five different bands of Smiths right around me in the hay business, and they are all related
And all alternately work together and as competition......all good farmers and good folks

 

[Aaron]

Semi retired ex dairy guys used to be most of hay men around here too, but that second career tends to be short. Either the hay man or his hay equipment wear out.

Hay equipment wearing out should not be an issue. Replacement cost factored into every bale produced, with automatic replacement after say 5 years, maybe sooner depending on annual production. If they can't figure that out, it's no wonder they are where they are, in life.

 

[Aaron]

Semi retired ex dairy guys used to be most of hay men around here too, but that second career tends to be short. Either the hay man or his hay equipment wear out.

Hay equipment wearing out should not be an issue. Replacement cost factored into every bale produced, with automatic replacement after say 5 years, maybe sooner depending on annual production. If they can't figure that out, it's no wonder they are where they are, in life.

I should add, these are the same people that were selling hay for $30 a round this past winter. No friggin' clue on costs or value.

I socked the fertilizer to 2 particular poor fields yesterday where the per acre cost will be in the $50 US/acre area. If I luck out, it will still cost $10 US per bale in fertilizer, probably closer to $15.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Semi retired ex dairy guys used to be most of hay men around here too, but that second career tends to be short. Either the hay man or his hay equipment wear out.

The other sustainability factor is many mine out soil minerals because they no longer have any livestock manure, and they skimp on chemical fertilizer. One local miner sold his cows, did not fertilize for several years, then rented to an organic diary guy... Will be interesting to see how that yields.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Don't make fun of my suppliers. They enjoy driving tractor, and deliver the hay because they are so thrilled that my checks are good. :nod:

 

[Aaron]

Don't make fun of my suppliers. They enjoy driving tractor, and deliver the hay because they are so thrilled that my checks are good. :nod:

You're such a lucky fella. My checks are good. I need someone to work for below COP.

 

[Stocker Steve]

A lot of ag is based on folks who work for less than the cost of production. Personally I won't do it.

I walked away from most of chemical ag a while back. Otherwise the wife would have had to get a job in town. I buy in lime and hay and cattle and forage seed. It takes a couple years, but then the biology kicks in. I do cheat with a little roundup and milestone but no one is perfect. :cboy:

Looked at my rented ground vs. MIG ground this AM. Perhaps half the forage on rented ground (that someone else had mined for 11 years). You can not afford to purchase the chemicals called for and the owner refused to allow cattle... So going to have to walk away in a couple years, after I reduce my winter feeding.