Cattle Passion/Money

[boondocks]

Speaking of equipment. Last week I did some outside work for someone with a tractor I bought in 2002. I gave $17,000 for it then and have used it for haying and other things. Anyhow, someone asked if I'd do some work for them and I spent a day and a half on the property and made just under a thousand dollars for my trouble. They couldn't justify buying a tractor themselves so we both came out winners and both are happy. There is a lot of work like out there if people know who to call and you have a good reputation. What I'm saying is a tractor doesn't have to be a dead cost to your operation. It can be a money maker if you work it right.

Wish you or someone like you were around here, Jo. My hay is turning to straw in the fields. No hope of even a first cutting anytime soon. Can't get anyone to do it. One guy finally agreed but can't do it for awhile yet. I'm so po'd I'm about to go do something stupid---buy haying equipment (oh, and learn to cut/bale hay). A young person around here with some decent inherited equipment could make a decent living doing others' hay etc.
We have some Amish down the road. Maybe they'll come do it with their mule team or whatever...I'm about that desperate

 

[ddd75]

everyone around here waits for "big farmer" .. you know.. BEST BUDDY.. (he's rich so I REALLY like him and want to kiss his a$$).. so they just let the hay go until the middle of june.... meanwhile I've been asking around and I did.. out of luck.. get 1 field since a guy didn't want to wait for his best buddy anymore. .. but i'm sure that was it because good ol' buddy will be done planting / spraying / etc by the 2nd cut.

and these guys just resell it.. i feed it to my cattle and make it known i'm not reselling it. i'm trying to make a living.. it doesn't matter one bit..

a few years ago I made a hand shake deal with a guy to cut 100 acres of hay.. his best buddy screwd him over last year... wouldn't bush hog even once.. nothing.. I told the guy I'd bush hog.. cut it all.. and he asked for some square bales.. I agreed I'd bring my square baler over and bale him the 40-50 bales he needed if he loaded them in the barn. he agreed.. so i'm bending backward for this guy.. then take half a day and go all over his place and cleaned all the branches etc up..

so now 5 days later he calls and tells me his BEST BUDDY is going to be doing it.. he stopped by.. WHHHAATT??? moral of that story is get it in writing.

It really amazes me on what people do.. to try to "impress" or kiss a$$ of a person they feel has money. No wonder its so hard for someone to get started.. "well I have BLAH BLAH do it.. he does 1000000 acres" WELL !! BOY OH BOY.. he really needs that other 30 you have or it might break him!! It would only do someone like me a world of difference.. plus you'll make out better.. but.. sh!t.. you can brag to everyone how you know them and they farm your land.. big time now boys

 

[dieselbeef]

If it runs on gas or diesel and uses oil I don't borrow it.
If it breaks, or I lose it somehow, I have to fix or replace it with a new one and I still won't have one.

me too but people don't care for their stuff like I do...my tractor drips with grease..at least ya could grease it before ya bring it back

 

[True Grit Farms]

Speaking of equipment. Last week I did some outside work for someone with a tractor I bought in 2002. I gave $17,000 for it then and have used it for haying and other things. Anyhow, someone asked if I'd do some work for them and I spent a day and a half on the property and made just under a thousand dollars for my trouble. They couldn't justify buying a tractor themselves so we both came out winners and both are happy. There is a lot of work like out there if people know who to call and you have a good reputation. What I'm saying is a tractor doesn't have to be a dead cost to your operation. It can be a money maker if you work it right.

Wish you or someone like you were around here, Jo. My hay is turning to straw in the fields. No hope of even a first cutting anytime soon. Can't get anyone to do it. One guy finally agreed but can't do it for awhile yet. I'm so po'd I'm about to go do something stupid---buy haying equipment (oh, and learn to cut/bale hay). A young person around here with some decent inherited equipment could make a decent living doing others' hay etc.
We have some Amish down the road. Maybe they'll come do it with their mule team or whatever...I'm about that desperate

Y'all are having a tough year up there hay wise. Getting it cut is almost impossible with all the rain. My wife just got back from there and said no one around LaFargeville has cut any hay yet because of the weather. Her cousin just bought a new hay wrapper to make silage because there's no way he can get his hay dry enough to bale.

 

[hurleyjd]

Speaking of equipment. Last week I did some outside work for someone with a tractor I bought in 2002. I gave $17,000 for it then and have used it for haying and other things. Anyhow, someone asked if I'd do some work for them and I spent a day and a half on the property and made just under a thousand dollars for my trouble. They couldn't justify buying a tractor themselves so we both came out winners and both are happy. There is a lot of work like out there if people know who to call and you have a good reputation. What I'm saying is a tractor doesn't have to be a dead cost to your operation. It can be a money maker if you work it right.

Wish you or someone like you were around here, Jo. My hay is turning to straw in the fields. No hope of even a first cutting anytime soon. Can't get anyone to do it. One guy finally agreed but can't do it for awhile yet. I'm so po'd I'm about to go do something stupid---buy haying equipment (oh, and learn to cut/bale hay). A young person around here with some decent inherited equipment could make a decent living doing others' hay etc.
We have some Amish down the road. Maybe they'll come do it with their mule team or whatever...I'm about that desperate

Can you graze it for the first time. That is what I have done. Ground to wet get cutting of Tifton 85. I have equipment. But I turned into the meadow two weeks ago, you can really see the gain in the cows and calves.