I need a place to help someone grow/manage grass and hay.

[Steve Wilson]

I've been helping some friends improve their place for the past several years but find it's time to move on to other pastures, so to speak. During that time I've bought the following equipment: AC 190XT diesel, MF 165 diesel, JD 24T square baler, single row tedder, single row rotary rake, 9 wheel inline rake, 30' field sprayer with electric valves, 17' JD disk, 3 point seeder and a new wire feed welder. I don't have a mower conditioner or round baler. My rake and tedder are single row because they don't have a large acreage of hay fields and I was only wanting to upgrade from the side delivery rake they have.

I don't charge them for the equipment or labor; I do it because I love improving pastures/hay fields, that's my reward. Yea, it seems to be a lousy return on investment, doesn't it? But everybody has to have a hobby to squander some of their money on and this one is mine.

Why am I leaving? That's a fair question. Because I don't feel that I can make a difference anymore. There is too much livestock putting pressure on the available forage and not enough decent fence to control where they go. I've replanted some fields over the past two years, mostly at my own expense, only to find the cattle and/or sheep have decided that's the best place to hang out. In the process, they eat the grass and clover down to the ground and eliminate any possibility of a decent hay crop or managed grazing for the season.

I'm not looking to make money off of my time or equipment, nor have much interest in livestock....beyond providing quality grazing and hay for them. If there should happen to be a financial return, that would be great but it isn't my driving force by any means.

I live in the outskirts of St. Louis and spend my weekends at the farm near Jefferson City, MO; a two hour drive from my house. Last year I took a month off work to put up the hay. I'm looking to find a long term relationship for myself and my equipment in Missouri. Several things have to be taken into account finding a proper fit. I have no means to transport the equipment. Driving time from my house needs to be a consideration, as does having a place to store some of the equipment inside, particularly the square baler. I retire in about 3 1/2 years, when I turn 62. Driving time after that won't be an issue because I plan on buying a house near where ever I land this time. I'm an avid deer hunter and prefer to hunt north central or north eastern Missouri but I am surely not opposed to staying in the Jefferson City area. However, moving down to the Ozarks wouldn't be high on my list, only because of the hunting.

Please reply by email at [email protected] or phoning me at 314-739-8106 if you think there is a possibility we could find a suitable fit for both of us and we will see where it goes.

Many thanks for taking the time to read this long post,

 

[dun]

Ozarks wouldn't be high on my list, only because of the hunting.

Too many deer and turkeys down this way?

 

[Steve Wilson]

Hey Dun,

Thanks for the reply. No, not because of too many deer, they are just a bit on the teeny side for the most part. No offence intended but the ones further north tend to be way bigger.

Thanks again,

 

[Angus Cowman]

Hey Dun,

Thanks for the reply. No, not because of too many deer, they are just a bit on the teeny side for the most part. No offence intended but the ones further north tend to be way bigger.

Thanks again,

Thats where the management comes into play also
I manage intensively for the deer,turkey and quail but I do know what ya mean about the size difference but the quality of our deer here at home have improved drastically over the last 5 yrs

 

[dun]

Hey Dun,

Thanks for the reply. No, not because of too many deer, they are just a bit on the teeny side for the most part. No offence intended but the ones further north tend to be way bigger.

Thanks again,

I agree they're smaller, so you might as well head to canada to get the cold weather deer/genetics.

 

[Anonymous]

There are quite a few small time cattle owners in the eldon area that could benefit from your knowledge. May be worth driving around there.
As for the deer size difference between ozarks and N Mo, there is no comparison. I couldn't believe the difference and once you get into southern Iowa, my gosh they are so much bigger even yet.I may be doing some hunting up in columbia and eldon area this year. If I do, ill need to look a few of you up

 

[Angus Cowman]

There are quite a few small time cattle owners in the eldon area that could benefit from your knowledge. May be worth driving around there.
As for the deer size difference between ozarks and N Mo, there is no comparison. I couldn't believe the difference and once you get into southern Iowa, my gosh they are so much bigger even yet.I may be doing some hunting up in columbia and eldon area this year. If I do, ill need to look a few of you up

let us know when your coming this way

 

[jedstivers]

To bad you don't like the Arkansas Delta. You could grow some really good forages here.

 

[Angus Cowman]

To bad you don't like the Arkansas Delta. You could grow some really good forages here.

Jed
I can think of one crop we have here in Missouri that you can't grow down there!!!!!!!!!

 

[jedstivers]

To bad you don't like the Arkansas Delta. You could grow some really good forages here.

Jed
I can think of one crop we have here in Missouri that you can't grow down there!!!!!!!!!

Rocks, big,big rocks

 

[Angus Cowman]

To bad you don't like the Arkansas Delta. You could grow some really good forages here.

Jed
I can think of one crop we have here in Missouri that you can't grow down there!!!!!!!!!

Rocks, big,big rocks

You guessed it :lol2: :lol2:
You are bringing a trailer with you so you can haul some of those rocks back to Arkansas aren't you :lol2: :lol2:

 

[kickinbull]

Steve Wilson, how is the search going for a new place to play? I hope you have found something that works for you. I wish you lived closer. lol.

 

[Suzie Q]

Geez it would have been easier for us if we met you 8 years ago and you were in Australia. Sorry no deer hunting here. Feral pig hunting though.

 

[Steve Wilson]

I recieved several phone calls, two even offered me a yearly budget to use in managing/improving their pastures and hay fields. One of those two went so far as to offer to pay me to square bale for them. A set price per bale for every one that hit the ground and that after that it was up to them to get them to the barn. After much deliberation, I decided to pass because if you don't own or lease the property you still have no real control over what happens. That's fair enough, the owner/leasee should have the last word.

I sold all of the hay equipment, with the exception of the Kuhn rotary rake that hasn't found a buyer yet. The Gehl inline rake, M&W Rhino tedder and JD 24T baler all sold to the first people that called about them. There wasn't even any suggestion of negotiating, they simply reached into their wallets and started counting out $100 bills.

I'm keeping the 30 foot field sprayer and the two tractors.....AC 190XT and MF 165 diesel. Those will follow me to a deer huning lease in northeastern Missouri.

Many thanks for the interest and comments.

 

[cleland]

If your not too far from SE Kansas feel free to contact us. We are always up for new ideas for forage production and have some great fertile black dirt to work with. Not bad deer hunting either several 160+ bucks killed around here each year. Also have a 5 acres duck hunting pond if that interests ya...