Last cutting for the year. I am done.

[alabama]

I took the pictures of the last and 3rd cutting this year in 3 diferent fields but you should get the idea. It worked out to just over 2 rolls to the acre, 5 X 5.

 

[Jogeephus]

I bet you are relieved. I have one more field I could cut but I don't think I'd get very much hay cause it just doesn't seem to have the body I think it should. I'm just going to call it finished and let the nutrients go back in the soil next year after I torch it.

 

[1982vett]

Always good to be finished. It has been a slow hay season here, not that I mind. Some folks that have gotten some nice rains are scrapping the last bit. Noticed you use a 510 baler. I used to use a 410, still have it but it is parked in a barn. Upgraded to a Vermeer 605L. Makes baling go faster, but I would rather have the smaller bales when feeding.

 

[cfpinz]

Got the last field on the ground now, could have rolled it yesterday but I'm trying to get it dry enough to square and sell, I've got rolls coming out my ears. It'll rain for sure now.

 

[alabama]

Noticed you use a 510 baler. I used to use a 410, still have it but it is parked in a barn. Upgraded to a Vermeer 605L. Makes baling go faster, but I would rather have the smaller bales when feeding.

I would like to trade my old 510 for a more modern roller but I can't make the price work out. I have been getting $50 a roll this year and made 300 rolles. that is a total value of $15,000 before all other cost. With fertelizer and wear on the tractors it is costing about $50 a roll to make hay. With a new roller I could get a little more for my hay but even with a $10 increas in the price of hay that would only be $3000 a year. So a new $20,000 roller would take me 7 years to pay for if it never needs repair.
I am considering scaling my hay cutting way back and buy hay, only cutting my pastures in very wet years.

 

[grannysoo]

I would like to trade my old 510 for a more modern roller but I can't make the price work out. I have been getting $50 a roll this year and made 300 rolles. that is a total value of $15,000 before all other cost. With fertelizer and wear on the tractors it is costing about $50 a roll to make hay. With a new roller I could get a little more for my hay but even with a $10 increas in the price of hay that would only be $3000 a year. So a new $20,000 roller would take me 7 years to pay for if it never needs repair.
I am considering scaling my hay cutting way back and buy hay, only cutting my pastures in very wet years.

Oh come on now.... you know that we're all getting rich in the hay business! :lol: :lol: :lol: What's an extra $20,000 or so.

It is good to be finished for the year.

 

[1982vett]

I would like to trade my old 510 for a more modern roller but I can't make the price work out. I have been getting $50 a roll this year and made 300 rolles. that is a total value of $15,000 before all other cost. With fertelizer and wear on the tractors it is costing about $50 a roll to make hay. With a new roller I could get a little more for my hay but even with a $10 increas in the price of hay that would only be $3000 a year. So a new $20,000 roller would take me 7 years to pay for if it never needs repair.
I am considering scaling my hay cutting way back and buy hay, only cutting my pastures in very wet years.

Oh come on now.... you know that we're all getting rich in the hay business! :lol: :lol: :lol: What's an extra $20,000 or so.

It is good to be finished for the year.

Makes for a good tax write off :lol: but who needs a writeoff if you can't sell for what it cost to produce. :roll: The only way I was able to upgrade was to buy into a partnership with a neighbor. I works for us as I help him when he bales and he helps me when I bale. He ran into a great deal on this baler three years ago and last year I bought in for half interest. Together we will probably average 450 - 500 rolls a year. Same here with scaling back haying. Not to interested in producing hay to sell anymore, just want to produce for my own needs and have plenty for years that pop up like the one we have had this year. Seems we need to plan 1 to 2 or more years ahead for hay needs instead of fall to spring.

 

[grannysoo]

Not to interested in producing hay to sell anymore, just want to produce for my own needs and have plenty for years that pop up like the one we have had this year. Seems we need to plan 1 to 2 or more years ahead for hay needs instead of fall to spring.

With the droughts that we have been having, a 2 year plan is definately good. I'm still selling some hay, but within the next couple of years I won't be doing that anymore. I don't have enough cows to eat everything that I produce (yet), but that's the long term goal. I do believe that a balance between cows, pastures and hayfields can be found and that's the direction I'm going for.

 

[alabama]

The trouble with balancing is that in a dry year you don't have enough pasture and you have to use what little hay you make to suplement pasture in summer and very little left for winter. So you still have to buy hay every drought.
In a wet year you have surplus hay that you have to sell when the market is flooded. Everbody has extra hay in a wet year.
I guess the best is to ballance the best you can and put hay in barns up to a two year supply and then build reserve and sell surpluss in wet years and use reserve in dry years.

 

[1982vett]

The trouble with balancing is that in a dry year you don't have enough pasture and you have to use what little hay you make to suplement pasture in summer and very little left for winter. So you still have to buy hay every drought.
In a wet year you have surplus hay that you have to sell when the market is flooded. Everbody has extra hay in a wet year.
I guess the best is to ballance the best you can and put hay in barns up to a two year supply and then build reserve and sell surpluss in wet years and use reserve in dry years.

Something like that. But in the wet year like last year (2007) I did not sell at a discount just because I had it. I stored it and intended to use this year as a slow haying year to give the land a rest and spend less on fertilizer. The plan was not a complete failure, I did spend less on fertilizer. Most of my pastures could be considered overgrazed at the moment but they are in better shape than they were at this time in 2006, but by holding 2 years hay supply I am not in a bind for winter feed. So far I have managed to get enough rain to get my usuall 50 acres of oats up. I also planted oats and clover on and additional 70 acres of pasture. I'll use that as a hedge on restocking hay supplies I used this past summer, hopefully with less urgency than coming off of 2006.

 

[bigbull338]

it always feels good to have all the years hay rolled up.

 

[Jogeephus]

it always feels good to have all the years hay rolled up.

Amen to that. Like a weight off your shoulders.

On the subject of buying new equipment, I wonder if you used one of those bank credit cards they keep sending to your house. Way I figure it, you could buy the equipment on the card and before the statement makes it to your house the bank will be bankrupt and out of business. Just a thought.

 

[Angus Cowman]

it always feels good to have all the years hay rolled up.

thats an understatement wife and I put up over 2500 4x5s this yr and with all the wet weather seemed like we were never going to get done still have 80 acres that could be baled and decided to let it stand don't need it and not going to give it away for less than cost to put up

 

[BamaCowboy]

Well I am glad its over too. Put up the last 30 ac this week. With the hot dry weather at the start and rain in the last 1/3 of hay season it has been very productive. I have put up over 500 rolls this yr and may expand my grazing next yr and quit putting up so much hay. Not that I don't mind the $ cost wise it is just to expensive to produce, and for you fellows that have equipment payments now you let it sit idle for 6 months but the payments still come.

 

[alabama]

Well I am glad its over too. Put up the last 30 ac this week. With the hot dry weather at the start and rain in the last 1/3 of hay season it has been very productive. I have put up over 500 rolls this yr and may expand my grazing next yr and quit putting up so much hay. Not that I don't mind the $ cost wise it is just to expensive to produce, and for you fellows that have equipment payments now you let it sit idle for 6 months but the payments still come.

What part od Alabama are you in. The only rain we got was from Fay. She brought 9 inches and made a good cutting of hay.

 

[jka300]

Always good to be finished. It has been a slow hay season here, not that I mind. Some folks that have gotten some nice rains are scrapping the last bit. Noticed you use a 510 baler. I used to use a 410, still have it but it is parked in a barn. Upgraded to a Vermeer 605L. Makes baling go faster, but I would rather have the smaller bales when feeding.

We use to have a 510 baler. I really liked it. Real simple and not to much to go wrong. It was my grandpa's first baler. I wish that it would have never wore out because I would still be using it today.

 

[alabama]

I would absolutely hate baling and raking on those open top tractors like that. Even the one with the rops would cause you to get burnt to a crisp here in this heat. Having a cab and ac really makes farm work a whole heck of alot easier and less painful. I commend you for working on those tractors all day. I know I couldnt. I did it for years. Once I bought me a cab tractor I refused to ever go back.

I will be 50 years old in a few days and it would be nice to have a tractor with cab and air but I don't want to spend the money. The 6300 with the roof helps alot but when it is real hot in Alabama I just drink plenty of gater aid. I try to do somting in the heat every day so I stay some what used to it. That old 2020 rake tractor where you have site astradal the transmition will sure burn you up though. I rake a while and then take a break and roll a while. If I often hire a young fellow to rake for me, then I can take it easy and stay in the shade rolling.
The dust often is worse than the heat. I have to wear a dust mask so a cab tractor would help with that the most. When I retire from my day job in a few years I may buy be a new 90 horse John Deere with loader and cab and air. I think I will still keep the old 2020 and trade in the 6300.