Neighbor's brother has some ground about 15 miles away that he normally cuts for hay. He is not doing it this year and has offered it to his son-in-law and me. He wants nothing out of it would just be a split between the two of us. If I mow with my tractor and mower, then rake with my tractor and rake(his is bigger then mine), what is a fair split? He would haul my tractor over there for me.
What is it worth to mow and rake?
- Thread starter tom4018
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Rowdy
Well-known member
I have a gehl disc mower and rake but I pay my neighbor to bale w/ his JD 5x6 baler. I pay him $12 a roll to jus bale it. So I'd say cut/rake is worth half of total and baling cost the other half.
OP
OP
tom4018
Dumb Old Farmer
There is a guy here that mows, rakes and bales for $16 a roll, bale alone for $8.50. I just want to see what others think is fair on a split, I feel he is wanting a little too much to bale.Rowdy":313y9fcj said:
Rowdy
Well-known member
Half the total is fair to me. I was paying $16 role almost 15 years ago.
fitz
Well-known member
tom4018":2f6lefv2 said:
Hay is such a chore for me anymore. I'd be tempted to get him to do it for 16.00 a roll and leave my equipment in the shed. Of course, then you have to load and haul.
fitz
inyati13
Well-known member
This is interesting Tom. I was just talking to my neighbor who rakes and rolls my hay for half. We were talking about the prices for haying equipment. Rollers are now $20 K plus. Disc mowers are $8 K. How can small operators make any money with beef cows when the prices of infrastructure and equipment are approaching levels they are????tom4018":3a0vclmz said:
Rowdy
Well-known member
Like any business now a days, fewer and fewer operations are done in house. You have to specialize. Are you a cattle breeder or a custom baler?
Rowdy
Well-known member
On the other hand, you could prolly find all 3 pieces for less than 10 grand. Sickle mower, 45-50 hp tractor, and older JD baler.
dwa
Active member
inyati13":n5fuj5gl said:
Get out of the hay business. You don't have to own hay equipment to be a beef producer.
OP
OP
tom4018
Dumb Old Farmer
inyati13":3h3v4qkb said:
Yea, I know got a antique baler myself and a disc mower that needs to be replaced. I thought a 60/40(me) split would have been fair for me doing the mowing and raking. Whoever mows is going to have the most time in it. This guy has no more in than I do, it is being given to us.
John SD
Well-known member
Rowdy":pdbidyk1 said:
+1. Neighbor and his dad used to put up 200 acres for me on shares with a IH B Farmall with a 7 ft JD #5 mower pulling a dump rake. Stacked with a Super M and an old homemade truck stacker. The old truck was a Dodge with a Chevy engine. ;-)
This was pre-1990's baler era. I was one of the last holdouts. My first year with a hay baler was 1994.
My point is, hay equipment doesn't have to be new. Just has to be reliable. My own rule of thumb has become if I find myself spending more time working on the equipment than the actual hay job itself, it's time to upgrade.
Stayed with the 14' IH 210 swather a bit too long, and the Hesston 5500 baler. Today neighbor and I hay with a 16' MacDon moco and a Hesston 856A baler. I bought the moco used. I did purchase the 856A brand new, both over 10 yrs ago. Don't rake often, but still use the 6 wheel Vicon when necessary. Usually only when wind blows.
Ford 8600 and MF 2775 provide cheap horsepower, both tractors over 30 yrs old. I am looking to upgrade the 2775 but will keep it for haymover duty.
Sort of overequipped now. Since downsizing my place there is only that same 200 total acres of hay to do total.
bigbull338
Well-known member
ive been talking to the guy we are thinking bout using to cut an rake our hay.an he is going to charge $12 a bale for cutting an raking.an we are going to bale it with a 567 JD baler.so if i was yall id add up the cost pre bale to bale the hay an splitt accordingly.
Cabo
Well-known member
The split will vary with how many bales per acre are rolled.
inyati13
Well-known member
dwa":1l6vgirv said:
Do you buy your hay? I did the first 3 years but the quality and delivery of reasonable priced hay was getting hard to find. I found tin, wire and a cow skull in some of the rolled hay I got last year. That scared the bejesus out of me.
denvermartinfarms
Well-known member
10$ a bale to cut and rake.
dwa
Active member
inyati13":9xpvc2fp said:
Make note not to buy from that person anymore.
I have land I rent for hay and have someone custom bale it. If I don't get enough from that, I'll buy as needed. The land that my cows are on was continuously grazed for decades so it is not in the best shape. I am now managing the grazing and depending on weather, I'm feeding hay 2-3 months a year. I hope to be year round grazing in the next 3-4 years with same number of cows or more.
OP
OP
tom4018
Dumb Old Farmer
Well I just might have just made a mistake but told the guy I can't cut and rake for only a third. He said he normally bales for a third of the hay. I thought a 50/50 split was good or maybe a slight bit more to him. Guess it is sometimes hard to do business with friends/neighbors.
I was looking at it even at $25 hay he would be getting $12.50 baling, maybe give him some extra for using his rake and hauling my tractor the 15 miles. I can buy hay within 4 miles of the farm for $25-28.
I was looking at it even at $25 hay he would be getting $12.50 baling, maybe give him some extra for using his rake and hauling my tractor the 15 miles. I can buy hay within 4 miles of the farm for $25-28.
AndyL
Well-known member
tom4018":2emcpc6y said:
Figure it by the acre to cut and rake, then take your share of hay at the $25 a bale. That way you shouldn't lose either way.Unless the tonnage isn't there.
