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kyhayman 12-12-2012 21:17:30 99.196.32.59 Report to Moderator

Nothing wrong with older equipment. My newest round baler is nearly 20 years old. My square baler older than that. Mower-wise, I did add a new discbine a couple of years ago but what comes out the back is the same as comes out of your mower conditioner. Thats fabulous cost control, I'm jealous. Off the top I've got a gallon of fuel in each roll, roughly. Just dividing up 565 gallons per week on an output of 500-600 rolls. Payroll runs about 75 cents a roll for the hired help and about 2.00 a roll for me. Rest is repairs, twine, and depreciation/replacement. Next year it wont look so good, big repair bills both in the production and trucking ends. Then I shoot for 10.00 a roll profit, actually insist on it. Fertilizer, seeding, and spraying puts a solid 10.00 more on it. I cant say that the fertilizer pays for me, in grass hay, in yield. Actually its almost break even. But it does pay in holding green color. Color sells and to a lesser extent smell sells. I work craigslist and all the online sales boards like a hawk. Plus I always keep a decent roll with a professional printed sign and my phone number by the road. Every truck I have has a sign on it, and the family cars have bumper stickers. I never say can't when someone asks for something, I simply price it at what I can make that happen for. Typically the service is worth more than the product. [Reply]   [No Email]