seeding a hay field on shares

dmiller · Sep 3, 2013

Guy I've been custom cutting for (about 10 acres of hay split into two fields 4 and 6 acres) would like me to rip out one and seed it to alfalfa. He tries to rotate the fields (about every 4 years or so, the alfalfa goes away due to the wet ground he has) so he always has one that is pretty good alfalfa.
He wants to do it on shares, says the last guy who did it worked it this way. Owner paid for the seed, farmer did the work and put in an oats cover crop (I'd use feed barley). Farmer got the cover crop as his share.
This seems like I'd be working for free and cover my inputs to me. Also not sure how you'd ever get a combine in for the barley and I have no use for it if its baled (only raise pigs).
Any suggestions on how else to do this.

randallinMo · Sep 3, 2013

It doesn't really sound like too bad of an arrangement.......IF you can get a combine in there. Does the owner think a combine will go in there? Who's going to combine it? 'Might be some value to you if you could get the straw also for bedding? 'Guess I'm wondering why you have hay equipment if hay is of no value to you. Only other option is for you to be paid for your labor in establishing the alfalfa.

dmiller · Sep 3, 2013

I do have a combine so that's not the problem. As for the hay not being of value to me.... I meant if I baled the barley for hay. Not worth much to sell it that way but might still be worth it. I do mine in small squares and around here the only people who really want that are horse people. Barley hay would be do for a horse but I doubt if most horse people would buy it.

randallinMo · Sep 3, 2013

Right.....barley hay is hard to sell. I understand. Do you have the means to put up a small grain cover crop as silage bales? That would get the crop off earlier and give the alfalfa a better second cut. Maybe the landowner would give you the first cutting for your seeding work. Where are you located as time is running out on a fall seeding of alfalfa?

dmiller · Sep 3, 2013

South Central Montana, dry enough and often open winters, fall seeded alfalfa usually does pretty poor. Would plow this fall and seed in the spring, wouldn't hay it at all the first year.

hayray · Sep 4, 2013

Hay on shares is usually a bad idea, especially when you are considering such a small piece. There is more risk with hay then many other crops and one piece is a wet piece that alfalfa does not persist well on.

seeding a hay field on shares

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