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Implement Alley Discussion Forum

What do you charge to bale hay?

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BobG

02-28-2005 07:20:16




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I had the neighbor ask me about baling his hay this year, but don't have a clue of what to charge. I have an old JD mower and rake and my old IH baler. I would be interested in knowing what everyone charges. I have heard from $1.00 to $1.50 per bale, but does this include the cutting and raking? We have one other guy in our area that bale small bales and when I talked to him last year he said he was cutting way back due to age. I would be interested in baling about 20 acres on shares, but would cut and bale on a per bale charge also. I should add that I am in southeastern Washington state.

Any help greatly appreciated.

BobG

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Mike (WA)

03-01-2005 12:19:03




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I just do my own hay now, but last did custom work about 25 years ago. Hay was selling for about $1.50 per bale then, and those who put up on shares generally got 2/3, so I charged $1.00 per bale, and customers and I were both satisfied. Sad to say that 25 years later, hay is still $1.50 to $2.00 per bale, and going rate still seems to be $1.00 cut/rake/bale. So much for keeping up with inflation, huh?

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Mike (WA)

03-01-2005 12:18:03




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I just do my own hay now, but last did custom work about 25 years ago. Hay was selling for about $1.50 per bale then, and those who put up on shares generally got 2/3, so I charged $1.00 per bale, and customers and I were both satisfied. Sad to say that 25 years later, hay is still $1.50 to $2.00 per bale, and going rate still seems to be $1.00 cut/rake/bale. So much for keeping up with inflation, huh?

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Seth_ia

03-01-2005 11:20:54




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I usually get $1-$1.25 bale for cut/rake/bale. The higher end is if the hay as to be raked a lot. I add another $.05 on for twine. I supply 2 racks but not the labor to load them. I added a NH bale wagon this year and plan to charge $.40/ bale to pick up and stack. I figure that I need to make an average of $40/hour to run a tractor. I don"t run new equipment, but it is good shape and well sized for the job. the smallest tractor I use is 100 hp. If your equipment is older and smaller, you can probelly get by with $30/hour. My minimums depend on distance. If a feild is 1/2 mile away and ready when my eqipment is hooked up I will bale fields that are only a couple of acres. Minimums icrease as travel distance increases. It also greatly depends on how bad you want the job. Some guys here don"t rally want custome work so they raise their rates to avoid most of it. I on the other hand want it so a keep my rates in line with what my cost are including may labor/hour which I figure at $15.00/hour for haying.

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Bill in Colo

03-01-2005 07:45:21




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
Cut,rake and bale $30 to $34 per ton 65 lb bales,most here charge a two ton min. Stacking with stackwagon 27 to 30 cents per bale extra depending on how many thousand. prices drop somewhat above 400 tons. I doubt that anyone could be hired to pickup or stack by hand. Some horse owners may buy and pickup a little out of field for their own use. I personaly put up 5 x6 rounds last season for $30 per ton cut, rake and bale. but will raise to 33 or 34 this year

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alberta hayer

02-28-2005 21:44:01




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
Here in Alberta I charge 14.00 an acre or 70.00/hour to cut with a 12 foot hay bine. .40 to bale or 70.00/hour. .35 to pile or 70.00/hour(pull type bale wagon). If repairs are due to your bad field they are done in your field on your time. If anyone dislikes these rates, I encurage them to go to their favorate impliment dealer and buy their own equipment and then they can do their own haying for much much less. With the fuel price going up I will likely raise these rates to 72.50.

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Iowa Jim

03-01-2005 05:19:26




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to alberta hayer, 02-28-2005 21:44:01  
I agree with chrging by the hour, including down time due to the clients poor fields or negligence. There is a man that posts on some of the other AG sites that always charges by the hour. His arguments are very sound.

Jim



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Tim A.

02-28-2005 20:11:44




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
Here in North Texas, the going rate it $10-$12 per acre to cut, $6 per acre to rake and .75 to .85 to bale on the ground...so that comes out to about $1.00 to $1.15 per bale for 60 bales to the acre. In my area, we irrigate off a canal and the fields are leveled and bordered. Normally, the land owner fertilizes and waters. If the land owner decides not to fertilze or water properly, the yield goes way down...your costs will be about the same (less wire or twine), but your profit will be way less. Some guys have a minimum dollar figure regardless of how many bales they make...might be something to think about. Also, you might want to have an agreement as to the time period in which you will be paid...I did a small job year before last as a favor to a friend. AFter I agreed to do the job, he explained that one field was his and the other field was another guys...but they always had them baled together. Long story short, it was almost 5 months before I got paid for the other guys field. It can be a big financial strain as well as very stressful on you if you have to deal with this on a regular basis. I would be very choosy over the fields and people...

Good Luck,

Tim

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quadman

02-28-2005 18:52:56




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
You seem like an honest guy, checking around to see what a fair price is. Ask yourself what your time is worth. It"s your equipment and your gas. If he"s a good neighbor you"ll come up with fair deal.



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Markus

02-28-2005 17:21:09




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
Ohio State said that the state avg for custom work in 2002 was approx $0.41 PER BALE dropped (no cutting, raking, etc....$0.47 if baled and loaded...the high limit was $0.57...so I'd say double to triple this to include the cutting and raking...talking $1.25.
Anybody think different?



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kyhayman

02-28-2005 16:41:56




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
$1.00 on the ground, cut, rake, ted, and bale. For a quarter more I'll pull their wagon or run the bale wagon. No labor for the wagon included. I always look at the field first, if I cant get at least 80 bales to the acre I cant afford to do it.



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farmerboybill

02-28-2005 16:35:49




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
The biggest question I would ask myself is whether or not my equipment was up to it. When you're depending on your equipment and it fails the only one ticked off is you. When it's someone elses land and hay getting rained on because your knotter doesn't tie, you AT LEAST double the tickedoffedness...

Don't ask me how I know... >:-(



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wolfmantractor

02-28-2005 16:02:11




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
In the late 60's we used to bale about 6000 bales for a neighbor; for a number of years it was 17 cents/bale for mowing, raking & baling. Then for a number of years it was 25 cents/bale for mow, rake, bale & stacking them in his high barn. So 17 cents then would be what- about $1.10 now. And 25cents then about $1.65



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wolfmantractor

02-28-2005 16:13:18




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to wolfmantractor, 02-28-2005 16:02:11  
This was heavy southwestern Pa orchard grass/blue grass hay. The guy had a large slaughter house & spread guts liberally. Steep ground. I never wanted to mow a field that I hadn't plowed (and removed rocks from).



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wolfmantractor

02-28-2005 16:07:41




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to wolfmantractor, 02-28-2005 16:02:11  
This was heavy southwestern Pa Orchard grass/ Blue grass; steep ground; the guy had a slaughter house & applied guts liberally-rank stands. Fields rock free. I never wanted to mow a field that I hadn't plowed (and removed rocks from).



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B Payne

02-28-2005 15:45:51




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
Another thing you might think of is the hay that will be there. Here in central Washington we haven't had any rain to speek of. So you might use a lot of gas to get a bale.

Brad



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farmertee

02-28-2005 13:43:33




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I would have to agree with Kelly. I baled some for a guy one time and the field was all rooted up I think I did more damage to my equipment than I made on the job. If I figured my time in it was a loss. Just my 2 cents.



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Steve (Magnolia, TX)

02-28-2005 11:02:02




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I paid $1.25/bale last Labor Day. That included cutting, raking (several times) and baling. I did all the throwing...

HTH

Steve



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Kelly C

02-28-2005 08:52:50




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
S Washinton. good to go price per bale as rain is a issue there. Might want to add some thing about rain on the hay to your agreement.

I charge $1 bale cut, raked and baled on the ground. Or they can work the rack if they want to.
The hay out of the baler is thier responsability.

Might try to go a little higher this year with $2+ gas.



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Indydirtfarmer

02-28-2005 08:45:36




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to BobG, 02-28-2005 07:20:16  
I get $1 bale cut, tedder, rake, bale. Left on the ground. (I do have an accumulator...Bunched up in 10's) I'll load on (your) wagon or truck for $.40 more with grapple/loader. Absolutely will NOT handle by hand....

And that's for a MINIMUM of 10 acres. Won't move my equipment for less than that.



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Dave H (MI)

02-28-2005 10:51:12




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 02-28-2005 08:45:36  
I think you are missing all the fun. If you don't work up a good sweat the chaff and dust will have nothing to stick to. If it doesn't stick, how can you work up a decent rash? If you don't have a decent rash, what are you gonna scratch when you are up all night worrying about rain? Are you SURE you are a farmer?



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Indydirtfarmer

02-28-2005 11:02:26




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to Dave H (MI), 02-28-2005 10:51:12  
I got enoughstick/sweat/itch/scratch/worryrain/ect on my own ground. I'm not going to take that on for anyone else!

Strictly about the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$.



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Kelly C

02-28-2005 08:54:40




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to Indydirtfarmer, 02-28-2005 08:45:36  
I think looking at the field is a good idea too. man did I bale some crap last year.



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BobG

03-01-2005 06:27:35




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 Re: What do you charge to bale hay? in reply to Kelly C, 02-28-2005 08:54:40  
Rain is generally not an issure during hay harvest. Usually all the baling is done by the first week in June. Then we get a little rain, but not usually enough to bother. I'm in the Palouse area and we usually get 20 inches of rain and have 10 feet of topsoil where I'm at. Even in the driest year I can cut a ton of grass hay per acre and in the best year a ton and a half. It is hard to find fields over 5 acres around hear, but what I do cut for other people I usually get all the hay. I'm only looking for enough to feed my six cows and calve.

Bob

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