Cost of custom haying

[Pete Jesse]

I usually buy hay for my animals, this year was about 1500 bales. The farmer I rent my land to has gone out of business,so I have some good hay fields. I am curious how much it usually costs to have custom haying done: mow, rake, bale, I can probably mow it away. I do not have the working equipment to do it. I am in Central NYS

[Dennis]

Pete,
I do alot of custom haying for others. I do 2 dollars a bale left in the field or 2.50 picked up and stacked.

[Dennis]

Pete,
I forgot to put in there that if the landowner doesn’t need all the hay I do a 50/50 split.

[PeytonM]

I dont know what you all have for animals but it wouldn’t take much to get set up to cut and rake it on your own, you can get a sickle mower rebuilt fron Don, or another member from out there thats ready to roll and find a good rake use on line for around a grand. in time you could get a older small square baler and bale it on your own with horses or a small tractor. if you had 4K in it I would say that would be the high end.

[Pete Jesse]

I forgot to put in there that if the landowner doesn’t need all the hay I do a 50/50 split.

I have someone who will do my haying for 50/50. Are there any items that should be included in a contract?

Thanks for your reply.

[Dennis]

I can’t say that I’ve written a contract on a 50/50 split, all of mine were done with a hand-shake. I would make sure they are going to be able to cut it when it comes time, by that I mean are they cutting so much hay elsewhere that you will be the last field to be done, ending up with poor quality hay. Who will be picking up what should be stated up front. Who will be liable for possible injuries and equipment issues while they are on your farm. Those are just a couple things that have been brought to me when talking to people, I can’t think of much else.

[Author]

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