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Custom Haying

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Angus Cattle Shower

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The brother and I have a business venture for the summer. The people Dad used to do haying for have gone out of farming so instead of the two of us getting jobs from after seeding until we start harvest, we'll make our pocket money doing this. All our machinery costs are covered. We've got a three year old mower conditioner and Hesston baler. My brother and I have been operators in our haying operation for a combined total of 13 years. I did 1000 acres on my own at the feedlot I was working at last summer. We are young but skilled, and we were raised by the belief of doint it right the first time, or not at all. What does everyone charge? Anyone have any tips/tricks? Or experiences they'd like to share? Think people will shy away from a business run and operated by a 20 year old and a 17 year old?
 
If you guys do a good job you will be as busy as you want. Don't know anything about your area but where I'm from word of mouth is the best thing you have going for you. Make no mistake though a bad job that was your fault will travel faster than a job well done. I'm 31 and have had custom farming jobs since I was in high school. Treat every job you do not only if it was yours but do it better than your own. Youll get along fine.
 
Angus Cattle Shower said:
The brother and I have a business venture for the summer. The people Dad used to do haying for have gone out of farming so instead of the two of us getting jobs from after seeding until we start harvest, we'll make our pocket money doing this. All our machinery costs are covered. We've got a three year old mower conditioner and Hesston baler. My brother and I have been operators in our haying operation for a combined total of 13 years. I did 1000 acres on my own at the feedlot I was working at last summer. We are young but skilled, and we were raised by the belief of doint it right the first time, or not at all. What does everyone charge? Anyone have any tips/tricks? Or experiences they'd like to share? Think people will shy away from a business run and operated by a 20 year old and a 17 year old?

If they see you drive your pickup recklessly, they might think you drive hay machinery the same way. :wink:
 
Takes young hard working men to do custom haying. Long days and endless nights. So i dont think they gonna look down on you because of age. Going rate around here is 12 per bale and around 12 per acre for swathing, 3 to 4 per acre for raking. I charge by the hour for swathing, so if you got good ground and i can run fast you get a better deal and if you got rough ground and i got to go slow your gonna pay. You need to figure how many acres you can cover per hour on average then you can figure your hourly charge, i charge $96 per hour, i can cover 8 acres per hour in good going. Pack your lunches and be prepared to sleep in the pickup and get after it!
 
Good luck on your venture - i got into it in 93 for partially the same reasons... that and i could justify owning the equipment. I might be wrong in the head but i really enjoy making hay. my only adive would be to not get too far from home, be careful and don't get yourself too overloaded, and lastly - sometimes a handshake doesn't mean what it used to... carry insurance and get the deal in writing if you aren't familair.
good luck to you
 
Angus Cattle Shower said:
The brother and I have a business venture for the summer. The people Dad used to do haying for have gone out of farming so instead of the two of us getting jobs from after seeding until we start harvest, we'll make our pocket money doing this. All our machinery costs are covered. We've got a three year old mower conditioner and Hesston baler. My brother and I have been operators in our haying operation for a combined total of 13 years. I did 1000 acres on my own at the feedlot I was working at last summer. We are young but skilled, and we were raised by the belief of doint it right the first time, or not at all. What does everyone charge? Anyone have any tips/tricks? Or experiences they'd like to share? Think people will shy away from a business run and operated by a 20 year old and a 17 year old?

Go for it!

There are three kids - or perhaps I should say - young men - who have done all my hay for the past 4 years I was away.

Today the oldest is 21 or 22 and the youngest in 17

I not only trusted them to do the work - they did a lot of it with my equipment and I never gave it a second thought.

They are responsible, careful and no kidding know what a grease gun is.

If you are even half as good as these guys, you would be given the chance at this place.

You forget one thing - you may have been a pain in the azz to your family when you were younger - and you may still be for all I know - but I would bet you a buck that you were always honest, respectful and hard working when you were out at the neighbours place.

And that tells me your folks did a good job.

When they used my equipment I paid them cash wages - 15 bucks an hour each (cash) and they were worth every penny.

I cannot even remember what I paid them for the whole deal when they were using their Dad's equipment - but I do remember they charged me a buck and a quarter a bale to bale small squares and handling was extra if they put it away - cannot remember the pricing though, a buck thirty per foot of big squares and six bucks for the five foot round bales.

I never worried about my hay while I was away.

I somehow think I am going to be paying a bunch more this year - but I will pay them because they always did a bang up job - I trust them - perhaps that is the most important thing I can say about them

You will build your clientelle slowly - but the best thing is to build their loyalty. That gives you return business.

Get out there and do some research - find out what the pricing is in the local area - do not over charge and do not under charge - and remember:

If you cannot make a profit you will not be in business the next year!

Go get'm tiger - you never know but you might be heading for a heck of a career in the custom farm work business - lots of folks started out smaller than you.

Best to you

BC
 
Hereford76 said:
Good luck on your venture - i got into it in 93 for partially the same reasons... that and i could justify owning the equipment. I might be wrong in the head but i really enjoy making hay. my only adive would be to not get too far from home

That work close to home is the difference between working at home on a rain out or sitting in a camper waiting to get back to work. I would still be stacking if I hadn't been so far from my jobs. Good advice.
 
I have custom hayed off and on all of my life.
-- First thing you need to be prepared for, is all the JUNK work. It took me a couple years to get my name out, and get the better work.
-- Be ready to work when the hay is ready. Just because you want to go see your girl on Saturday night, isn't a good reason to leave the hay field, to most paying customers.
--Be extremely diligent with your maintenance. You don't have to haven the newest and fanciest equipment, to get a lot of work done, but you do have to have it well maintained.
--Always keep your word. There is nothing that irritates people faster, then telling them you can be there tomorrow, then show up a week or two later. --And I think the most important part is to have fun. :!:
 
Here the county agent has a chart of the going rate for swathing,
raking, baling in different parts of the country. Do you have anything
like a county agent there that would have access to this information?

Good luck to you. I bet you do just fine.
 
Soap I drive a Toyota Echo sadly 8)

Long days and short nights don't intimidate me, I am from a grain farm with machinery too small for the acres we have, all it means is the operators have to put in extra hours. When a crop is ready to go, its ready to go it doesn't matter if you've got a date, meeting or anything else. As a custom operator when a customer says jump I am expected to say how high.

FH, I will look into that. I will call the rural municipality office monday and ask them.
 
Angus Cattle Shower said:
Soap I drive a Toyota Echo sadly 8)

Long days and short nights don't intimidate me, I am from a grain farm with machinery too small for the acres we have, all it means is the operators have to put in extra hours. When a crop is ready to go, its ready to go it doesn't matter if you've got a date, meeting or anything else. As a custom operator when a customer says jump I am expected to say how high.

FH, I will look into that. I will call the rural municipality office monday and ask them.

I didn't look at the rates but here is a link to custom rates in Saskatchewan

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=f4b84942-e058-4b5f-92eb-b4f5435bc9d6

Good luck
 
Big Muddy rancher said:
Angus Cattle Shower said:
Soap I drive a Toyota Echo sadly 8)

Long days and short nights don't intimidate me, I am from a grain farm with machinery too small for the acres we have, all it means is the operators have to put in extra hours. When a crop is ready to go, its ready to go it doesn't matter if you've got a date, meeting or anything else. As a custom operator when a customer says jump I am expected to say how high.

FH, I will look into that. I will call the rural municipality office monday and ask them.

I didn't look at the rates but here is a link to custom rates in Saskatchewan

http://www.agriculture.gov.sk.ca/Default.aspx?DN=f4b84942-e058-4b5f-92eb-b4f5435bc9d6

Good luck

Well, there went my idea. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
I started when I was 14, it is hard work and yes people will question you for the first couple years being young but after they see you can get it done in a timely and honest manner all those matters will disappear.
 

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