[SwingOak]

I have the opportunity to buy a standing crop of hay, on maybe as much as 20 acres or so which I could really use. My yields are way down this year because I lost all my rented/free haymaking land thanks to people building houses on the fields, and haven't put any fert on my home fields, other than a LOT of horse manure this spring. I also replanted part of my home field so there's that too.

I think it's either grass and possibly a grass/alfalfa mix. I'm not renting the fields, just basically buying this one cutting. I have no idea what the rates are for something like this - so looking for some ideas on the cost of a standing crop of hay - how much per acre?

 

[Tx Jim]

For the last several yrs I've purchased standing unfertilized Coastal & native grasses. I've paid anywhere from $5-$10 per 4X5.5 diameter rd bale & I then use my equipment to bale. I've baled 183 rd bales in that fashion this yr on my 2 neighbors property. Due to local drought I've sold all of those bales.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Like Jim I've paid $5-10 per 4x5.5 bale. On a lean year when you need hay you need to be willing to pay more.

 

[PaulN]

I'm in a much different location from Jim. I pay $15 per 4x5 bale. I agree with the two previous posts, pay by the bale, not by the acre.

 

[Tx Jim]

Local custom baler operators are currently due to drouth paying $15-$20 for combined corn stalks & then baling the fodder. Stalk bales are selling for$45-$60 each

 

[PasturePool]

I pay $18 per acre for rake and mow, and $17 per bale for big squares of Alfalfa 100-1200# bales and have some for sale if anyone is needing...

Would agree do by the bale not per acre, feed value testing if you do that needs to be done 10 days after as well as store it under roof. Just some things to consider.

Good luck...

 

[SwingOak]

Thanks - I’ll probably do some of it in small squares and the rest in large squares. I’ll do everything myself except the large square baling. Going to be a while, we got 2” of rain last night and more rain coming this week.

 

[dvcochran]

I am in middle TN where land is getting gobbled up by developers at an insane rate, but people will gladly let you clean it up for them. This being a bad drought year will have an impact as well. Since you are only doing it for one year, I would try to find the story on the land. Possibly the owners just want it cleaned up (still happens) and will be glad for you to take care of it. I would also really evaluate the yield and see which is cheaper, fertilizer or paying for the hay, Of course, with the dry conditions, fertilizer may be a moot point or simply too late.

 

[SwingOak]

It’s my dairy farmer neighbor, they have more hay than they can use and figured I could use some of it. Basically the idea is helping with covering the cost of the fertilizer, and I’m paying by the bale. The advice to pay by the bale is excellent advice indeed. Thanks!