# Pricing for Small Teff Squares



## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Thinking toward next season and where I am going with Teff. For those of you making small squares of teff- what are you getting a bale. I have weighed mine previously but don't remember exact weight-somewhere around 50 # for 34-36" bale (14 x 18). I charged someone who knows teff for what it is 6.50 a bale at the barn and she said I wasn't charging enough (for teff). I don't think you can make any real money at that price here so I am just canvassing to see what the landscape looks like. Thanks.


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

Not being in Virgina I can't say for there . But here 6.50 a bale for grass hay out of the barn would be great ! This year $6.50 a bale for any hay out of the barn would be great .


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Hayman1 said:


> Thinking toward next season and where I am going with Teff. For those of you making small squares of teff- what are you getting a bale. I have weighed mine previously but don't remember exact weight-somewhere around 50 # for 34-36" bale (14 x 18). I charged someone who knows teff for what it is 6.50 a bale at the barn and she said I wasn't charging enough (for teff). I don't think you can make any real money at that price here so I am just canvassing to see what the landscape looks like. Thanks.


 I would say start a little lower then the regular market price for grass hay as most people aren't familiar with teff. Once you get enough customers that know Teff then maybe you can charge more?


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Teslan said:


> I would say start a little lower then the regular market price for grass hay as most people aren't familiar with teff. Once you get enough customers that know Teff then maybe you can charge more?


Actually, that is what I did. Was having trouble getting folks interested in teff-liked the look smell etc but were reluctant ot change from what they knew. Now have two teff specific customers and others that took it as mixed grass hay @ 6 a bale. One of the teff customers knows teff and says I am not charging enough for what it is and how much it costs to produce. Not going in deep, probably just 5-7 ac as part of redoing other fields. I think good hay is going to be short here by Feb.



Chessiedog said:


> Not being in Virgina I can't say for there . But here 6.50 a bale for grass hay out of the barn would be great ! This year $6.50 a bale for any hay out of the barn would be great .


I agree if I got 6.50 for grass hay that would be great, only getting 6 so can't really complain. However, Teff is a whole nother animal and costs more to produce- bales are heavier with the same settings on baler etc, so not exactly the same as other grass hay.


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

I put some teff out couple of years ago and it's not cheap ,but should have a higher yield with 3 or 4 cuttings to help off set the cost . I had put some out after wheat and cut it 3 times .But it's still just grass hay .Same goes with timothy , I have no luck selling it ,but others get top dollar out of it . I will say the teff makes nice looking bales .

As far as baler settings I adjust the baler to shoot for a 50 to 55 pound bale in what ever I'm baling .

As with any thing else , some are willing to pay more then others for something they want . I was at a local auction a few weeks ago and saw a women bid some alfalfa up to 8 dollars a bale , when the highest I've heard any one getting lately around here is 6.50 a bale out of the barn for good hay . Just need to find those folks willing to pay .

There is a lot of hay in this area , maybe not a lot of high quality hay . I know a few guys have had trouble finding some for there customers . But after the drought we had last year, every patch of grass someone could mow was mowed I believe this year . Any thing that might re symbol hay or not .


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Hayman1 said:


> Thinking toward next season and where I am going with Teff. I charged someone who knows teff for what it is 6.50 a bale at the barn and she said I wasn't charging enough (for teff).


Were you able to contain yourself when a customer essentially asked to be charged more?


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## covenanthay (Oct 2, 2009)

Just building my Teff sales so I am only asking 5.50 for 2013 production.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

8350HiTech said:


> Were you able to contain yourself when a customer essentially asked to be charged more?


Well, I have to say it was difficult except for the part that I knew she was right and that smarts


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I sold mine for $5 a bale....needed to get more for it but there is just too much inferior quality hay that drives the price down here. I think I would have wet my pants if I could get $6.50 a bale. The only thing I can get more than $5 for is pure timothy and the 3rd cut orchard. I don't think I'm going to plant teff again....between the poor yield and it didn't regrow hardly worth cutting a 2nd cut....just didn't pencil out very good. I did like the looks of the hay once it was baled though.


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## yarnammurt (Jan 1, 2014)

New here, But I am putting in 30 acres of teff this year. I've got the place ready to go for late march planting. I am going to shoot for $5 a bale. I have a good barn to put it in, Fertilizer bought so ready for spring. What kind of yield are y'all getting on well watered fertilized teff? This is my first year growing it so really don't know what to expect. The plan is to grow the teff this year and sprig in Tifton 85 next year.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

I planted mine on the 14th of May and could have gotten 4 cuttings if I had not wanted to get my fall timothy in early sept. Not sure when you sprig tifton but if you went full season seems like you could get at least 5 cuttings. I had about 6.5 ac and I was getting 200-250 bales a cutting cutting it before it headed out-about 20 " high or so. I only put 50-50-50 on the field and did not topdress. Would bump it up a little now for initial fertilizer and topdress with 40 units of N the day after I baled first cutting. Beautiful hay if made right. Wasn't sure if you have irrigation or not but Teslan can tell you how much more you can make with artificial water.


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## Maryland Ridge Farms (Mar 1, 2009)

Considering 10 acres of teff this year but getting discouraged listening to this may go with orchard grass alfalfa mix


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Anyone know how good of a dairy feed teff is? Been thinking of trying it


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Bgriffin856 said:


> Anyone know how good of a dairy feed teff is? Been thinking of trying it


When I was researching Teff last year I came upon a table that reported Milk production when fed Teff, I sure can't find it now though. I didn't pay to much attention to the table as I wasn't really planning to sell to dairies, but to my recollection the milk production was similar to alfalfa. Here is an article that I found though that kind of discusses it. I sold quite a bit of my Teff to a couple guys that raise beef cattle and they say the cows did really really well on it. Didn't waste any either. I will also ad that the Teff that I sold to the cattle guys I baled before I should have slightly and many of the bales turned yellow and got kind of that musty smell that I guess cows love. And by all reports from my customers the cows tore into it with gusto. In fact one guy hadn't fed teff to his cows in a couple years and when he was driving down his road by his pasture one of his older cows smelled it as he drove past and came running to him when he pulled in his yard. Remembered it for 1-2 years. He said she never did that for regular grass hay.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

yarnammurt said:


> New here, But I am putting in 30 acres of teff this year. I've got the place ready to go for late march planting. I am going to shoot for $5 a bale. I have a good barn to put it in, Fertilizer bought so ready for spring. What kind of yield are y'all getting on well watered fertilized teff? This is my first year growing it so really don't know what to expect. The plan is to grow the teff this year and sprig in Tifton 85 next year.


Why are you waiting to plant T85?


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## yarnammurt (Jan 1, 2014)

Wanting a good quality horse hay. Might pass on the Teff and go strait to Sun grazer 777. It has very good production and should get 300 or so bales a acre. I have a in to the market in South Texas so need good hay.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

Bgriffin856 said:


> Anyone know how good of a dairy feed teff is? Been thinking of trying it


I don't know squat about what you want in dairy feed, but the results on the forage samples I took from teff showed a significantly higher food value in the samples with higher moisture content (like just ready to catch fire in the bale). Looked to me like it would be great for a chop crop, something like they are doing here with alfalfa for dairy. Also would let you get it off the field immediately and then topdress for harvest 30 days out. Would love to be able to direct cut or wilt and chop for horse forage.


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## Bgriffin856 (Nov 13, 2013)

Just looking for something with higher protein and feed value. Wouldn't mind diversifying the crop rotation


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