# What is your story?



## Izzy

I'm starting this thread to see why and how others got into custom baling. Please feel free to tell your story. Who knows your experience might encourage someone to try out or to keep doing with custom work!
Izzy


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## rank

Izzy said:


> I'm starting this thread to see why and how others got into custom baling. Please feel free to tell your story. Who knows your experience might encourage someone to try out or to keep doing with custom work!
> Izzy


We don't do custom work per se, but we bale it and sell it. Started because we sold the cows but didn't want to sell the land.


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## BCFENCE

I dont do any custom work, Ive got more than i can do on my own


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## nwfarmer

I have been retired for 14 years. Just seems farmers that lease land in this area don't take care of business. Don't spray, don't mow, destroy the gated irrigation pipe. Out of self preservation I continue to farm the land our house is on. I don't do any extra farm work. When I look out over our field from the back porch I know it is being done right.


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## downtownjr

Grew up on a farm that sold out over 25 years ago. Joined the Air Force and retired a few years back. Missed farming and hay is the best to get into, to expensive to row crop. Frankly hay is more fun and is a real honest market. I have about 40 acres for me right now and do over 60 acres custom work. Still have a day job so it keeps me busy. But I love it. Few more buys...an accumulator and nice loader tractor and I will be where I want to with equipment. I call it my therapy...lol


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## farmboy9510

My two brothers and I got into custom bailing because hay is somthing we know and love and we are hoping this will help us with the start in farming..

Thanks

Alex


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## Lazy J

We grow our own hay and do custom work for others as a means to increase cash flow and profitability. Currently we custom harvest about 12,000 small square bales a year, but that number should increase as our customer base increases.

Having the custom work allows us to utilize bigger equipment and develop growth plans for our operation.

Jim


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## IndianaHaymaker

Picked up haying equipment at a real good price earlier this year for our own hay (6 acres alfalfa and 6 acres mixed). Just do small squares. After word got around that we were making small squares, the calls from neighbors have been coming in. It seems like there are lots of people around here with mixed fields (usually under 10 acres in size) that would like to have hay done but don't want to mess with it themselves or have trouble getting their hay cut in a timely fashion by others.

Currently doing work on 2/3 (us) 1/3 (customer) shares and learning a lot about maintaining/fixing used equipment that was bought on the cheap!


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## okhillbilly

Hi everyone I'm new to this forum. Joined mid June. I grew up on a 5 acre horse farm. Mom always bought hay and we hauled it with her. Grandparents always farmed and had cows and made thier own hay most of the time.Always like being around farming. I finally could afford a place of our own after my wife and I had been together for 5 yrs or so. We bought 160 acres in the small town of Tryon Ok. The day after we signed papers we started mowing the native grass off for the horses my mom and sister own. Used a NH sickle bar mower and a 560 NH baler. Thats been 6 years ago and I mow about 80 acres of our place for hay. The first 1500 bales go straight to moms barn. About a 5 mile haul to her farm. The extra I sell to local horse people for extra income and to pay for equipment improvements and upgrades. I now own 3 NH tractors a 617 NH disc mower and an 8 wheel rake and I bale with a 570 NH baler. We mowed last week about 70% of the hay fields and barely filled moms barn. Been dry here since mid May and the grass has quit growing. Always have local people I meet selling hay asking about custom cutting for them. I'm usually to busy doing our own. I also work a full time job during the week so getting the weather to cooperate on the weekends is challanging. Looks like this year may be a good year to start custom cutting. Just so I could get some hay in the barn for my cows and maybe some to sell. Just hopefull we can get some summer rain and a second cut on the bermuda in the fields.


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## CantonHayGuy

My story is close to downtown's except that I didn't grow up on a farm. It's not that I custom bale; I have 13 acres of horse pasture mix hay and don't have a baler yet. I do the cutting, raking and wagon loading and unloading. My mom is amazed to see her city born/raised son owning and using equipment she only saw from a distance growing up in Omaha, NE.

I retired from the Marine Corps and bought a 7 acre place here in the middle of farm country. Later, we had the opportunity to buy another 10 acres adjoining our existing 7. Later, sister-in-law bought 5 acres next to that 10. I tend the 5 acres for the in-laws and have 3 of it planted in the same horse hay mix. We have horses, a mule, llamas and goats; that's how it all got started for me. I wanted to grow my own hay for our animals and then sell any excess.


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## haybaler101

I started custom round baling 9 years ago. I milked cows at the time with Dad and my uncle. We needed a new round baler and could not justify one. Had a neighbor quit the custom baling business at the same time, so I bought a new NH 688 and took off. Sold the cows 2 years later, corn prices sucked but I could see a potential to sell alfalfa to dairies in S. Indiana. Kept increasing acres and buying bigger hay equipment. Now run a NH BB940A 3x3 and NH BR780A 6 X 5 round baler. I am the only guy around that will custom bale. Bought a semi and drop deck last year to move balers any distance and to haul hay. Important keys to being a custom operator: must have new or very well maintained equipment, great dealer support, and a WIFE that will forgive you for baling all night long, missing anniveraries, and running like a mad man! Just finished round baling 770 round bales in 3 days and covered 25 miles from one end to the other.


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## swmnhay

My dad bought his first farm in 1968.We traded work with a nieghbor we sq baled his hay/straw and he picked our corn.In mid 80's bought our first round baler & SP swather.Finding the need to make extra money in the farm crisis of the 80's started doing custom work.There wasn't many rd balers around,everyone had some livestock and there was setaside acres to bale also.The extra money kept me afloat thru the 80's but many of the smaller livestock producers which were my customers either quit or were forced to,and some of the larger ones bought there own balers.

I also sold seedbeans/corn/alfalfa to make some extra money.The co I sold for closed a few yrs ago but I kept the forage end of it and still sell forage seed.

So in the mid 90's the custom work was down and have increased my hay acres and sell most of it.Went from 150 to 400 acres of hay in 98 when I took on some more ground (900 total acres with corn & beans)That made a few sleepless nights.

I also raise some cattle fat holstiens and at times have raised dairy hfrs.It nice to have some around to utilize some hay.

What next?Not looking to expand the crop farming but may expand the cattle.If I only had a crystal ball.LOL


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## Dano1124

How I got started&#8230;.
I had some extra money lying around so I bought 70 AC in mid -central Missouri&#8230;near town but outside city limits, had to hide the $$$'s from the taxman. My friend has 120 AC and had cows on it&#8230;he was doing some baling with some old equipment. Looked like some fun, at that time the price for a round bale was good. I thought sense I was not going to have animals I need to sell hay and at the same time keep my place in good shape.
I know own a 2008 Kubota M9540, NH 851 chain round baler, NH hayliner 273 square baler, 10 wheel rake, NH 6750 9'2" disk mower, 36' gooseneck flatbed with hydraulic dove tail, 2006 Ford F350 with a hydro bed. Needless to say, thing are pretty good&#8230;we have done about 100 AC so far&#8230;mostly rounds. I have a about 80 AC's right now we are doing in squares. I have another 50 AC at my place to do and 50 AC in the next town down.
We still have to do my friends place of @70 AC and another 20AC he has been asked to do&#8230;all told @370 AC's&#8230;was hoping to get more done but I got called back to my real job in Kuwait early so things have been put on hold for a little while&#8230;(3 weeks or so). 
I have had some minor breakdowns but all in all things have gone pretty well for the first year&#8230;


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## brent

We got to the empty nest stage 5 years back and bought 18 acres just north of Toronto. First year we tried to maintain the land just mowing. Second year we decided to grow hay for our daughter who runs a horse farm training horses and riders for dressage and jumping.
I roto-tilled the available 10 acres, got a local to seed it and then the fun began. Just get a local to cut and bail it. Yeh sure.
Late in the second season with the crop 6 weeks past prime we decided we would have to do it ourselves. Got a JD 4040 ( we've got steep hills ) and everything else followed.

Never cut one blade of timothy for anyone else yet but we're ready to go if someone calls.
All that machinery and we can do our own with about 20 hours of tractor time.

There's got to be someone else out there like we were a few years back, with a feild and no-one to cut it.


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## Oliver55

I was born and raised in Detroit, right in the city. We would go visit the grand parents on the family farm in Cave City KY every year when I was a kid. I loved it. As a teenager I would go down for the summers. I am now 48 and I have a small place here in MI and have a 4 acre Alfalfa field. I am hoping to start custom bailing in this area soon.


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## NCSteveH

Back in the late 90's I had a bunch of mad money that I knew I would blow if I didn't invest it, found a retired farm family in maine that wanted to sell off their dairy farm property, ended up with 135ac. a 50x150 hay barn, a 60x180 cattle barn with stalls, and a 80x120 milking barn. cleaned out all the barns to remove the junk and make open floorspace for crop and equipment storage. Bought a IH Super H and a Ford 4610 the first year along with a Kuhn diskmower, NH rake, NH tedder and a MF-3 Baler, put up 6000 bales that year from 50ac. there was a pretty sharp learning curve that year, about 2000 bales ended up being mulch hay, not because of rain but rather leaf loss from allowing it to dry too long. In the following years I became pretty good at making hay. Then in 2003 life relocated me to NC and time only allowed for me to get up north to mow for maintanance. This year has been a very wet year and it has been tough getting on dry land so I'm fighting some tall grass but while I'm mowing I've had 4 people approach me about doing their fields, told them flat out that this year was impossible and they asked me about next year, so I checked out the fields and told them what i thought, 3 are worth doing and one is not(to small and poor shape) however they inhereted the land along with a IH centerline baler in the barn that looks like it has 1 season on it. I told them that I would do there mowing to keep the field clean along with spreading manure in exchange for long term use of the baler and when the field is back in shape I will hay it on a 60-40 split. They were happy and we signed papers on the agreement. 2 of the others signed 80-20 agreements and the last one needs all his hay plus, so we drew up a per bale agreement with a clause for fuel surcharges, he will also buy additional hay from me. So It sure looks like I'm in the custom baling business now. looking at just over 300ac. next year.








Now I'm looking at accumulators, grapples and wagons.

on a side note, the people with the baler are less than a mile from me so I buzzed there field in about 3 hours 2 weeks ago, waited till i had time and raked and baled it with the IH, this thing works like new and puts out a beautiful tight square bale. It now sits in my barn per our agreement.


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## panhandle9400

I guess I was brought up around doing all sorts of custom work from grain harvesting , ag air business. My dad and grand dad would do grain harvesting all over in the 40's and 50' an 60's then when i was 16 I knew what i wanted to do with my life so I rented a half section of dryland and the insanitiy started . We farm several 1000;s of acres about half is under center pivot irrigation, so we are pretty busy , for me I used and still do buy equipment and pay for it by doing alot of custom work , plus have the benifit of having large equpiment to do my own , combines ,4x4 JD's , or large hay equpiment. My dad always told ; service not excuses ! Our grain and hay customers have been using us for many years and depend on us to come in an get the job done , I do work for some in the surrounding area , my rates are competitive for this area and always make clear the cost to customers before we make a move to their property, swathing $ 18.00 and up per acre, large rounds 18.00 each, large squares 20.00 each rake 6 to 7.00 per acre, stacking 5.00 each.. I know that rates change with territory but never cut your own throat to get a job ! You will kick yourself when things breakdown. In our operation we are spread out about 40 miles , in order to save time and wear an tear on equipment I haul most of it except my rakes they tow nice , I used to grow alot of irrigated corn and over the last 10 years i been growing alfalfa and am glad I made the switch , I am happy with what I do and grateful to be where i am at , in more ways than 1 . rather work on brokedown system in hay than in tall corn anyday. A person has to hustle in this business to get work done and to get the extra work , if your looking . GOD BLESS FARMERS AND RANCHERS and all of agriculture. I run 2 4895 JD's with 18" sickle heads steel conditioners, 2 568 JD balers,4910 big square baler and 19 wheeled allen rake along with a big line of large farm equipment, trucks and trailers,,,,,,,,insanity ? yes at times ....do your best everyday and trust in God , always do your best when your working for another man and they will always remember your work and have you back . have a safe season and a profitable one too.... oh yeah watch for those rattlesnakes too.


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## darrboski

Started 2 years ago when my brother and I bought 1200 acres in Wyoming 600 irrigated. And with our family moto being " bite off more than you can chew and find a way to chew it". The only way to chew it was to use our equipment to produce a little income. So far works great made us appreciate our father for teaching us what he new.


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## hay hauler

Started mowing hay for my dad with a JD4230 when I could get the clutch in long enough to take it out of gear, had to put my back against the seat&#8230;.







This was in Rosemark TN, think I was 8 or 9.

Moved to Oregon when I was 12 (Grandparents are here). Got into the horse market making small bales. About the time I was 15 and learning to drive a customer asked if I wanted to deliver their hay, why not. So till I was able to drive on my own legally I would take my mom or granma along to make me legal. They would read books while I unloaded hay.







Once I could dive on my own, my good high school friend and I got into it kind of deep for being 16. Every other day on our own&#8230; We treated everyone right, did what we said we would do and word traveled fast.









Now we run two trucks and I bought a bale wagon, we get our fiends to help when we can (they last a month or two, always looking for new friends&#8230; whole other story).

Some other stuff on the side for neighbors and such, ponds, tillage, irrigation&#8230;. It was acutely a lot more fun when it was smaller and just my friend and I. Customers just aren't what they use to be and our area is fast becoming anti agriculture&#8230;









Hay has allowed me to work every day in the summer for good money being single 23 and no debt, and given me time in the school year to continue my education at the local community college and pursue my dream of being a commercial pilot.


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## barnrope

I'm new to this forum and I am glad I found it! I grew up on a corn / soybean farm and we also pasture farrowed 300 sows per summer on 20 acres of alfalfa / clover. The pasture was moved every year so I got a lot of experience with oats, straw, and haying in small squares. We started hiring custom operaters to round bale bean straw and corn stalks for us in the 80's. About 3 years ago I got fed up with the custom guys not coming on time and not making the kind of bale we wanted. About the same time we had to slow up raising hogs due to the bad hog economy. I basically woke up one morning and decided I was going to buy a round baler and figure it out. Within a week I bought a used Vermmeer 554XL and the process started. That fall I found a used H&S 12 wheel rake. Last year I bought a new New Holland 1431 discbine, and last month added a new Vermeer 605 Super M Corn Stalk Special. I still do a lot of squares with an old 270 New Holland and WD45 Allis Chalmers and the 720 diesel John Deere too. Got a lot of debt to pay off. I hope the livestock industry will hang in there!


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