# Custom Haying job opening.



## Lostin55

Does anyone want to, or know anyone that would, spend the summer putting up custom small squares in Northwest Wyoming. 72 miles from Yellowstone NP. Long hours, good pay. Old equipment. Family environment. Challenging haying conditions.

I might even consider buying a camper for someone to stay in, if it would help. There has to be someone who knows a young person that might want to see a different part of the world for the summer.

Of course, they would have to know which end of the grease gun goes on the zerk, and be able to get the job done.

I have advertised locally and we are taking resumes currently. I figured I would throw it on here, if nothing else as a good conversation starter this morning.


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## Teslan

I know what end of a grease gun goes on the zerk. I'm ready!!


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## Lostin55

You would be going back to your roots, as it regards equipment.

Old cab JD from the 80's. Inline small squares, 1069. No computers. No GPS. Mid 90's swather.

I am struggling to get the radios working in everything.


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## discbinedr

I'm on my way! Shucks, I have other obligations........


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## hillside hay

Lostin55 said:


> You would be going back to your roots, as it regards equipment.
> Old cab JD from the 80's. Inline small squares, 1069. No computers. No GPS. Mid 90's swather.
> I am struggling to get the radios working in everything.


Shoot you are light years ahead of me. I'm finally looking to mechanize this year. All depends if PA Outdoorsman buys that 1034 or not. Lol


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## paoutdoorsman

LOL. I'm just cheap (read free) help for looking at the 1034 and providing feedback for a purchase decision. I'm sure I'll be involved in setup and testing it out if he does buy it.

Lostin55, sounds like a good experience for a young buck with some character and a bit of freedom. How many small squares are you talking about?


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## Lostin55

I haven't looked at the numbers and done the math. Hopefully somewhere between 50k and 75k bales this year. The business is growing, this is year two. It is hard to predict.


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## hillside hay

You are far better at marketing than I am apparently. I have yet to break 12000. I just don't do the hard sell very well. When I push an issue I come off as a grade A asshole. Don't mean to just that's how it's perceived.


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## RockyHill

We were about ready to apply BUT the "young person" part disqualified us  THEN the 75,000 bales made it less appealing to us 

Long hours -- might be shorter than what we're used to doing

Good pay -- sounds better than working for ourselves

Old equipment -- experienced there, might even be newer to us

Family environment -- that's us, would fit right in

Challenging hay conditions -- hmm, are there any other kind?

Camper -- we'd provide our own

National Park -- would be trading Mammoth Cave for Yellowstone

Grease gun -- would bring Dewalt 20 volt

Would have just needed to start our own search for someone to take over for us here, oh well you'll find somebody better suited and maybe we need to keep on trying to cut back 

Shelia


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## Lostin55

We marketed hard last season, and there was a need in the area.

We put up flyers in feed stores, fertilizer plants, local cafes, ran ads in the papers. This year we purchased a bunch of radio time at the FFA auction. We put videos on Youtube, for the younger folks. We have coverage in the market, and our name is getting to be known.

We are also in a bit of a unique situation. There are very few full time custom guys around. Most guys are evenings and weekends. Our biggest competitor, who is full time, and a friend as well, is getting to the age that I don't know how long he will be in the game. He will be hanging it up in the next few years I am sure. He is what most would call a BTO, I guess. He runs 5 balers, 3 small square, 1 round, 1 3x3. He never baled a round bale last year. He did use the heck out of the other 4 balers though. I even did some for him when he got behind the 8 ball.

In addition, a competitor from the next town over was in a bad wreck and is no longer able to do custom work. He is just one side or the other of 80 years old. His customers have been calling. It's only 25ish miles over there.

We had a board meeting the other day. That is to say that the 3 of us went out for a beer. We are trying to decide just how big we want to push this thing. Right now, it wouldn't take much to get way to big, way to fast. That and my line of credit only goes so far if I was to start buying more equipment. Last season we bought 5 pieces of equipment, that was enough.

As if this isn't enough, we started renting out equipment as well. Not the haying equipment, but dozer, bobcat, manure spreaders, tractors etc.


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## Lostin55

Shelia,

Last year we had a semi retired guy, a college gal, a middle age gal, a really good gal, mid 30's, that is a friend and worked part time, my wife and myself. We covered all of the bases.

It might only be 50k bales.

If you can't make it, just forward the Dewalt 20 V, would ya?


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## Lostin55

The door is back on the little 4000 now. We had to film and didn't have good hay to bale at the time so the baling footage is pretty horrible conditions. Everything else was good though.


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## r82230

Lostin55 said:


> We had a board meeting the other day. That is to say that the 3 of us went out for a beer. We are trying to decide just how big we want to push this thing. Right now, it wouldn't take much to get way to big, way to fast. That and my line of credit only goes so far if I was to start buying more equipment. Last season we bought 5 pieces of equipment, that was enough.


If you need any wise cracks or dumb ideas at your board meetings I might be available (naturally, I can be quite easily persuaded to 'sample' your beverages too, I do however like them cold). 

Larry


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## RockyHill

Lostin55 said:


> Shelia,
> 
> Last year we had a semi retired guy, a college gal, a middle age gal, a really good gal, mid 30's, that is a friend and worked part time, my wife and myself. We covered all of the bases.
> 
> It might only be 50k bales.
> 
> If you can't make it, just forward the Dewalt 20 V, would ya?


after seeing the video, could reconsider -- don't see that much wide open space here (Jeff just said "if you want to go we'll go") 

50k looks a lot more do-able in big fields

sorry, can't pry the Dewalt away from Jeff, maybe the board will put money in the budget for one

Shelia


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## Teslan

Lostin55 said:


> The door is back on the little 4000 now. We had to film and didn't have good hay to bale at the time so the baling footage is pretty horrible conditions. Everything else was good though.


I enjoyed that video. I think I would be a liability in the 1069 because I would forget the tie tiers. The swather looks fine since you are cutting alfalfa. If I didn't have my own hay to do I would like to experience haying in Wyoming for a month or so.


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## Lostin55

The board is also the war dept.
Just remember, first cutting doesn't start until June.


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## r82230

Believe it or not, my wife (along with her cousin), just booked part of a trip out in your neck of the woods (Yellowstone) for three days (part of a two week fly/road trip). Too bad they aren't leaving until Sept 7 (flying into Rapid City SD, first Mt. R. is first on the list, then continuing to more NP, finally flying out of Vegas I hear). I would try to get them to go a month earlier, but only one would be a fair tractor operator, the other one.............she is an non-farm raise RN, so unless you need some medical stuff........they both might want to set on your board.........na, they don't seem to like farm equipment that well.

BUT if I could persuade them to do a little hay work for you while travelling, maybe I could get some more equipment.  Na, that won't work either, you will most likely be sending me a bill.  Another of my dumb ideas. 

Larry


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## IHCman

Throw in an elk hunt at the end of the year and I might do it for free!


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## IHCman

Maybe get in touch with tech school or ag college that has a workstudy/internship/on the job training program to find someone for a summer job. I talked about that with my sister when she taught at Lake Area Tech in Watertown SD. If I wanted summer help she would have steered me towards the good kids and not the waterheads. I never did that though.


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## carcajou

Heck it's only a 10 hr drive down to your place, till last week my fields were farther apart than that. Whats the bird hunting like down your way? We have lots of Elk


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## Lostin55

We have an Ag college three miles away, and ads hanging on the board. I hesitated to post one at the horse barn though, you know those horsey people.
We also filed with job service, the state agency over in Cody.
We are running ads in the paper and online. As it turns out, the skill set required to operate equipment and turn the occasional wrench is a rare commodity.
I thought it would be fun, and maybe successful, to post on here and see if somebody would want a summer long field trip to Northern Wyoming.


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## SCtrailrider

Well, this sounds like something me & the missis would enjoy.... Altho she doesn't do tractors here either, she likes to watch... hasn't ever been behind the wheel of my dually..

If you are still around in a few years I'll take you up on it, we have been talking about a summer road trip for some time now, she only has a few years till she can retire, then maybe we can have a summer on the road..

Just give us some time and keep things headed in the right direction and I'll take you up on the offer for sure, my bucket list has spending a summer on the road with our horses, we have a self contained horse trl so all we would need is a shade tree & some where for the ponys...


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## SCtrailrider

Just watched the video, nice work on it..

Yep, I'd be up for it.. didn't see too many shade trees but I think I could find some good horse trails during the off time ...

Good luck finding help out your way...


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## Lostin55

SCtrailrider said:


> Just watched the video, nice work on it..
> 
> Yep, I'd be up for it.. didn't see too many shade trees but I think I could find some good horse trails during the off time ...
> 
> Good luck finding help out your way...


We have some pretty amazing horse trails around here. More than you could ride in a summer, and then some. We also have horses and mules ourselves, and elk season is a great way to start the fall.


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## SCtrailrider

Well the wife has never been past IA, I want to take her out west some day, now I know where I can spend some time & pay for the fuel at the same time... and I love elk burgers !!! I use to do to my uncles place in Parshall CO and help with the round up, maybe we will visit you some day...


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## Lostin55

Still no takers?


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## r82230

Lostin55 said:


> Still no takers?


Maybe, change your advertising/line of thinking, make it something like this:

"Vacation package, almost endless site-seeing, bed and breakfast, opportunity to run real farm equipment, ride horses, see wild life (input what's available) , 14 day package, only $2,000 (dual occupancy priced reduced to $1,800, limited supply), 30 day package $3,000 (dual price $2,700). 100 day package negotiable Hurry booking fast, limited time offers*. See the best of what the west has to offer on this amazing limited time offer"**

*whatever disclaimers you would like in extra small print, that no one can read.

** even smaller print about expected to work 18-20 hour days, from time to time.

Sorry it's raining here and it seems to have sometimes strange effects on me. Well my wife might say not strange, just normal. 

Larry


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## Lostin55

I kind of like that approach.

The chance to run skunk and raccoon eradication equipment, along with the occasional rattlesnake relocation device, could be appealing to many. I should work on my marketing strategy.


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## woodland

Lostin55, my mom has been trying that kind of approach for calving at our place. Calling it an "all inclusive stay". Home cooking, spectacular stars and northern lights while looking at the north end of a southbound bovine, and witnessing the miracle of life. Of course the fine print would have to mention experience subject to temperamental mama cows, poor weather, and dealing with black cows in the dark.

No takers here either


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## Lostin55

I can relate....
We gave up on social media and put an ad with the local job service. The inbox is actually filling up with applicants. It just might work out, for now anyway.


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## Lostin55

Pheasants? What pheasants? I haven't seen any pheasants! Nope, wrong place...... Brush is to thick for dogs, the sun comes up to early.........

Of course the quote box didn't pop up.


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## 8350HiTech

Looks like you're about three hours from my uncle's place. It'd be easier to choose the camper option.


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## kurt1981

will you pay for my back surgery when we are done for the year


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## Lostin55

kurt1981 said:


> will you pay for my back surgery when we are done for the year


Nope. You wouldn't need it anyway, we never touch a bale. Every bit of it is mechanically done.


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## MattB

Wish I had seen this post earlier. I would have seriously looked at coming over there for your summer. Not sure how it would go with visas but bit late now anyway. 
Something I would still like to do one day if you ever start up again or anyone else is looking.


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## Lostin55

MattB said:


> Wish I had seen this post earlier. I would have seriously looked at coming over there for your summer. Not sure how it would go with visas but bit late now anyway.
> Something I would still like to do one day if you ever start up again or anyone else is looking.


I wish that you had seen it earlier also.....


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## hillside hay

After first cutting I have to jaunt out to CA for a bit. Wouldn't mind stopping by as I'm looking to lose the kicker racks. I've yet to see a properly operating bale wagon. Lol


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## Lostin55

You are welcome to swing by anytime.


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## lcjaynes

Can I count it as job research???? Wish I could....


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## TORCH

Lostin55 said:


> Does anyone want to, or know anyone that would, spend the summer putting up custom small squares in Northwest Wyoming. 72 miles from Yellowstone NP. Long hours, good pay. Old equipment. Family environment. Challenging haying conditions.
> 
> I might even consider buying a camper for someone to stay in, if it would help. There has to be someone who knows a young person that might want to see a different part of the world for the summer.
> 
> Of course, they would have to know which end of the grease gun goes on the zerk, and be able to get the job done.
> 
> I have advertised locally and we are taking resumes currently. I figured I would throw it on here, if nothing else as a good conversation starter this morning.


I am most likely getting a job in Cody. Need to find a place to move out there. Found you post and want to talk to you ASAP. I also make hay and need to get hooked up in the right area. Will be bringing hay equipment with. Small squares is what I also make.

My name is Scott from Wisconsin.


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## Vol

TORCH said:


> I am most likely getting a job in Cody. Need to find a place to move out there. Found you post and want to talk to you ASAP. I also make hay and need to get hooked up in the right area. Will be bringing hay equipment with. Small squares is what I also make.
> 
> My name is Scott from Wisconsin.


Scott, you will be much better off to send 55 a personal message as this post will probably be buried before he signs back on. I think he actually got out of the custom haying, but talked about getting back into it. He seems to be a good guy as we have messaged each other quite a bit.

Regards, Mike


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## TORCH

Vol

I did send a massage to 55 if I did it right. I watched his video and got his business name. Than looked it up and found an email address. Sent them an email. The big push is I may leave after work on Sunday. I will be going for an in person interview in Cody. He is not far from there and wanted to see what the true details are. I can meet them in person and go from there.

Thanks


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## Vol

Cody is a really cool little town....can get kind of boring in the winter time, but the fishing and hunting in the area is superb and the nearby scenery is about as good as it gets in this country. Good luck to you.

Regards, Mike


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## kurt1981

how much do you pay.........per hr or flat rate for the summer


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## Lostin55

Not hiring this summer...... Thanks for asking though


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## somedevildawg

Hope all is well in the beautiful state of Wyoming.......good to hear from you!


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