# Hold or not to hold



## hayward (Jan 26, 2012)

Hi all, I sold small squares for a few yrs, been making rds last 5 . If your a long time hay producer, have you seen better results in holding hay until winter or is selling off the feild the best choice. I no different yrs(wheather) changes things, just for me I like getting rid of it as soon as its baled! Storage can be a big gamble i think? For me any way, always afraid to get stuck with it! Lol. Some buy when they need it, some buy it when they can get it,two markets so to speak I guess. Anyway, I hold what I need, get rest gone quick as can, that's what you do right? Wheres a good place on web to watch hay production/prices regionally? Where can I find a glass ball , lol. I know
this is the place for some good experienced opinions/advice, thanks ahead of time, happy hay making!


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## deadmoose (Oct 30, 2011)

Everyone else will have what works best for them. To find out what works best for you THERE sell some and hold some, spread your risk.


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## NewBerlinBaler (May 30, 2011)

Since 2008, I've been entering into an Excel spreadsheet the local hay auction results which are published every week in the paper. The data clearly show that prices are lowest thru the summer when pastures are green and animals can graze. It's also when dairy farmers & cattle ranchers are cutting & baling their own hay. Prices suddenly jump up every October (start of the year's fourth quarter). I think that's when folks get worried they won't have enough feed to get their herd thru the winter. Auction prices stay strong until late spring as some farmers simply run out of their own hay.

Even in a southern state like Arkansas, pastures aren't green all winter - are they? It's likely the same seasonal effect is happening there. Best way to answer your own question is to start collecting data in your area and trend it over time. Remember the 6-sigma* mantra: "To Measure Is To Know".

* 6-Sigma is a knowlege-based decision-making process used by management of numerous giant corporations like Caterpillar, General Electric, etc.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

When I sold more hay rather than feeding more cattle, I did a little of both.

At one time we tried to sell all the square bales we could in the field. We did not have the storage and folks expected to dicker on the price per bale. I remember when we built the large barn my Dad said, "Now we do not have to kiss anyones butt". With squares, we sold some in the field for $.50 cents less than barn price. Those who wanted a deal had to sweat a little. Most horse people do not have enough hay storage and like knowing they can buy from your barn when needed.

Until this hay season I sold some rounds in the field. We no longer square. If a person stopped and wanted hay, we would load their trailer. All were horse people who used rounds. We hauled everything else to the barn to use and sell during the winter months.

Being versatile has an advantage. Being able to make and store good hay, being able to feed any that you really do not feel safe selling, provides more options for any hay producer.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

I think the market in your location should dictate what is best. In my area the highest price is from June to November. Then after that people for the most part are just buying if they run short of hay, buy more animals and then it's just enough to last until the next June. It's been that way here for the last 15 years. Also depending on your income taxes. Should you sell all your inventory in one year or stretch it out into the next tax year.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Around here prices rise in late fall and usually stay strong thru the winter until the pastures are back in the spring.

I've never had hay left over in the spring that I couldn't move, people expect to steal hay thru the summer.

I have plenty of storage though so selling off the field is not a necessity.

If I store it and it doesn't keep a hundred percent I don't have my reputation dinged if it should heat later if somebody else bought a large quantity off the field.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Just thinking about this again. I right now have 122 2nd cutting 3x3x8 bales of grass in my barn that is all sold and it's been there for two weeks and it's starting to bother me that the buyers haven't come to get it yet. I shouldn't be bothered by it as I don't need the space and 3rd cutting is 3 weeks away or so, but still I like to have it gone. So I'm the type to like to sell the hay and have it gone soon after it's in the barn. I also have about 40 bales of 3x3x8 alfalfa that I will sell to a guy at the rate of about 2 bales every other week or so until next year. I don't like that so much either, but I'm kinda stuck as he's been buying like this for 8 years or so and I don't want to be mean and say pay it all up front and get it out of here. He doesn't have the money to buy it all up front.


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## hayward (Jan 26, 2012)

So much hay down here, people are listing bigger bales so cheap, I mean tons of ads, alot more every day. letting some go cheaper than I want, think I will start holding on 3rd and 4 th cutting to make sure and have some on hand to sale. Just baled one place 3rd time already today, 40ac made 169 4x5s. Sold prob 550 of the 857 I've baled this yr?


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## Josh in WNY (Sep 7, 2010)

Teslan said:


> Just thinking about this again. I right now have 122 2nd cutting 3x3x8 bales of grass in my barn that is all sold and it's been there for two weeks and it's starting to bother me that the buyers haven't come to get it yet. I shouldn't be bothered by it as I don't need the space and 3rd cutting is 3 weeks away or so, but still I like to have it gone. So I'm the type to like to sell the hay and have it gone soon after it's in the barn. I also have about 40 bales of 3x3x8 alfalfa that I will sell to a guy at the rate of about 2 bales every other week or so until next year. I don't like that so much either, but I'm kinda stuck as he's been buying like this for 8 years or so and I don't want to be mean and say pay it all up front and get it out of here. He doesn't have the money to buy it all up front.


Most of my hay (all small squares) is sold in the winter but I do have one customer that buys about 400 bales a year right off the field and he does get a reduced price for that. I have enough storage right now for about 3000 bales and I can put up close to that in a year if I get a good 2nd cutting. The problem I don't want is to be able to produce more than I can store and not have anyone to buy it during the summer (and I end up with no where to put what I have baled).

The customers that I currently have (that I hold hay for) are repeat customers that I can depend of to take the hay I store, so I really don't worry about that. If I was depending on new customers to get my hay all sold, I would be nervous. If a new customer were to ask me to hold hay for them I would probably ask for a non-refundable deposit on the hay to make sure they were serious about buying it. If and when they became a repeat customer, this might change.

I have thought about getting a round baler and putting all the "extra" hay stacked and covered outside as rounds, but that's another piece of equipment on top of having to work my way into another hay market.


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