# Thinking of doing some custom work



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I have been thinking of doing a little custom work. The extra income would be nice. I have one guy that would like me to cut and bale his hay, but he is 23 miles away. He is willing to pay $30 per acre to cut, $40 per bale to bale a 3x4x8, and $5 per bale to move off the field. This field is 36 acres, and the stack yard is right next to the field. It is a alfalfa grass mix. He said he gets about 70 tons per year out of three cuttings.

to cut one cutting $1080

Bale approximately 35 bales $1400

move bales to stack yard  $ 175 

Total per cutting $2655

I am looking for some opinions, does that seem like a worthwhile deal? I am thinking it will take about three hours to move equipment one direction.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

$30 an acre to cut $40 a bale to bale? First thing I would make sure I get it in cash and then I'd be all over that like ugly on an ape. Sounds too good to be true, and you know what they say....

Sounds like guy has more money than brains.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

$30 an acre to cut $40 a bale to bale? First thing I would make sure I get it in cash and then I’d be all over that like ugly on an ape.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

stack em up said:


> $30 an acre to cut $40 a bale to bale? First thing I would make sure I get it in cash and then I'd be all over that like ugly on an ape.


Before we got our own haying equipment the guy that putting up our hay was charging dad $25/acre to cut, and $52.50/bale to bale. That was about five years ago.


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## danwi (Mar 6, 2015)

I was thinking too that is some expensive baling, around here it is $8 to $10 for a 3x3x8 plus preservative if used. I would think when hay prices are low that you could buy hay for $52.50 a bale. But some areas are different. If his money is good guys would jump on that all day.


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## Woody426 (Jun 3, 2019)

Usally 8-15 a bale and 15 bucks a acre to mow


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Sounds good at first glance.
3 separate tractors?
Moving the bales doesn't pay much if you factor in road time.
Road time will be more then 3 hrs by time you get it there,get a ride back.Something breaks and you have to run home,etc,etcRoad time is a killer farming that far away.
Another 3 hrs to get everything home,plus the trip to get there.

3 hrs per tractor for road time would be closer rd trip be my estimate

It still pays pretty good but will take a lot of extra road time.

I've got a couple fields 20-28 miles away and kept track of time it takes to cut acres per hr or time to bale.And now I say I could farm twice the acres if it was all located in one spot.Road time sucks!


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I decided to go ahead and do it. I am not looking forward to roading the equipment down the road; I guess I will have to get a bigger cup of coffee.


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

Attaboy. You work to keep your equipment, now the equipment gets to work for itself a little more.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

Go for it. As you are aware, I'm a couple hours North of you and it's about $17/Bale here. I was getting $25/acre for that size field, to cut it.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Lostin55 said:


> Go for it. As you are aware, I'm a couple hours North of you and it's about $17/Bale here. I was getting $25/acre for that size field, to cut it.


Before we bought our haying equipment the guy that was putting up our hay was charging dad $25/acre to cut, and $52.50/bale for for a 3x4x8. We had to haul it out of the field.


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

CowboyRam said:


> Before we bought our haying equipment the guy that was putting up our hay was charging dad $25/acre to cut, and $52.50/bale for for a 3x4x8. We had to haul it out of the field.
> 
> Depending on several variables, that sounds like roughly $85-90/ton just to Bale. That's insane to me


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

For that kind of money you would be money ahead buying your hay and having it hauled in.

And Losin55, did you ever get your '55 Chevy pickup done?


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## Lostin55 (Sep 21, 2013)

stack em up said:


> For that kind of money you would be money ahead buying your hay and having it hauled in.
> And Losin55, did you ever get your '55 Chevy pickup done?


GMC. It's done, so to speak. Maybe I should say I'm done with it. It left me last year. At least it doesn't require alimony. Lol.
I agree on the buying and shipping in hay for that price. If I wanted to get back in the custom game, I could make money parking equipment down there and hiring a guy to run it.


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