# How far away have you sold hay to?



## Will 400m (Aug 1, 2011)

I have gotten quite a few good customers from craigs list since I started selling hay this year. That being said I got a call from a person that said he had a trucking company and his hay suplyer in P.A. ran out of first and had not got a second yet. I havnt delt with him befor and he got my add from craigs list. I have two concerns 1. Is he legit and 2. he claims he represents a customer in florida who will in the end use the hay and will send a money transfer of some sort to pay for the hay. So all that being said any ideas or thoughts would be greatly aperciated. And on a side note I know the hay has not been good in the south but if the hay is that short all over maby I should hold on to it a little longer and see how much I can get. But then again I dont want to be gready and $4 a bale is still a good price and its a good chunk of profit in it for me. Thanks in advance for any thoughts.


----------



## RockmartGA (Jun 29, 2011)

A couple of "Rules of Thumb":

1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
2. Listen to that little voice in your head. It's probably right.

For the most part, hay is a localized business. All of my customers are within 30 miles. Shipping hay from New England to Florida doesn't make economic sense to me. Unless the guy shows up with cash in hand, I'd tell him thanks, but no thanks.


----------



## dubltrubl (Jul 19, 2010)

Just my $.02, but I'd get cash or a cashiers check up front. Most folks will understand that you need your money when the hay is picked up, and will abide by that pleasantly if they truely need the hay. I've sold to folks this year from over 500 miles away, and they've all brought cash without me even asking them to. There are a few sleazeballs out there lately that are de-facto, wanna-be brokers, and they're basically cashing in on an unfortunate situation. They'll give all kinds of stories, but they really don't have the money to buy, then re-sell at a profit, so they pull various stunts to get folks to either front the money, or the goods, then walk off with the cash and in the end, someone is left holding the bag. I'd be very, very leary unless someone I trusted vouched for them. I've made it a policy this year to deal directly with the end user simply because of this. I've even had guys approach me to buy everything I have at one time, and they honestly have the money, but I've turned them down. My personal angst is that they have a truck, a trailer, and some contacts, and are trying to cash in on other folks misfortune and profit from my labor and risk. Just rubs me totally wrong. I have nothing against a guy making a dollar, but what I see going on with my neighbors to the west of me, and how they're being taken advantage of, just ticks me off. Like I said, just my $.02. Best of luck whichever way you decide.
Steve


----------



## Will 400m (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks for the quick advice. The thought never crossed my mind that the hay would leave befor either cash or a western union money gram. I already expressed this to the guy on the phone. From what I have talked to him he is just a shipper and other than talking to him when he picks the hay up I would be payed by the lady buying the hay and not the driver. She is suposed to call me in a few minutes to arrang the payment. Hope it works out but like I said I dont realy need to sell the hay so if it feel's sketchy or even a litle off I plan to tell them to take there truck and drive it somewhere else.


----------



## blueriver (Oct 19, 2009)

Get the money up front ... I would go with a wire transfer and your bank will let you know when its in your account ... then when the truck comes you already have the funds. Talk to your banker if your not familiar with a wire.


----------



## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

I have shipped hay to many hay guys in Florida , I loaded cattle trucks with small bales down and loaded calves back. Unless you KNOW them bank wire or GOOD cashiers check 1st . I have some of them that will buy my barns sight unseen half money up front. I have sent hay to ocala, plant city,summerfield,davy,miami just to name a few . After years in the business I have met and sold to many across the south. WATCH OUT for BOGUS CASHIERS CHECKS TOO!!! I got some of those from some asshole in canada, told him my bank cashed them without question and that got them going . turned out to be fake from a bank in Ohio .


----------



## panhandle9400 (Jan 17, 2010)

RockmartGA said:


> A couple of "Rules of Thumb":
> 
> 1. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
> 2. Listen to that little voice in your head. It's probably right.
> ...


If you owned some empty trucks going there you would want to send them loaded, sent 1000's of tons of #1 alfalfa to dozens of feed dealers in florida , what the freight was paid for the round trip down and back with 100 head of calves. sweet deal for years for my trucks . All good hay is shipped into that state except bahia and maybe peanut hay. Those fancy horse farms will always take western alfalfa., our main haul was 1500 to 1800 miles oneway seen lot of northern trucks down there with hay. Have MONEY in HAND before the hay leaves the farm.


----------



## Mike120 (May 4, 2009)

This year I've been on the receiving end with a couple of loads of alfalfa from Northern Wyoming. I'm dealing with guys I know and send a check which is cleared before the truck is loaded and I pay the driver when he delivers.


----------



## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

I am in Fl in horse country. Some not all of the horse farms here are hurting bad. About 25% of the hay sold to the horse farms is either not paid for or not paid in full at the agreed upon price. Get ALL your money up front before the truck is loaded, either a bank wire transfer into an account used only for transfers or dead presidents ( cash). I will only sell hay for/to horses/horsey gals for cash only, no checks, no credit, paid for before it is loaded, one bale or a truck load don't matter.

scrapiron


----------



## expensive hobby (Feb 16, 2010)

scrapiron said:


> I am in Fl in horse country. Some not all of the horse farms here are hurting bad. About 25% of the hay sold to the horse farms is either not paid for or not paid in full at the agreed upon price. Get ALL your money up front before the truck is loaded, either a bank wire transfer into an account used only for transfers or dead presidents ( cash). I will only sell hay for/to horses/horsey gals for cash only, no checks, no credit, paid for before it is loaded, one bale or a truck load don't matter.
> 
> scrapiron


I didnt know there were only 3 other suppliers that deliver to fla,lol


----------



## Will 400m (Aug 1, 2011)

Thanks for all the advice but either it was a big o'l load of horse fecies or the lady realy has been busy since thursday but money never got here so hay never got loaded. The trucker seemed like he just got stuch doing alot of leg work to make a few bucks and just ended up jetting jerked around. Thanks to everyone for all the help.


----------



## HayFarmChick85 (Oct 17, 2011)

I agree this is probably a scam... honestly Craigslist isn't a place I'd advertise on simply because there are scammers on there every day. I would try to find a local advertising company or even market yourself locally, in a newspaper or local brochure. It takes a little local market research and a little bit of work, but I think it will pay off.
That being said, I am not a seasoned hay farmer like most of you seem to be but just putting my two cents in as well.


----------

