# Price to charge for cutting hay



## ChestnutHillFarm (Mar 27, 2021)

Hello everyone - new to the forum. We have about 6 acres of pasture that we just acquired from a previous horse owner. He stated that he planted “high-quality bluegrass and fescue”. The field looks lush and green. we don’t plan on using the field for the next few years and someone has approached us to cut it for hay and to pay us a fee. How much is a reasonable price to ask for per acre? Is the price per cutting or for the entire year? New to this and trying to learn. Thank you so much and I appreciate any help you can provide.


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

This could be anywhere from nothing to hundreds of dollars per acre. Your location matters a lot.


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## ttazzman (Sep 29, 2019)

Around here hay is cut on shares usually with the agreement that the hay person will buy back the landowners shares at market


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

It varies from situation, location, weather etc.

You can contract by the acre and number of cuts or by the nbr of bales.

Generally if by the acre it's by the cut (2 cuts pays twice, 3 cuts thrice etc amount to be determined)

But it's really up to the individuals to come to an agreement, same for fertilizing


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## Ox76 (Oct 22, 2018)

You can do an internet search for "custom rates for farm services" near you, usually through an extension of a nearby college or similar. It'll give you an idea about leasing, renting, services, etc. They're usually from last year or before so things like increase in fuel costs this year will have an impact.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

When your buyer removes the hay, he is also removing very valuable nutrients of Nitrogen, Phosphorous, and Potash. These 3 amendments alone have skyrocketed this year with the probability of further price increases. These must be replaced every year when you remove hay from the field. Like was mentioned earlier, your location(state) is critical in evaluations.

Regards, Mike


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## Stxpecans123 (May 18, 2020)

I wouldn't waste my time on 6 acres.


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## siscofarms (Nov 23, 2010)

If your not interested in any of the hay you need to charge by the bale no matter what shape and size . And as VOL said , Is the buyer fertilizing it or does that fall back on you ? Lots to consider here . And by all means , before you give him the OK to do what ever , Get it in writing , a legal binding , no matter if its your best buddy from birth .


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I hay two fields I pay absolutely nothing for--the owner is just delighted I keep the ground mowed and in good care, and another field I pay $50/acre/year for, and that owner is also tickled at how much I've improved the land.

In haying it they're doing you a favor as well by keeping it mowed down and keeping weeds from taking over.

If somebody does hay it you need to require that they fertilize it every year, otherwise they will mine the soil.

Instead of charging by acre you could also do a split and keep 1/3 of the hay and sell it yourself, which will probably get you more than a year's worth of land rent.


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## dvcochran (Oct 1, 2017)

ChestnutHillFarm said:


> Hello everyone - new to the forum. We have about 6 acres of pasture that we just acquired from a previous horse owner. He stated that he planted "high-quality bluegrass and fescue". The field looks lush and green. we don't plan on using the field for the next few years and someone has approached us to cut it for hay and to pay us a fee. How much is a reasonable price to ask for per acre? Is the price per cutting or for the entire year? New to this and trying to learn. Thank you so much and I appreciate any help you can provide.


To "get all the liars in the same room" I think the easiest and fairest was to do it is by the roll. Of course roll size would be a factor. You could break it down to tonnage if easier for you.

Since the field is an unknown on yield the first year is really a wildcard. I would pull a soil sample and see where it stands. You may be better off getting lime/fertilizer for free.

Like others have said your location and market play a Big factor.


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## Markpnw (Dec 27, 2019)

I farm 40 acres of alfalfa don’t pay a dime


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## Beav (Feb 14, 2016)

we pay for all the fertilizer and buy your 1/3 of the hay out of the field or you can keep your 1/3 of the hay for yourself


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## Ridgefarmer63 (Apr 5, 2017)

Like others have said, hard tellin' not knowin'.

I hay six different fields. The best one is 8 acres and I give the guy a cord of wood. Green. $250.00 value. The other fields ranging in size from 6 acres to 30 acres I just maintain the fields. Sometimes I might give them a small care package of beef for Christmas.

IDK. Ain't no money in farmin' !!


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