# Straw in the field



## boilerhay (Apr 11, 2010)

I have had a couple of my hay customers inquire about straw for this year. There doesn't seem to be much wheat out in my area and it seems that the supply could be somewhat limited this year locally. 
I have a relative that has some wheat out close to me, what should I offer him for the straw? I'm thinking about taking orders so I'll know how much to bale, I really don't have enough storage to keep any to sell. I'd be making small squares, I'm thinking around 500 bales. I'm in north central Indiana.

Thanks.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Ive been thinking of putting up straw this year too but in big rounds. My problem is the neighbors are going back in quick and are reluctent to agree to anything. The sound of this year what ever you can put up may end up being gold in your pocket! Good luck


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## 4Gen (May 1, 2011)

Off hand, offer $30/ac.... I agree with Nitram on the price is looking good for straw this year. Probably good enough to justify buying tarps and loosing yard to mow if you don't have barn space.


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## Toyes Hill Angus (Dec 21, 2010)

I know of some Dairy guy's paying BIG dollars for straw last year, a little over 3 times the price ($100) that 4Gen said, in the field. Right now it seems the only ones with straw left are the jockeys/hustlers/brokers and they are getting $50 a bale for 3X3X7. Not bad for something that we used to just spread on to the field for a little residue. 
In my opinion this has come to be because of land values and crop competition and greed. The dairy farms need straw for bedding and to add fiber to their feed ration and wet wheat, barley and oats have lost acres due to low prices for small grains and large yeilds in corn crops, and persistant disease (fusarium) in wheat. One area farmer had wheat regected at the elevator in the fall, he took the wheat home and put it in an old unused bin, when he shipped it a month ago it went grade #2.
Funny how supply and demand work.


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## 4Gen (May 1, 2011)

toyes is absolutly correct on pricing in businuess... My pricing was for a relatives land and only wanting 500 smalls. It should be less then 10acres and half day in the relatives field. 500 smalls would only be enough to really cover himself and/or close family. If you want to get into the straw businuess, you should pay your relative fair market price.

Personally I would never pay $100/ac for wheat stubble. I only truly need straw to line the house and bedding for the old ladys lambs, everything else is a bonus. My personal luck if I were to pay $100/ac, straw prices would drop to the point where I would have to pay farmers to spread it for the residue.

Thats just my personal luck though


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## boilerhay (Apr 11, 2010)

I've seen a lot of guys selling to big outfits that will come in and bale big squares and haul them out by the semi load. I assume they buy it by the ton. I too think straw could be a valuable thing to have this winter and I want to offer the land owner a fair price. I'm also interested in baling for fun and profit, not just fun. Well, the wife is interested in the profit part anyway.

About 5 years ago a neighbor bought my straw out of the field for 25 cents/bale, so I wonder if somewhere in the 40-50 cent range would be okay. If I can get 3 bucks out of it I'll do okay.


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